Is this best-quality Alexander Henry's finish common for this quality class?

[Naphtali]

Searching the worldwide web for something else, I stumbled upon this beautiful, circa 1860, Alexander Henry rifle. Viewing the full side view, my second thought was: "Is this bead blasted stainless? You've got to be kidding."

Blurb and close-up photographs showed the rifle to be merely a finish I had not seen before. . . . But, boy, I wonder whether not-very-attractive T/C and other stainless side locks can be rendered much less unattractive by having finish emulate this Henry.

http://www.bonhams.com/auctions/17944/lot/329/?page_anchor=MR1_go_to_lot%3D329%26m1%3D1%26k1%3D329%26b1%3Dlist

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

I don''t see any resemblance whatsoever between the metal finish of which you speak, and that which is on this rifle.
The damascus barrel and under-rib have been browned and rubbed back to demonstrate the figure of the twisted steel.  The case hardened lock too has been engraved and polished back to make it bright, but the engraving shows through as dark.  Glass beading would have left everything an even colour and a matt surface finish without character.

[whitebear]

In the description acumpaning the link it refers to it as guage 451 is that the caliber or the guage as we refer toit today?

[FlintFan]

It doesn't look like anything was done to the gun to obtain the finish, that is, other than neglect.  The finish looks like every other 150 year old English gun I have owned where the original finish has faded to the point of being almost unrecognizable.  The lock would have originally been color cased, and I would bet you a Coke, much of the original color is still present on the inside of the plate.  I don't believe someone intentionally steel wooled the finish off, because you can still see a VERY faint remnant of the original case colors still present on the standing breech, just forward of the hammer.  If someone removed the original color, they didn't do a very good job.  Unfortunately, the only ones you can blame (or thank, depending on your taste) for it's current state, is Father Time, and neglect. 

[Gene Carrell]

451 is the caliber as we know it.