Bo Rich said
  I must say that I did not closely inspect the 20 gauge Black Diamond engraved Model 97.  I read that Winchester never made a 20 gauge Model 97.  So, I assumed it to be a put together shotgun.  The owner said that the case was made up after he got the shotgun.  Dirtman 324 would you please post the Cody letter from 1978.  Also what did Pauline Muerrie say about the shotgun?  Winchester stopped making Black Diamond grade Model 97s in 1919.  They did however use the Black Diamond inlay in the Model 12 Pigeon grade up to 1941.  I ran a quick search, and found some Other Black Diamond engraved Model 1897s that were also 20 gauge guns.  Perhaps one of them is the one that was seen at the show.  Are they make up guns like I originally thought?  Or did Winchester make a 20 gauge Model 1897?  I would be interested in what other Collectors would think of this.  
     Also, of interest at the show was a Model 21 that was chambered in 14 gauge!  I asked the owner about the shotgun.  I was informed that it was a prototype that was not completed at the Winchester factory.  It was recovered, and Connecticut Shotgun completed the work with number Two engraving, and a deluxe checkered stock.  I read of Winchester making some 14 Gauge Model 59s.  Perhaps they were thinking of making a Model 21 in 14 gauge, but scraped the idea.  
  

I have found just two Model 1897 20-ga guns thus far, and one of them is positively a Fake (s/n 440708). 

In my survey, I have documented "black diamond" Trap guns well into the 1920s.  Where did you find documentation that they were discontinued in the year 1919?

Bert

Bo Rich said
My Son told me that he saw the same Model 1897 engraved Black Diamond 20 gauge made in 1941 that He saw last year.  He told me that the owner told him that He got it authenticated last July at the Cody show.  I told him that the gun was a made up gun that was not original.  Bert, are you aware of this?   Maybe, I missed something.
  

I am aware of it, and I was specifically asked my opinion of it, which I offered.  However, I did not officially "authenticate" it.  What I told the owner (and his son), was that it appeared to be factory Custom shop work.  The gun and the case it is in are both superbly done, and I recommended that he contact Pauline Muerrle to see if she had any information about it, as Cody does not.  

Bert

Mike

Any number of experts on this forum will give you their analysis and answer any questions based off the pictures you post.

Darrin.

Thanks!