Pheasants on hammergun

[Autumn Daze]

Brent, The number visible on the barrel flats is the order number. These are commonly found on early guns.

[Jeff Mayhew]

The last three digits of the serial number (257) are stamped into the rear of the barrel lug. You can just barely make it out in picture 20. Note also what appear to be the initials "J.S."

[Bill Murphy]

The gun is not an assembled gun. However, back to the original question; Judge Denny brought the first birds over in 1881, the second batch in 1882. The first batch was observed with young the first year. The gun was apparently built in 1882. I have a feeling that the pheasant importation was pretty big news in the hunting press of the day. I have some mention of Judge Denny in sporting papers of the 1880s. I think he was pretty well known. Is the 1882 Parker the first engraving of a pheasant on an American shotgun? I don't know, but it's something to investigate. There couldn't have been more than a few hundred pheasants in this country when that gun was made.