John, great find indeed. That is an 1887-88 Syracuse L.C. Smith. This is the first one I have seen with the dogs head for-end escutcheon and the diamond shaped ebony inlay. All Syracuse and very early Fulton Quality guns had the vase shaped ebony tip and no escutcheon. If you decide to take the metal from the for-end, see if the serial number is stamped in the knuckle part of the wood.
Still a great find as these Syracuse guns are getting harder to find.