I saw the comment about the top lever engraving being a tell-tale. That's a new one for me and I will definitely put that to use, as well as the others.

I think in many cases with older guns that show character, as the old saying goes, beauty is in the eyes of the beholder. I can understand an appreciation for the evidence marks left behind by a gun's handlers. While some may find a knot in a piece of wood unsightly, I may find it appealing if in the right location.