Rich,

Then it seems to be that you are looking at two molds. Harry's conversation with you indicates that the flag block is part of a piece's mold. Your inspection tells you (and you have experience with these things) that the rocks on your unusual piece are an integral part of the piece, not added after it was cast.

So, a question for Harry might be, was it normal practice to have more than one mold in the development of a HL piece? I imagine that it was to some extent. Mold, cast, paint, inspect, approve/disapprove, produce if approved, start over if disapproved. Versions that didn't make the cut were probably supposed to be destroyed. But ...

Rick