I feel like a kid at Christmas! Just got my "new" Baker Paragon today!!

I picked it up from an auction house and think I got a pretty good deal on it considering what I've seen others going for recently. I was a little nervous since some things didn't show up clearly in the provided pictures, but I called and asked tons of questions and the gun ended up being in better condition than I expected. Only a few issues other than honest wear on a 100+ year old firearm.

Here are some pics... Enjoy!

The metal is in great condition with traces of case color in a handful of protected areas. Normal dings and scratches here and there, but nothing nasty. No rust and no pitting!

Barrels show good damascus pattern and bores are nice with no pitting.

The wood is good and solid with no cracks. Typical wear and handling marks with the fore end being a bit more beat up than the stock, but not bad.

The only real issues I can find is a chip out of the ebony fore end tip



The bead is split



And the bottom rib has a small area that is loose. This is my main concern, although it's definitely fixable.

A beautiful old gun!

Pete

Looks really nice.

Love it! I gotta get one now

Pete

Wow, that's beautiful. Enjoy.

That's a nice 3 Iron "Oxford" or Hufnagel Brent; similar to the pattern on Quality No. 4 & 5 Smiths. Do the barrels have a maker's or importer's stamp?
This is a Baker with Chain damascus stamped ADH; Arthur-Delvaux-Heuse

Hi:

What a great old gun!

Enjoy it!

Franchi

Little Gun is wrong. It is Jacques Delvaux-Heuse, who registered the mark in 1889. He held 2 patents for making barrels.

It seems that the Heuse family was very large. The cemetery outside of Trooz / Nessonvaux is full of graves with hyphenated Heuse's. All with very expensive head stones.

There is a street in Trooz named Rue Docteur Heuse. Off of Rue Docteur Heuse is Rue des Armuriers. Cross a small bridge and you are in Nessonvaux, about 100 yards away.

If Jacques had his own business it was most likely handling the over flow from the Heuse shop.

Pete

I'll check this evening when I get home Drew and see if there are any markings under the barrels. I didn't even think to look last night while I was checking things out and taking pics.

I really love the beauty, character, and diversity of the laminated steel barrels on these old doubles! The different types and patterns of damascus steel is incredibly interesting. And although not as desirable as damascus, the twist barrels are attractive as well. I have a nice Batavia Leader that shows great pattern in its London Twist.

I love those chain damascus barrels! Absolutely gorgeous!! What grade Baker are those fitted to?

That's a nice find . I can see why you like it. As for Chain Damascus, I have a 1909 Paragon with chain Damascus. One of my favorite designs.

Well, I had to dig into the safe to get my Paragon #397 out. I wanted to compare the engraving against yours, as far as style. Mine is different on the lock plates with a single retriever on the left lock and a single pointer on the right lock. There is a single quail on the bottom of the receiver just ahead of the trigger guard. There is what I would call the usual pattern on the balls of the barrels and scroll work most everywhere else. The trigger guard has the initials, of I assume the original owner, tastefully engraved in what I would call a Gothic pattern. The barrels are the chain Damascus as well. Sitting right aside of it now, is my "A" grade Baker. It has the same length Damascus barrels as well. I am very surprised at the weight difference. Without going to the scales, the Paragon is very noticeably heavier than the "A". On the lug of the barrel is the markings "D20". Nice gun, you will enjoy it.

Most of the damascus barreled Paragons I've seen are the 3-Iron "Oxford" and occasionally I'll see what looks like a 4-Iron. Now the Chain damascus. I'm guessing there may be a others I haven't seen.

Hmmmm... That brings a question to mind...

The Paragon was built to order, so did Baker outfit a customer's Paragon with their preferred type of damascus barrel? I believe that the 3-Iron was the standard used on this grade of gun. Are these Paragons with "non-standard" damascus types a case of the customer specifying a higher grade of barrels for their gun?

Or did Baker simply fit barrels to the Paragon based on what was in stock?

The 4-Iron Crolle is a higher grade of laminated steel than the 3-Iron and so was more desirable then as well as now. I would guess that the Chain damascus is more desirable now than some others because of its pattern (and possibly strength?). How did it rank during the time these guns were built?

"Quality", strength, cost and desirability are different factors. See http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dfg2hmx7_22ddqshmdq

Chain damascus was used on mid-grade guns by the U.S. makers, and at least by Ferdinand Drissen's 1897-1898 price sheet was mid-grade in cost also.



The conversion of Belgian francs to U.S. dollars in 1900 was about 5 francs to 1 dollar. The complete charge for the barrels and gunsmithing for '3 band Crolle' was 80 francs or about $16.
In 1900, Jean Lejeune of Nessonvaux listed the following prices for damascus barrels alone: 'Oxford'-16f, 'Boston'-10f ($2), and 'Birmingham'- 8f
In 1914, Arthur Delvaux-Heuve of Nessonvaux offered '3 Band Boston' and 'Star' for 14 francs.

I've got a couple of atypical Paragon patterns up here; special order or just what was on hand impossible to know
http://www.picturetrail.com/sfx/album/view/18020839

Considering Paragons were built to order, it seems a reasonable request by the buyer could be made. I know Baker had a sample board of various Damascus patterns, but doubt the buyer got to see it, as I am sure most orders originated at the Dealer level. In general, the Baker Grades were generated by the barrel material type. That said, a knowledgeable buyer might request anything he wanted or knew about. The 1909 Paragon could have been a requested chain Damascus, or it could have been what was in stock. Baker admitted in the period after 1910 all barrel material was becoming harder to get. Unrest in Europe. I have a gun with Homo Tensile steel marked on the top of the barrels and with the Krupp flusstahl marks on the underside. Seems like they were out of Belgian material when it came time to build a gun requiring Homo Tensile, so they used what they had, even though the Krupp was much more expensive.

Certainly wish the Baker production records would magically get unearthed!

I'd love to be able to look up Paragon No. 518 and find its actual build date as well as the ordered specifications. Would love to know who "RHH" was (original owner initials on trigger guard) and where he was from.

But in general, I'd love to just have this Baker Gun & Forging Co. information available.

I know that feeling. Just who is GAB, that is engraved on mine? I wonder if he would still remember the gun? Probably not talking anymore.

From testimonials, etc.

Paragon 552 bought 1-1-1902

Paragon 557 talked about in April,1901

Paragon 572 talked about in May, 1903

All we can do is interpolate from things like this. Your 518 must have been made in 1900 , but we know exact sequences were not followed perfectly.

Congratulatons,Fairly certain this is the gun I called about recently (Arizona)This time I was a day late rather than a dollar short,I was hoping somebody here on the BBS found it....exscuse me, need to go look for a box of tissues.

Sounds like it may have been the same gun Big Oak. Sorry for "stealing" it away.

Yeah right, I bet you feel sorry!

BP, Someone (you) got the gun who treasures it,I think thats great,at least I found out where it went...... and the hunt continues.

Well, maybe a little.

I'll be sure to give it a good home though!