One of the interesting things to me about these early "Trade Guns" is how the engraving on the bottom of the lugs often doesn't seem to match the rest of the engraving on the gun. Anyone have any thoughts on the reason? I'm referring to guns with matching numbers, so I'm guessing it was a normal practice, with the bottom lug being engraved by the barrel-maker, possibly in a standard pattern.
Picture 15 is an example, although is this particular case there is some scrollwork on the lugs. Often, it appears there is only diagonal cross-hatching, not really matching the rest of the scroll-work on the reciever.
http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=478790500Regards,
Ken
