Well, it's been reproofed a couple of times but I don't see a Paris proof mark anywhere. There are Liège marks and agree with the above analysis on the origin. The comments by Pierre Didier (DREVET) in 1878 in the sidelock French shotgun line above show him complaining that the Parisian gun makers were using Belgian tubes and putting their names on them. By the 1890's Belgian Damascus tubes dominated the UK market.
I'd be interested in an analysis of these proof marks. I can see it's now proofed for 70mm (2 3/4") but darned if I can understand the other marks. We will learn a lot.
Last edited by Argo44; 07/25/22 11:32 PM.
