I haven't seen hammers stamped with only one digit before. I have seen hammers with an X. I have no idea what the 2 might signify and I believe any suggestions would be nothing more than pure speculation as there is no documented answer to the question.
It is my firm belief that the gun would not have been originally fitted with the plain hammers it now wears but possibly, as has been suggested, may have been supplied as a spare or 'field' set. (Though I don't believe we have ever seen such a request in the stock books or order books. Of course, if a research letter doesn't support this hypothesis it too is no more than speculation.
If the gun were to be placed on consignment with a reputable auction house, such as James D. Julia's they could only describe them as "replacement hammers."
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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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