Canvasback,
It is not any different that we are nurtured into believing what a Best gun should be. And this forum, rightly or wrongly, plays a large part in creating and establishing our beliefs.
Hmm. I can appreciate that up to a point but I'm inclined to think that nevertheless there are inherent gradations between the quality of different guns and their function. I have a moderately large collection of guns collected from a region (the NE of the UK). Among them are what I'm sure most would acknowledge are really base guns - no engraving other than a name, box lock non-ejector with poor wood (grain... nevermind figure) to match pair fully engraved sidelock ejectors. Some have obviously mediocre fit of components. It is apparent to me merely looking at them side by side (no pun intended) that some are much better made than others. And it is not just "decoration" or "lipstick". Some of my guns are extremely plain... in the good old Yorkshire style, but are nevertheless, at least to me, very well made, with almost impossible to see seems between components. As to function, well that comes to fit in large part but that's another matter.
That Edinburgh of yours sounds very interesting.
Jeremy
