A rare patent stamping?

[Robt. Harris]

A few threads down I mentioned yesterday's purchase of a 'PH' grade 12 ga. Parker mfg. in 1904. Having now spent some time going through The Parker Story, I noticed this gun as having a patent stamping in the stock wood located just south of the pistol grip cap. Reads 'Patd Sep 10 1895' and is for the longitudinal hickory strengthening rod developed by Mr. King.... at least according to pg. 127. The stamping is somewhat faint yet readable under magnification by the few of us that have looked at it.

TPS also states that "Only two Parker guns with the September 10, 1895, patent date stamped on them have been found." If so, this might possibly be the third, unless others have surfaced since TPS was published.

Any thoughts on the rarity of this stamping would be appreciated - now that a number of years have past since TPS came out.

Just a 'P' grade, I know, but am feeling blessed that it has a little something extra of interest. Also had a chance to shoot it today, and at .038" & .040" constriction, it will definitely do what it was intended to do!!
Lastly, 'Thanks again' to you guys that chimed in yesterday with what can be shot in these composite barrel guns.

Rob

[Dean Romig]

Hello Rob,

It is a rare thing to find a Parker with that patent stamp in the stock wood behind the grip cap. A few others have turned up since TPS was published, but not many at all. The possibility exists that in the process of refinishing a stock some patent stamps may have been inadvertantly removed. Further, there are a lot more Parkers with the hickory reinforcing rod than those patent stamped identifying the feature.

[B. Dudley]

Consider yourself fourtunate to have such a seldom seen feature on your Parker. I do not think it is clear if all guns with this reinforcement dowel are marked. or if the marking is something that was just not used much on guns that had the rod.
I wonder what the manufacture dates are on the few marked stocks that are known to exist???

I do find it interesting that your gun is a P grade (low grade) and that it has this rod. The rod was intended to be used on higher grade guns where fancier wood figure might compromise the strength of the wrist.

Does your P have higher than typical wood figure?

If you can, please post pics of your P grade. I am sure that we would all like to see.

[Robt. Harris]

Brian,

Believe me, I do feel fortunate!

As to stock figure, it is not overly fancy, yet somewhat removed from just straight-grained. Truth is, the lay-out is probably not the best through the wrist, and I can see why a stocker might decide for the hickory insert.

The stock retains all of its original finish which has a reddish stain component that might make wood grain photos a bit difficult, but will try in the next few days with the help of a friend's digit camera. Will also try to get out a viewable picture of the patent stamp though it is not quite as distinct as the one shown in TPS, pg. 127. The gutta percha Parker grip cap and early-style dog's head buttplate are probably also worth looking at, as they are very pristine without so much as a nick. Will see what I can do....meanwhile 'Thanks' for your thoughts.

Rob

P.S. FWIW, might make more sense if relating the buttstock is slab-sawn black walnut with the grain running on an oblique through the wrist - which is why I mentioned not the best of lay-outs.

[Pa SxS]

My 1924 P grade 12ga has the stamp. It's in the Parkers Found section of the Parker Pages. Just to rehash, the reinforcing rod didn't prevent the stock from cracking behind the top tang and on each side of the grip however it may have prevented further cracking or breaking completely.

I sent the stock to Bob Fulton at Stockfixers. When he got the stock he asked me about the reinforcing rod, I guess he had never seen one in a Parker stock before. I think it's been said that the stamp, if found, was on early hammerless guns and I think it a little odd that it's on my 1924 gun. Perhaps using up old inventory.

[B. Dudley]

I think it was more to prevet breaks through the wrist in the event of drops. I do not know exactly how far up into the stock the rod went. I would think it to be fairly close to the area of the tang to be effective.