Although I agree that the blind lump holes are the traditional stamping ground of the 'Best Gun', there are many exceptions to be found, especially in older 'Best Guns'.
One example is the J Blanch 'Best' Bar Action SLE. These guns break many of the traditions of the best gun: they often use the Webley Screw Grip action with top extension and often have at least one through lump. However, they were often engraved by the Kell workshops, were fabulously finished externally and internally, had the ubiquitous 29" chopperlump Whitworth barrels of the time and all the other embellishments of a Best gun.
Granted, Blanch are not traditionally considered in the same breath at the Top Four (H&H, Purdey, Boss & Grant) but they were undoubtedly using the same trade outworkers as them and as has already been discussed, getting a through lump to look good could involve as much work as doing a blind lump.
