Should I buy this? 12 gauge Parker.

[Dean Romig]

Jerry, usually the Damascus pattern and contrast is better seen in the section under the forend where it has always been more protected. It's nearly impossible to see the ribband welds in the picture you posted.

Incidentally, it's on a 1-frame making it even a bit more desirable to some.

In your third picture in your opening post, when enlarging the picture we can see daylight between the barrel breech and the breech face of the frame indicating it is a bit off-face. That is something that should be professionally addressed if doing a total restoration.



.

[Drew Hause]

Thanks for trying Jerry, but I just can't be sure as to the pattern.
I think the pattern is similar to this 1877 Quality 2 which is 3 Iron



The plot thickens however, as the barrels appear to carry the Diamond P mark found on some c. 1880 Lifters



1879 Lifter with Laminated Steel barrels



Courtesy of Brad Bachelder 9-2010
The diamond P remains to be an elusive mystery. What we have learned so far is a few commonalities. This mark appears on lifter and top lever guns, made around 1880. We have identified it on laminated, twist, and damascus barrels.
It generally is stamped on the right tube next to the extractor rod cut. In a few cases we have seen it on the forend hanger.
Quite often this mark is partially removed by machining. This leads me to believe it might be an acceptance mark, stamped after the initial barrel and lug assembly. Final fitting of the extractor rod clearance often removes some or all of the mark. The absence of braze in the mark also tells me that it was stamped after the lug brazing.