Restored Damascus

[Bruce Day]

Originally Posted by Dean Romig

Bruce, which of those pictured have been recolored and which are original?

All are original.

[Brush Buster]

Bruce ;The gun with the Quail on the sides of the receiver,do you know if this is a special type of engraving or is the engraving so much more in depth because of a higher grade gun? You see other high grade guns that don't really have this treatment, just curious ,this is very nice ! Cabelas have a BHE 12 Ga. at their Pa. store with very similar engraving, is your gun a B Grade as well ! The guns are all very nice condition !

[Bruce Day]

Russ, just normal cut quail engraving on a CHE. Rem Parker gun and the quail you sometimes see as a variation.

The bead sculpted gun is a 1911 BHE. About a box of shells through it.

I posted those photos as examples of correct and original Parker case hardening colors, which vary. Those can be compared to modern attempts to duplicate colors and people can make their own decisions. I will say that inadequate finishing, buffing the frame, and failure to remove oil can leave the frame and engraving worse looking than it was before.

[Parker Bachelder (Brad's Profile)]

Bruce, great pictures! Thanks for noting the fact that engraving obscures the case pattern. UV rays, solvents, and handling, serve to wash or lighten the vivid colors produced by the factory. It is my belief that surviving original examples, affected by these factors, are significantly lighter in overall color and definition of pattern. New color case looks fresh and new, and our goal is to duplicate original colors and patterns as close to factory as possible. In my 35 years of gun restoring, I have yet to discover a way to mechanically emulate the effects of time, other than hunting and shooting with your Parker everyday.

Brad

[Dean Romig]

Originally Posted by Bruce Day

All are original.

NICE ! Thanks Bruce.

[Brush Buster]

Thanks you Bruce for the nice discription, the Quail almost look shaded ,this is why I ask about the engraving, I keep looking at my DH 28 Ga. and debating sending it to Turnbulls but the gun appears to be original and conforms to the factory letter , I wish it had a little more condition ,as to case colors but really I wouldn't want to do anything to ruin the originality of the gun while I am the " care giver "with that being said ,it sure would look pretty with" correct " case colors back on her !

[Bruce Day]

While beauty is always in the eye of the beholder ( therefore we have Ogden Pleissner salmon river paintings and Elvisii on black velvet) , I think you have to ask yourself if these guns would be improved by re case coloring.

The first is the Adm. Fletcher AH. Note the scene off Annapolis and the sailing rig offshore.
The second is the little 2O ga CHE with the single wood duck on the bottom.

[Brush Buster]

Bruce; You are an intelligent fellow, point well taken, I don't believe you could improve on either !!! I never really looked at it like that, You search and search for good quality original guns and you get wrapped up in the colors and bluing etc. but when you look at it like that, it's plain to see high quality and non messed with can be as good as it gets ! One more thing,I keep selling and swapping and saving, I am waiting to hear that little beauty with the roundel engraving is for sale !

[Dean Romig]

There's a long line for that one Russ

[Brush Buster]

AW ,Come on Dean ; Give me a Chance !!!