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The "softer tones; subdued elegant colors" of older rifles/shotguns you speak about, I believe, are to some degree caused from "washing out, fading" over time, as happens naturally, from sun and from friction.

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I'm sure that can be true in some, maybe most cases. However, This rifle clearly had very subdued colors from the beginning. There has been no appreciable sun or friction on the water table:




The inside of the forend iron looks about the same, although I didn't photograph that part.

Curl