Bob:
The falling fir tree with escutcheon/shield with crossed flails atop is the Weipert mark which notes that the joined tubes experienced the 2nd Austro-Hungarian black powder proof. The Weipert proofhouse either honored the German first proof being 3 times the service powder charge and doubled load or opted to began with the joined state but I would suspect one would see an intertwined "EW" on each tube for the preliminary proof if the tubes were sourced in the Empire. It's just my guess, but I think the arrow next to the proofhouse record number to note some type of import mark. Then the Hapsburg double headed eagle/final proofmark notes the joined tubes experiencing a 3rd firing or viewing. I think it to date between 1891(June 23rd) and September 13, 1899 when the semi-smokeless/nitro mark was added by decree. Examples seem to lean toward this same time being when a date code in the data string was added, but this assumption is pure conjecture on my part.
Kind Regards,
Raimey
rse
