From the proofs it was built sometime between 1910 and 1924. I do not see a smokeless proof. This was made when Nicolas Pieper was running the company. All Pieper barrels were being brazed at about this time.
"Compressed Steel" was part of a trademark for several different barrel makers. Usually it was accompanied with some other markings. It sounds like a marketing term on this gun. Compression of the molten steel was a technique that Whitworth had adopted. I recently acquired an 1884 US Congressional Committee report with a description of the Whitworth barrel works that I will be posting soon.
Bayard was a Pieper trademark. The better grade during this period usually made some reference to the Diana, as it had won some prizes in France for design. They also had some rudimentary engraving at least. These images from the Jury Report that won the Grand Prix for Pieper.
This is from the 1938 Beretta catalog. Thought Miller would like these images.
This is a project that is underway. No, I am doing the metal work.
Pete
