The note that came with your gun, and its mention of "CH Jerred", are the clues I believe we need to resolving this mystery. First of call, "CH Jerred" is a reference to Charles Herbert Jerred. Charles Jerred, or Charlie as he was known at the gunworks, began his tenure with Hunter Arms after the Marlin acquisition in 1945 as a helper in the hardening department. After an accident with cynaide that burned his eyes, causing temporarily blindness, he applied for an apprenticeship job under Albert Kraus in the engraving department where he continued to work until the gunworks was closed (interestingly, he completed his apprenticeship and became a master engraver one month before the gunworks permanently closed and put him out on the street). The life of this man is incredibily interesting, and I have written a story regarding same for the DGJ (which I hope will be published some time this year); but, given the fact that your gun shipped in 1925; the very same year Charlie Jerred was born, whatever has been done to your Field Grade would have been aftermarket meaning your gun would not be considered a factory upgrade if indeed the note referencing this work as Jerred's is correct (and I could not give you a legitimate reason why someone would reference Jerred if he wasn't connected to that engraving work as he was not not known well enough to have earned a great reputation like Albert Kraus prior to closure of the gunworks; Kraus was so famous that people are still attempting to credit him with work that he may not have done, and seldom did engravers from this era sign their work). From his employment at Hunter Arms, Jerred had access to all the original Hunter engraving patterns (old and new), as engraving repair and new engraving on repair/replacement parts/components was an everyday order of busniess at the gunworks; but he was also a creative person and enjoyed incorporating his unique touch into the work he performed. When the gunworks closed, he began his own engraving business in a small way at his home. There didn't seem to be a large demand for engraving, nor did it pay much at the time; so he worked at other jobs to support his family. But the truth is that Jerred was just one member of a "network" of former Hunter employees who continued to work together performing custom work on Smith guns (stocks, barrels, triggers, engraving, checkering, all sorts of repairs; etc) for Marlin and private clients; and also on other make guns in order to make a few extra bucks. I suspect a former owner of your gun may have wished to convert his favorite Field Grade to a skeet gun; and, as he was very fond of his Smith, had it customized to his personal tastes. I suspect that the gun was also restocked to skeet "specifications" as part of the overall upgrading project. You will recall my observation that the "bird creatues" in this Grade 3 pattern were atypical; this was a "trademark" feature of Jerred's post Marlin work, he was quite creative and enjoyed doing things a bit unusual; often with a touch of humor. For instance, I have seen two humorous rifle magazine floorplates he executed in raised gold; one motiff was a swarm of bees chasing a bear, and the other a swarm of bees chasing a fisherman. Then there is the story of one of his regular customers at the service station he operated who repeatedly asked him to engrave a little semi-auto .22 pistol he owned. Jerred always put the guy off because he knew the gent well enough to know he would be unwilling to pay what such work was worth; but the guy persisted and Jerred finally relented. When asked how he wished the gun engraved, the gent simply told him that "you know me, so engrave it in something you think appropriate". Well Jerred did know the guy and knew he often used that pistol to shoot trout in nearby shallow streams; so, when this gent came to retrieve his finished gun, he was shocked and exasperated to see it engraved with fish scences! In disbelief the gent asked Jerred why he had put fish on his gun only to be reminded how the gun was being used. The gent didn't have a response; but he never asked for any more engraving either! As FYI, I own Jerred's unfinished personal gun (the impetus for my research) and it is also unique. To illustrate further his penchant for the unusual, one of the game scene motifs he had sketched for his personal gun included squirrels in raised gold; anyone seen a Smith (or other make gun) with raised gold squirrels? He never got round to executing this idea before he died; but he was a small game hunter and rabbits and squirrels were mostly what he chased. Be sure to save that note, as in my personal opinion, the fact that your gun can at least be partially attributed to Charles Jerred is a plus regardless of the fact that it was most likely done after 1950 and closure of the gunworks. Thanks for sharing your unique piece.