10ga #4 frame?

[Kevin McCormack]

As a "refresher" to this thread, I direct those interested to my article in DGJ Volume 13, Issue 2, Summer 2002 entitled "Parker Bros. 1879 Quality 5 Underlifter 10-Bore Hammer Gun." This gun is a number 4 frame, 32-inch, 11 pounds even "whomper", whose factory provenance and post-Meriden history is fascinating. The article also contains the best pictures I was ever able to take in my series of DGJ articles over the years.

The elderly man from whom I purchased the gun had made a 15-minute VHS video tape of the gun from every conceivable angle in his driveway with the assistance of his son. His still pictures in his ad copy were terrible quality, but the video was near broadcast quality. When I asked him why the gun had not sold in the 3 months that I had been tracking it, he said that no one would pay him the $20 plus postage he was charging for his video production costs and mailing. I sent him the $20 plus $100 to hold the gun for me until I watched it.

I watched it 3 times and sent him the money. The gun won the award for "Best Original Hammer Parker" at the Gold Medal Concours d'Elegance of Fine Guns at the Vintage Cup, Orvis Sandanona, September 22, 2001. Best $20 I ever spent!