Have I got it correct on damascus grades???

[Big Friend Ten (BFT)]

Gentlemen,

Fine Damascus, noted by a DD stamp on the barrels flats, was used on Grades 5 and 6, the B and A Grade Parkers. Lower grades had Damascus, Bernard on many C Grades, and twist barrels. There are of course exceptions such as a GH 10 Gauge of mine with Damascus barrels that are 6 blade Turkish. While not the fine Damascus of the higher grade, they are mighty nice barrels! I have never seem another set on a Parker.

Mark

[Researcher]

Reviewing my catalogues that have Damascus barreled hammerless guns, I find the terminology used varies.

In 1900 the term is "fine Damascus" for GH-/EH-/DH-Grades, there is no mention of Damascus for CH-Grade, the term is "extra fine Damascus" for BH-Grade, and the term is "finest Damascus" for AH-Grade.

In 1901, the terms are essentially the same, except "fine Damascus" is mentioned for CH-/CHE-Grade, and now the AAH-/AAHE-Grade could be had with "very finest Damascus" barrels.

In the "Pine Cone" catalogue, the term for the GH-Grade is "fine three-blade Damascus", for the DH-/DHE- and CH-/CHE-Grades the term is "fine Damascus", for the BH-/BHE-Grade the term is "extra fine Damascus", and for the AH-/AHE- and AAH-/AAHE-Grades the term is "very finest Damascus".

In the 1913 "Flying Ducks?" catalogue, the term for the GH-/GHE-Grade is "fine three-blade Damascus." For the DH-/DHE-Grade the term is "Damascus steel, finely figured." For the CH-/CHE-Grade the term is "fine Damascus steel, finely figured." For the BH-/BHE-Grade the phrase is "extra fine Damascus, finely figured and very effective." For the AHE-Grade the phrase used is "..very finest Damascus steel that can be obtained, finely figured, handsome, durable and effective." And, for the AAHE-Grade "very finest Damascus steel."

Now, the real question is how does what the catalogue writers were putting in print, coincide with what the workers on the factory floor were putting on what grade gun? How fast and loose did they play with this? Did what Damascus tubes came on what grade change over time? While quality of barrels supposedly determined the grade of the gun, could customers order barrels outside the stated quality for the gun? Up or down? We know they often added a lower grade set of barrels at a later time for guns sent back for rebarreling. Ponderables!! Ponderables!!

[Drew Hause]

This might help
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1...YvzD18i3c/edit

GH through BH with 3 Iron 'Oxford' have been found
GH through AH with 4 Iron 'Turkish'
BH through AAH with 6 Iron 'Turkish'

Lots more examples here
http://www.picturetrail.com/sfx/album/view/19025099
http://www.picturetrail.com/sfx/album/view/17227428

[Eldon Goddard]

Can you explain the difference of the Damascus. From what I see the number of rods used to make the ribband is what makes the difference.

[Drew Hause]

Here you go Eldon
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1...Ns5L2XVfc/edit

[Researcher]

In a fit of anal retention while I was watching "Antiques Road Show", I went through all 18 Remington Arms Co. catalogues I have from the October 1894 introduction of the Remington Hammerless Gun through 1909. They were remarkably consistant. In the beginning, the A-quality guns had "two-stripe Damascus", the B-quality "fine three-stripe Damascus", the C-quality "finer Damascus", the D-quality "very fine Damascus" and the E-quality "finest Damascus." There were only three changes throughout the period. In the 1903-04 Remington Arms Co. catalogue the C-quality changed to "fine Damascus" and the D-quality to "extra fine Damascus." In the first 1906 catalogue the B-quality became just "three-stripe Damascus."

But, we see Remington Hammerless Doubles with a great variety of barrels. In his book, Semmer shows a salesman's display sample of 15 different Damascus patterns. It appears that as one moved up in quality you got a choice of more different patterns. Instead of "fine three-stripe Damascus" my 1895-vintage BE-Grade has Chain J Damascus barrels?!? Did Arthur DuBray and S.A. Tucker have similar salesman's Damascus pattern samples customers could chose from?