Thank you for the responses.
Greg, I can see in the pictures you posted of your Parker Reproduction how the light rises and falls with the fiddle back figure and that is exactly what the light does on the gun I just purchased. It is what caught my attention and cause me to notice the uneven surface.
Kensal, while I do not discount the possibility of someone refinishing the stock, I know that the stock is original and that it has never been removed from the action. All the screw heads are in perfect condition. Straight screw heads are one of the things that make or break the appearance of a gun for me. I do most of my own gunsmithing and am very meticulous about such things. Also, I saw no evidence of the metal being proud in any location, just the opposite the wood is a little proud in all the right places. What is possible however is that someone sanded below the checkering without a sanding block and then re-oiled the stock.
Finally the gun was made in Spain and is a from one of the big 5, making it a handmade and hand stocked gun. Don't know if that helps.
Thanks again,
David
