I rechecked the hallmark, and there is no doubt at all it’s Birmingham 1910. The anchor and the lion are from that series, and some blocks don’t use the letter “l” but 1910 does, exactly like that one.
It “appears” much newer than 111 years old.
The inside of the gourd couldn’t cake, but over time it certainly would gunk up. I added a couple of ounces of Everclear, shook it around, let it set a bit, shook it around, and it drained our brown,,,,but not black.
It didn’t change the draw any at all. A lot of people before me, have done that.
I also own a 1942 Winchester Model 12 that looks like it came from a vacuum sealed time capsule, and another 1907 Lefever I Grade shotgun that is almost as cherry, as this 1910 Calabash.
As the roosters crow this morning I’m looking at this Calabash, mentally asking it, where did you come from, what’s your story, what tales could you tell?
But it never says a mumbling word.
DELLA AND THE DEALER
Hoyt Axton
Some things will remain forever, a silent mystery.