[edgarspencer]

I immediately noticed and unusual dog engraving on a recent purchase. The gun is a grade three 20ga.
The setter, on the right side appears to be stepping off a rock, and is heading downhill. The setter an all my other guns, grade 3 and higher, is pefectly horizontal. One exception is on a grade five, where one dog is horizontal, and the dog behind is heading downhill.

The other thing I found is a bit of a mystery. There is a tiny font ampersand, followed by two dots, on the left barrel flat, just forward of James Geary's mark.
The gun was purchased new in 1915, and in the possession of the original owner when he died, in 1960. It was retained by his family until I purchased it.
There is no evidence that it was ever refinished, or otherwise worked on. All screws are polarized, with perfect slots. The barrel bluing is about 75-80%, and, in my opinion, original. It is possible the stock may have had finish applied, but the checkering is quite clearly original also. My suspicion is, it is the mark of a gunsmith. Has anyone ever observed this mark?