Quote Originally Posted by Muskett View Post
I suspect this rifle started out as in exceptional condition, and then given a thorough clean, polish, and maybe retouch. Just sometimes such guns are put away correctly, wiped down with oil, and stored in the right conditions, so they come out 20, 50, 80 years on very clean and tidy. They invariably pick up something. Small spot of pitting, just something. Given a thorough clean they look very tidy. Interestingly they will have matured with age and don't quite look factory, some kind of change from the day they came out of the factory. Factory can seem rougher than a rifle that has been cleaned a few times.

Factory paraffin waxed in waxed paper for storage can produce the most factory as can be found, even after years and years. Even the wood has little age depth to it. So new they can often look as if they have lost something; they seem unloved as they missed all those years of being caressed
I agree that cleaning takes away something priceless that can only come with age.

Probably this one is my very best prewar rifle and even it has picked up a couple of small scratches over its long life.

https://forum.vintageairgunsgallery....-17/#post-2392

One of these small flaws is that some monkey has tried to use the cocking slot to give leverage, as you can see in one of the pics.

Look at all the angles in the shape of the trigger block - it's a masterpiece!