I've been looking at two Baker guns that are very similar. One is listed as a Paragon and the other as an A grade. I really cannot tell the difference except for the wood is higher quality on the Paragon and it has a grip cap. The serial numbers are very close with the A grade at 408 and the Paragon at 425. I haven't been able to find enough information on the net to determine what is the real difference if any at all. Can someone tell me what is what and why. Thank you.

Baker Paragon

Baker A Grade

The pictures really aren't clear enough to tell the difference. Of course, you can see that. Try again.

Baker A. Breech balls not engraved



Paragon. 2 dogs pointing was a very common motif



Have you been on Daryl's Baker site?
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1PqK3UImDCrsOrk6O_2DsovHXvaNSzliSiwaP35Y6PMk/edit

Baker engraving
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1uGeSuMJBPMNGh0ydCQXeAnpGRLANfl0Uhe954818veQ/edit

The A Grade is etched for the most part, not hand engraved. The Paragon is hand engraved by Frank Mason. I have seen his signature on a Paragon in that serial no. range. Actually the serial numbers of the two guns are not close. The A and B grades used a series from 1 to about 7000 from 1892 to about 1908. The Paragon and higher grades used a separate series of serial numbers from 100 [maybe lower but I have not seen any] to about 1160 from 1894-1911. After that, the serial numbering of the Paragons could be anywhere from 38,000-52,000 until 1919. A and B grades stopped using etching decoration about serial no. 2900. After that the A and B were hand engraved by Frank Mason , but the coverage was less than on the etched guns.

Drew, your help with the Baker Website, is really good and appreciated. Your list in Baker Engraving is very informative. Thanks for the effort.

Daryl and Drew,

Information on the internet about Bakers is few and far between and what I can glean off both your contributions to the Baker site and the information provided there is a big help in understanding the history of these guns.