Lots of interesting and nicely done relief carving on the stock.
The engraving looks to me like very typical Grade 3 engraving for that period, with the exception of the wedges on the barrel breeches.
We'd like to see pictures of the top rib and the barrel flats. To me they look like what has been described to me as 'Belgian fluid steel barrels' using the lug from the original set of Damascus steel barrels. I have seen probably four Parkers, two Grade 4 guns and two Grade 3 guns, with what appear to be the same barrels, wedge engraving executed exactly like yours, and all.
Below is pictured a CH twenty-gauge that originally had 30" Damascus barrels. They were replaced with fluid steel barrels described to me as "Belgian." The wedge engraving on this set is much more elaborate than the other three I have seen. The others were engraved exactly like yours Mike.
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"I'm a Setter man.
Not because I think they're better than the other breeds,
but because I'm a romantic - stuck on tradition - and to me, a Setter just "belongs" in the grouse picture."
George King, "That's Ruff", 2010 - a timeless classic.
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