algrennathan, not to put too fine a point on it, but originality is kinda like virginity, once it's gone, you can't put it back. Your gun is a rare and desirable piece that many collectors would be happy to get... even in its present condition. At most, cleaning it up (including stripping the "wood varnish") would be the most that most collectors would suggest. A total restoration would not increase the value of the gun by much more than its cost and might not even make that much, and a simple refinishing would probably hurt the value. Such are the vagaries of collectible guns!

Froggie