Hello and thanks for your replies. The only problem I have with the "Damascus Fine" suggestion, why would someone not just stamp it in, instead of going to the trouble of inlaying it with gold? Like writing "Red Car" on a red Porche, it seems a little obvious. I've had another appraiser suggest the attribution might actually read "Damas Sin", which has different meaning, perhaps "A Lady Without" or "A Lady, Unencumbered". Its probably not a dueling pistol as I originally thought, there are sights, and the bore is rifled, which I understand is not a characteristic of dueling sets. The stamp behind the rear sight, is it possible that its a silversmith stamp? How would one go about researching its origin? Thanks. Marc