Unfortunately for John's gun we have neither the order or stock book. There is a return for a new hammer in the order book but returns never identify the grade, just work done and price.
Don't get hung up too much on grading these early guns. When doing a letter and the order book is available I determine the grade of gun by the price in the order book. If I don't have the order book but do have the stock book, the grade number is listed along with the barrel steel. Examples are Dam2,Dam3, L1, Tit3, W7, etc. I'll use the stock book info to grade the gun, then go to the price list for that year or a year close to it and if the prices haven't changed it that year range, I'll put the price list year along with the grade and price at that time.
John's gun was made in 1878 and the price list doesn't give a grade. It lists different prices along with the guns specifications. In John's case it's clearly a D(3) hammergun which sold for $125.00. The letter would state it's a $125 Dollar Grade gun. The next price list is 1882 and Parker changed over to calling guns Quality Grade guns so John's research letter would have shown it as a Quality D. Later (around 1918) Parker dropped the "Quality" designation and just called them by their letter grades.
Clear as mud, huh!
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