I'm the fathest away from being an expert, but I wondered about that Damascus even before I read Drew's post, and he IS an expert. The patterns just don't look like they're PART of the steel so much as they're ON TOP of the steel. I realize that's not the most coherent way of saying what I want to.
If you look at the barrels, the patterns look like they're RAISED off the steel, exactly like they're rolled on, as Drew mentions. I'd bet if you passed your finger slowly over the barrels you'd feel every bump the marks made.
I know if it were me I'd want the seller to provide more photos to substantiate the gun being a Lang, as in Joseph Lang not Harvey Lang, if you get my drift.
I also agree with you about the lack of marks, proof and other. I just can't imagine a gun of that ilk not having them. As you say, frustrating.
