Favorite scene engraving

[Bruce Day]

Admiral Fletcher’s A grade Parker with a scene that could have been the shoreline at Annapolis. Look carefully and you can see the sailing ship offshore.

[jeffery c]

Nice guns, Chris! That might be an A or B grade. Hopefully someone who knows will be along after a bit. The Lefever is really nice with the single trigger and straight grip.

[Daryl Hallquist]

The Baker appears to have twist barrels, if so, it is a B Grade. If it were Damascus, it would be an A Grade.

[Researcher]

Baker used a variety of engraving patterns on their A and B Grades.

The actual text from a 1900 issue of The Baker Gunner -- "We do not guarantee that every "B"( or "A") grade gun will be engraved from just the same design, but endeavor to have about the same amount of engraving on each. On receiving an order from a customer we try to select first, one which will fill the specifications as to gauge, weight, length of barrels, drop and length of stock, and then conform to customer's ideas as to engraving , as nearly as possible from guns we may have in stock, but always consider engraving of secondary importance. You may receive a "B" (or "A") with a different design of border, or a duck or a dog in place of the two quail or a dog pointing game, we cannot tell as it is our aim to give a variety of designs."

[Dr Bob]

This is a signed Spangler on Special Order Lefever SN# 10,000

[jeffery c]

Dr Bob, that is some nice engraving, I like the realistic scenes and the acorns on the standing breech. I take it that it doesn't fall into a normal grading chart?

[Dr Bob]

No, it is not graded. This was also before the first recorded Optimus. The serial number, 10,000, may have some significance as the very first Lefever hammerless was 5000.

[Drew Hause]

Turn-of-the-century price comparisons
https://docs.google.com/document/pub...agUSXhewGB03SE

[jeffery c]

Originally Posted by Drew Hause

Turn-of-the-century price comparisons
https://docs.google.com/document/pub...agUSXhewGB03SE

That was informative to read and really gives a lot of context as to why way more $30 guns were sold than $75 guns. That's what I would have bought too if I only made 21 cents an hour!

[Daryl Hallquist]

Remarkable effort Dave and Drew. It is really appreciated.