Baker Batavia Damascus
 

Spinning off on "They are where you find them..." I was looking at a knife on Gunbroker, followed a link to the seller's other items and saw a Baker B grade for not much money, but not much condition either. So I followed that trail looking for more info on Bakers and ended up on GI where I found this Batavia Damascus in what I considered very high condition, and a 16 ga. with 30 inch barrels to boot. Less than a grand. After about 10 minutes of considering the pros and cons, I dropped the hammer. Then I did more research (cart before the horse?) and found the great Baker articles by Daryl and Drew and Dave et al. and pieced together that this is a Baker Batavia Damascus made between 1905 and 1909 and sold for $28 in 1907, when the Leader was $25 and the Brush gun was $24. A premium for the damascus. See what you think. It's too late for me, the gun is on its way. My only concern is that the stock may be a little too crooked. The pics are not mine, but from GI.

From the 1911 Baker Gun & Forging Co. catalog --

Attachment 104979

Any idea when they dropped the 10 gauge? I have looked at one before but the price seemed off and that was 2 years ago and it still hasnt sold.

That's about as good of an example that you will find. Congrat's I would have bought it weeks ago if I didn't have a couple similar to it in 12 ga. Those 16 gauge guns are really fun.

I have been watching that gun for a long time, was wondering why it had not sold...

Debated buying it several times, well now I don't have to worry bout it. Congrats!

None of the Baker Gun & Forging Co. catalogs or newspapers I have list the Batavias in 10-gauge.

A catalog said to be 1903 lists just the Batavia Leader with Twist barrels in 12-gauge only 28- and 30-inch. The next catalog I have, circa 1906, lists the Batavia Leader with Twist barrels and the Batavia Special with Homo-tensile steel barrels both in 12- and 16-gauge. The 1909 and 1911 catalogs show the Batavia Leader, Batavia Special, Batavia Damascus, Batavia Brush and the Batavia Ejector with steel or Damascus barrels, all only in 12- and 16-gauge.

The earlier version of their newspaper was called The Baker Gun Quarterly. No Batavias in the May 1900 issue. The February, May & August 1903, the February, June & November 1904 and the April & August 1905 issues show the Batavia Leader in 12-gauge only with 28- and 30-inch barrels.

The later newspaper was called The Baker Gunner. February 1906, shows the Batavia Leader in 12- and 16-gauge. The February 1907, issue shows the Batavia Leader, Special, Damascus and Brush all in 12- and 16-gauge.

did they make a 10 ga...charlie

From the Baker Gun & Forging Co. paper I have the A, B & Paragon Grade Baker Hammerless and the Baker Hammer Guns were offered in 10-, 12- & 16-gauge. The later guns, the R & S Grades and the Model Nineteen Nine Paragon, Expert and Deluxe were only offered in 12- and 16-gauges.

Baker Gun & Forging Co. seemed to be in a continual state of flux with management and offerings changing on a regular basis.

Heres the 10 gauge I was talking about.
https://www.gunsinternational.com/gu...n_id=101665911

That 10g is an absolute mess for the asking price of nearly $2,000.

A very poor replacement buttstock, the whole forend is not original, and it is from a Parker to boot.