10 GA, 40" Barrels - gone but not forgotten

[Derek Lathrop]

I'm on the hunt for a needle in a haystack in the form of an old Parker. One that my great grandfather supposedly special ordered back around 1900 and one my grandfather lost after putting a lien on it in the early 1980's. It is a hammerless 10 Ga with 40" barrels and is a monster of a gun. One that was dear to my great-grandfather and to my father but apparently that sentiment skipped a generation.

I've got a number of photos detailing the gun and the matching parts with serial number #86011 as well as photos of my father as a teen shouldering it (see attached for a sample). I have documents back and forth between a number of people as my grandfather tried to verify its authenticity, detailing the lien and was able to track it to a grandson of the elderly gentleman who had acquired it when the lien was forfeited. He had it in his collection which he sold via magazine ad to someone in either "Texas or Wyoming several years ago". That's where my information dries up, the elderly gentleman named Gene, who lived in Northern MI, was battling dementia and kept no record of the sale of his collection (much to his son & grandson's dismay as it sounds like he gave it away).

More or less, I am looking to find out if this is a gun on the market out there somewhere, or one that could potentially be reacquired at some time. it would be my dream to be able to surprise my father with the gun if by some miracle I could track it down and buy it back.

I have to apologize for my lack of expertise on finish and model information. It's my understanding that these old hammerless 10's are rarely seen with 40" barrels, so if you think you may have seen one or could direct me to someone who might have more information that would be much appreciated.

Lastly, if this is the wrong place for this post please let me know and I will redirect my inquiry.

Thanks to all for your time.

D