That is very easily the equivalent of a Grade 5 or $250 quality. The 'teardrop' sculpted into the sides of the breech balls is certainly not the abbreviated length of the Grade 4 equivalent.
The 5 stamped into the bottom of each tube is not an indicator of the grade but one is preceded by a D and that with a digit on later guns is the stamp for Damascus and the quantity of crolle in the wrap... in other words, if refinished we may be able to determine if it is five-iron crolle Damascus, but it appears it would be too hard to count them in their present state.
I will say that it seems odd that two different dies were used to stamps the 5's rather than using the same die for both.
After looking more closely at the Damascus pattern that is visible I think the crolles are too large to support a theory of the tubes being the finer 5-iron.
Incidentally, what is engraved on the gold grip cap?
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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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