Parker Try Gun 171493

[Robert Beach]

By now I guess that most of you have had a chance to review the Parkers in the March 11th auction in Maine. I thought that you might find it to be of interest that Parker 171493 (Lot 3509) was originally purchased by Von Lengerke & Detmold on February 28, 1916, almost exactly 98 years ago. Here is the original entry in the VL&D inventory and sales record for 1916.

http://pic80.picturetrail.com/VOL2138/10298763/24244592/408903100.jpg

The date of acquisition (2/28/16) is at the left. The check marks indicate a 12 gauge with 30 inch barrels. The entry "c exsnv" is a coded entry for Cost=$106.94. Of course VH is the grade. A new inventory was prepared each year and the Try Gun appears in every one of those inventories.

In 1929 VL&D merged with Abercrombie & Fitch under the A&F name and so the Parker was entered in the A&F inventory in that year. Here is that entry.

Bob Beach
Archivist
Griffin & Howe, Inc.

http://pic80.picturetrail.com/VOL2138/10298763/24244592/408903101.jpg

The inventories of the two stores were merged in January 1929. The entry for Parker 171493 indicates that it was added to the A&F inventory on January 19, 1929. Again the Parker is in every yearly inventory except from 1943 to 1945 when it was in the "Shop". The shop would have been Griffin & Howe which was then a wholly owned subsidiary of A&F.

The Parker remained in inventory at A&F until 1956. Here is the final yearly entry for Parker 171493 in the New York store.

http://pic80.picturetrail.com/VOL2138/10298763/24244592/408903102.jpg

As you can see, by then there were two Parker try guns in the A&F inventory - one from VL&D and the other from A&F. On March 12, 1956 Parker 171493 was transferred to the Chicago branch of A&F known as Von Lengerke & Antoine. We do not have the VL&A records for that year nor for any inventory years after that until 1963 through the early 1970's. I'll check those books when I next go to the records room and edit this if I find anything.

But now you know where this Parker was for the first 40 years of its 98 year life. Imagine the people who held this gun in their hands when getting a gun fit at Abercrombie & Fitch.

There is only one other Parker in the auction that is in our records, number 234517 (Lot 3505).

Bob Beach
Archivist
Griffin & Howe, Inc.

[Dean Romig]

That is excellent information. Thanks very much Bob.

[Jean Swanson]

Interesting

A little info on Try Gun s/n 173259 that belonged to G & H .

I do not remember the year ,but in the early 70's while I was at the Las Vegas spring gun show, I purchased several Parkers, one of the guns was a Parker Try Gun owned by Griffin& Howe s/n 173259. I had the gun for many years and ultimately sold it to Jim Parker . After Jim's death ,I think his estate consigned the gun to Julia's auction.

My records say it was a 2 frame,30" twist, 98% wood finish,99% barrel pattern, and 10% case color, with original adjusting key.

One additional tidbit-----I purchased two Parker try guns at that show and the other one had steel barrels.

[Dean Romig]

I purchased two Parker try guns at that show and the other one had steel barrels.



What kind of steel barrels Allan?.... Vulcan Steel? Parker Special Steel?

[Jean Swanson]

Dean:

I do not recall the specifics of the gun, however,it was a V grade ----that I remember. I sold the gun shortly after returning to Nashua to a gun dealer,so the info on the gun as to the transfer is now in the archives of the BTAF.