Sideplates for the Experts

[Bruce Day]

From the river front collection comes an early gun with sidelocks removed to show detail. Parker collectors will notice the JS initials. As with most Parker matters, reference to The Parker Story provides the answers. JS was John Stokes, Parker lockfitter from about 1875 to 1893.



Bruce Day, Parker know-nothing and apprentice third class.

[Dean Romig]

Functionally it wasn't necessary to file and fit the various parts of the lock in such artistic and visually appealing design... but they did it antway :clap:

[Brian Dudley]

I hear ya. When I got into my S/N 4216. I could not beleive the appearance of the locks for how old it was. Everything was surprisingly clean and looked like new manufacture. Nothing like many of the other manufacturers.

11593

[edgarspencer]

Interesting that they are both lifter action locks from a relatively close period in time, but different bridge plate designs, with an extra screw in the one Bruce shows.

[Dave Suponski]

Edgar, The 4 pin lock Bruce shows is for a higher grade gun. The three pin lock that Brian shows is for lower grade guns up to a grade 3 gun. Both these guns are early so they are referred to as "Dollar Grade" guns.

[Bruce Day]

There were differences in the locks early on but I haven't seen enough of the later hammer guns to know if those differences continued. I assume, but don't know, that the four pin configuration was smoother operating than the three pin.

It would be interesting to know if hammer lockplate design differed between grades by the time the design was fully perfected in about 1883-85. I assume it did not, but I'm no expert.

Bruce Day
Parker Lifetime Member since 2 o'clock

[Jack Cronkhite]

Functionally it wasn't necessary to file and fit the various parts of the lock in such artistic and visually appealing design... but they did it antway :clap:

This is the hallmark of true craftsmen. Perfectly executed products in every dimension regardless of whether or not it is visible to the eye. Harder and harder to find in our modern designed obsolescence world.

[Dave Suponski]

The 3 pin and 4 pin lock grade difference continued until the end of hammergun production.

[edgarspencer]

I can accept that early on, a higher 'Dollar Grade' gun would have had a 'higher grade' lock. This practice is still in use by European makers. However, I would be inclined to think that at some stage, Parker thinking would have standardized on a single lock plate for all guns. This might not have been true prior to the top lever, but I'm not sure there was sufficient argument that the 4th bridgeplate screw made for a smoother lock.

[Austin W Hogan]

The 3 pin lock used on grade G and below has some axis wiggle. The 4 pin used on D and above does not.

Many guns with s/n less than 4000 - 5000? carry 1878 patents on the inside of the lock, although the gun was made at an earlier date. Some of these also have fore end latches.
These guns may have been display/salesman's samples that were updated before being sold to a customer.

Best, Austin

[edgarspencer]

I'm not sure I follow you Austin. Are you saying a gun made prior to 1878 could have a patent date not yet arrived? I can see if they went back at a later time for repairs and the locks were replaced with newer ones.

To change subjects for a second; Was John Stokes American born, or did he emigrate from England? There was a John Stokes, Lockmaker, in Darleston, Staffs. I remember running across this when trying to find info on a grandfather clock I have that was made in the same town. The town doesn't exist now, being absorbed into Walsall, or one of the other Brum communities. I spent a lot of time there when I represented a foundry in Burton, just to the west.

[edgarspencer]

Nevermind. I see where you indicated they were probably updated.

[edgarspencer]

http://www.localhistory.scit.wlv.ac.uk/articles/Darlaston/Growth.htm
From the first paragraph:
"Gunlock makers usually supplemented their income by doing other types of work, because the gun trade suffered from periods of depression. A typical worker was John Stokes....."
Probably the father of Parker's JS

[Gary Carmichael Sr]

Bruce, I would rather see the beautiful stock for that gun, 10ga I believe, give it up, some photo's please!

[Austin W Hogan]

Edgar; I have two 3000 Parkers , 3083 and 3215 which have both rebounding hammers and the fore end latch.
I had access to an early order book while researching an article for PP. I followed 3215 through three updates. This gun is shown in both TPS and Serialization

Best, Austin