It is hard to tell much from the magazine, but IF that is the gun he bought from his friend, you can see that it does not have the "wings" on the barrels usually associated with higher grade guns. My guess is that what is shown is 7D or lower. If his memory was off by a year or two (after more than 50!), the $125 conforms to the 1905 price of an 8E with single trigger.
Engraving patterns on cross bolts do seem to be variable, so I would not be surprised if the friend did order what would now be one of the impossible to identify as to grade guns - perhaps engraving with different birds or dogs than "usual", and fancy wood with simple checkering. The magazine article does not seem to show one of the fancy checkering patterns with carving on the cheeks usually found on the highest grade guns.
