The guns of this brand name I've seen follow the usual spreads of Original Quality grades and Current Condition levels. The name has Brand Value level three (BV3) - Original Quality grade for grade and Current Condition level for level, 1/2 the price of a BV1 (Boss, H&H, Purdey, or Woodward), or 2/3 the price of a BV2 (there are 17 maker's names in this level). You can't establish the Original Quality by the name - period. All makers, with the possible exception of Boss, supplied a variety of quality grades based on selling price.
Bate brand guns will be what they appear (once you have learned to recognize OQ grade and CC level); not more, and not less. I am not aware of any "tarted up" Brit clunkers as we see with Belgium - no Brit counterpart to the JABC. Also, I'm not aware of any magical maker who turned out only best guns from his cottage and has remained unrecognized to this day. Brit shops were run by Masters who knew to the penny what their work was worth - and they all charged it, too. The guns were commercial products, not just labors of love. Fortunately for us, the standards of craftsmanship were high and labor was relatively cheap (the Master would, of course disagree with the last statement!!). The bottom OQ grade, Colonial/Farmer grade, was still a perfectly servicable arm.
