I first saw it on a small screen and thought the fences were in some scale pattern. Reptile motifs have been used in the past. Then I saw it was the tails of ruffed grouse. A very nice touch. They flow over the breech break. It is safe to say this gun will never fire at a grouse.
More pix on A.A.Brown & Sons site.
A detail from a John Scott illustration to set the mood. Scott did some decent work back in the 1960’s. Note the background of farmland reverting into grouse cover prior to 1960, the glory days of New England Grouse Shooting*. It is all mature woods now.
Grouse season opens in October. I may get out for the first time in 10 years. My friends have a grouse camp yearly in Oct. The 37th Annual this year. 37?? Wow!
*Also, the title of one of the chosen books in Steve’s Book on Books.