A couple of weeks ago while browsing thru Gunbroker I ran across this damascus Francotte in a buy it now auction for 300.00. Usual fuzzy pictures and not much description, I could see that it was a sidelock gun and appeared complete, so I bought it. Its serial # is 18718 and is marked Von Lengerke & Detmold, it is a back action SLNE with a moderate amount of pretty nice engraving and decent wood with no cracks or missing pieces. I am scratching my head as to when it might have been made, but my best guess is early 1890s. It has the ELG proof mark without the crown and not for ball in english on the barrels, blackpowder proofs. The serial lists on this site start at 18888/ 1890 for moderate grade guns and end at 16410 for best grade guns. I also checked Griffin and Howe site but they start at 1901 and do not list this # although they have some numbers for used guns on either side of this one. Anyone have an idea of when and what grade? Pictures below.








I learn something every day, and a lot of times it's that what I learned the day before was wrong