Black or Brown?
 

As new, were Parker twist and Damascus barrels high contrast? Were they black and white or brown and white when new? I had Turnbull refinish a PH over 25 years ago and he did them brown and white. I remember seeing a Remington in really mint condition that was black and white. I've never had a chance to see a truly mint original Parker first hand yet.

Black and white. Plenty of photos posted on multiple thread of original twist barrels.

I will agree that Damascus barrels and probably Twist as well, were black and white but we can’t paint all of Parker’s composite barrels with that same broad stroke.
I once owned an unfired, near mint, Grade-1 T/A 16 gauge hammer gun on the lightened 0-frame and with Laminated Steel barrels that were the prettiest dark chocolate brown and plum brown mix I’ve ever seen.

These pictures don't really do the plum color justice.

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That is really nice Dean. Would I be wrong thinking most English guns were that brown/plum, as compared to the black/white American doubles.

That's what I've heard and read Harold, but I really try to stay away from most anything but American classics. There's simply too much to know and it's a little late for me to get started learning about them.





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Kind of off topic, but I didn't see it (yet) in The Parker Story, but what is a T/A gun Dean? Is that a stamping of makers?

Sorry Andy - it’s a Top Action (top lever) as opposed to a Lifter.





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T/A = “top action” (as opposed to a lifter).

Dean’s third photo, above, shows a top action.

-Victor

off topic-have a friend with a lifter 10 ga I'm trying to get. Hasnt been fired in a hundred years. Barrels are good, stock has several cracks, 30" barrels. Of course then I'd need a 10 ga loader.

Wow...I feel kinda dumb now :eek: