Clark Gable’s DHE 20ga

[Drew Hause]

Gable gave Carole Lombard a 20g Crown grade Smith SN 170967, FwEOBV, 28" barrels as a wedding present March 29, 1939. The gun was completed on 1/16/39 and shipped the same day to Harper and Reynolds, Los Angeles.



In 1940 Gable gave Carole a 20g O/U by Erich Klebe
https://www.rockislandauction.com/de...runder-shotgun

[Drew Hause]

Josh sold the 32" 28g BHE
https://www.gunsinternational.com/gu...n_id=101095992

Post from 2005 claiming that the Lombard DHE was restored c. 1990
http://smith-wessonforum.com/lounge/...#post140560075

[Kevin McCormack]

Drew, thanks very much for posting these old photos and tidbits of articles discussing these fabulous old guns and the personalities that owned and used them. Those of us who have been at this for awhile have seen most or all of them sometime before in the distant past, but I for one never get tired of revisiting them. One of the best functions of our Search toggle is the use of a SN of a particular gun, which can bring forth a wealth of prior threads containing information that most members have no idea exist.

[Researcher]

FWIW I found that picture that Drew annotated as 1935 of Clark Gable holding the five shotguns in an article titled "Something About Shotguns" in the Guns and Shooting section edited by Phil Sharpe in the July 1939 National Sportsman magazine, pg 24.

Clark Gable July 1939 National Sportsman.jpg

Are those long slim barrels of the gun we can't see be the long barrel BHE 28-gauge.

[Drew Hause]

Thanks Dave. He is wearing the same duds in the picture which Getty Images dates 1935. Possibly there is record of his purchase of the M21? I couldn't find a M21 listed in his collection.

[Drew Hause]

Found the image and it is only dated 30s
https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/n...?adppopup=true

This states 1934
https://www.imago-images.com/st/0081874313

He is with Wendy Barrie. Her first U.S. film was 34'. I didn't find that they were in a film together.

[Researcher]

Not all that dependable when they both call the Model 21 a rifle and one says he is wearing a vest!! Looks like a shooting coat to me.

[Twoatlow8]

Clark with a 32 Remington.

[Harold Pickens]

I've shot hundreds of grouse around Gables home town of Cadiz, ohio

[Researcher]

Looks like a fairly early Model 32TC "Target" Grade with double triggers. By 1935 Remington was no longer offering the double triggers. The Model 32 Clark is holding with the bunch of guns in the 1939 picture has a single trigger and a Fray Mershon "Whiteline" recoil pad.