I have a Jones underlever , belgian hammer 12 with bernard barrels. Decent example of a better quality Belgian guild gun. My question is, the only high condition bernard barrels i have seen were on Parkers, and were boldly black and white. Would black and white be correct on Bernard barrels on a higher grade Belgian guild gun?
B&W would really showcase the barrels while brown not so much.
If you're doing a total resto nobody would fault you if you finished them in B&W.
If you're doing just the barrels and the rest of the gun has 'patina' brown may look better.
Look at your barrel’s protected spots(under forend etc) if originally B&W go that way. Most Bernard barrels, if not all, I have seen are B&W.
On a none high end gun, In the end it is subjective, what do you like best.
I agree with DAM16SxS B&W looks sharp, though only Damascus gun, redone by Keith Kearcher, has lovely brown tubes.
Depends on the intended market
German/Austrian likely acid etched "Black & White"; Bernard I
or possibly "Browned"; Bernard I
If for U.S. export almost surely "Black & White", which after 100 years, to which Dean was alluding, will turn somewhat "plum"; Bernard II
BTW: Keith's nephew Kody took over for him 2-3 years ago
https://www.facebook.com/kodykearcherrestorations/
This deal is going to be a conundrum for me. Not a big fan of Belgian guild guns, although it must be a nicer breed to have the Bernard barrels. The bores are rough, but the barrels seem pretty substantial, and my sense is there might be enough meat there to hone out the crust. The checkering is worn flat, but the lockup is tight and on face, and the matching hammers function crisply. I bought the gun many years ago, before I knew much about vintage doubles, and just the other day noticed it again, and was floored when I saw that the gun had Bernard barrels!
Okay Mr. Hause....in pouring through what ino I can find on Bernard Barrels, there are some categorical opinions in places, that if the barrels are labeled "Damas Bernard" that they are certainly "fake" Bernard barrels. this gun has, albeit faint, the classic Bernard "stripe" type pattern. The Rib inscription is DAMAS BERNARD in gold capital letters...I will try and get photo's this evening?
Thoughts?
Many Liege, Ferlach & St. Etienne tube makers produced Bernard pattern barrels, of which their were several, long after Leopold died in 1870
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fMs-Mn60ei9QsRcHT5Urm_eHobzJnaDKZiP3FP0fXb0/edit If the barrels were by his company, they would bear this mark
