doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Figuring out this Baker

Howdy all. I just acquired this Baker and am turning to the experts to tell me for sure what grade etc it is. The gun exhibits about 80% of a strong Damascus pattern. Barrels are 27" and ring very clear.Looks to have upgraded wood. Left lock says Baker Gun Co, right lock has an engraving of a snipe and says Batavia N.Y. Serial number is 116. No letter F in front or behind the serial number. There are also other dates on the water table that I'm not sure what they signify. Only issue is the forearm spring has lost some tension so it doesn't want to hold tight.

27" barrels? Huumm- Have you checked the solder wedges for hacksaw teeth marks- file marks- etc. And placed a machinist's square across the muzzles to see if they are even? I'm leary of older Damascus or Twist barrels-- but that's just from an old Fox who wants to live to 99. RWTF

A 1892-1893 1 pin A grade. B would have "Best London Damascus Twist", and both had nice wood.
Examples here
http://www.picturetrail.com/sfx/album/view/17434920
and Daryl's site
www.bakercollectors.com

Looks like they got your..uh...snipe?...or...duck?



From a 1900 issue of "The Baker Gunner" courtesy of David Noreen
"We do not guarantee that every "B" (or "A") grade gun will be engraved from just the same design, but endeavor to have about the same amount of engraving on each. On receiving an order from a customer we try to select first, one which will fill the specifications as to gauge, weight, length of barrels, drop and length of stock, and then conform to customer's ideas as to engraving , as nearly as possible from guns we may have in stock, but always consider engraving of secondary importance. You may receive a "B" (or "A") with a different design of border, or a duck or a dog in place of the two quail or a dog pointing game, we cannot tell as it is our aim to give a variety of designs."

If the length of the choke constriction is > 1 1/2" - 2" the barrels could be factory. Note the left firing pin retaining screw has been replaced with a pin.

Thanks. Regarding the 1892-1893 dates, I assumed the dates on the water table, whatever they signify, are 1800 dates, the first being 1891. The barrels are open choke. However, they don't appear to be cut or filed and the filler is still in place as well as both barrels are touching. I put a square across and they are flat. I measured the bores with a digital caliper and I got .710 in one bore and .712 in the other.

Frank A. Hollenbeck was the Baker Gun & Forging plant superintendent 1890-1892. Hollenbeck had three patents granted while he was in Batavia, and two were assigned to Baker Gun & Forging; October 13, 1891 and August 23, 1892 Nos. 461182 and 481327. Dave or Daryl could ID the other patent date.

I took the liberty of adding the image to the PictureTrail, without the SN

Okay. That clarifies what those numbers mean. Thanks.

Your A Grade, as Drew said, is an early gun. The hand cut Patent dates tell the story of the design. I�m away from my records, but think those might all be Frank Hollenbeck patents. No factory records are known to exist, but I�d guess late 1892 or 1893 as its birthday. Note that most of the engraving is actuall etching, with maybe a bit of hand engraving here and there. The bird motif on your gun seems like a later design for engraving as earlier ones tended to be more elaborate and then got simpler as the years went on. Barrel length is unusual , but as in most early guns of many makers, one never says never.

Feb 10 91 -- Patent No. 446,116
Oct 12 91 -- Patent No. 461,182
Aug 23 92 -- Patent No. 481,327

All issued to Frank A. Hollenbeck of Batavia, New York, and the latter two assigned to Baker Gun & Forging Company, of same place.

Great. Thanks for the info gents!