Trying to locate VH 12ga ##121210

[DuncanMorrow]

Hello. I am trying to locate Parker Bros VH grade 12ga #121210 that was owned by my grandfather, John Alexander (Sandy) Morrow. You may recognize John Alexander through his duck call making. The shotgun passed to my father, John, who died in 1998. I took possession of his gun collection but realised the Parker was missing. The family has not been able to explain its absence. The trail ends in the mid Michigan area. I have searched the internet regularly since 1998 and have come up empty. The gun is not of great monetary value but has great sentimental value. It was in our family for 70 years. Sandy hand carved a new stock for it after the original was damaged. Any help or leads in locating the gun would be greatly appreciated.
Duncan Morrow
Lansing, Mi

[Henry McRoberts]

I wish I could help you find your grandfathers shotgun. I have a few of your grandfathers duck calls in my collection and have had a few others over the years. Recently they have been bringing " Big Bucks " in some of the large decoy auctions. He made spectacular calls, especially the checkered ones. I hope your search is successful.

[DuncanMorrow]

Thanks for the sentiment on finding the Parker. I didn't know my grandfathers duck calls were so valuable. Our family only has one call in our possession and we decided to try and buy some calls back depending on cost. Can you point me in the direction of any of his calls you know are for sale? If you decided to sell your calls would you go the auction route or sell them some other way? How would we verify that we were actually buying a John Alexander call? Thanks.

[Craig Larter]

There is one of your Grandfathers calls selling next week at the Guyette and Deeter Auction. See page 106. Here is a link to the catalog. Guyette & Deeter is a first class auctioneer with guaranteed descriptions. Good Luck. Craig Larter
http://issuu.com/mtjstevenson/docs/15j?e=5670342%2F6465660

[Phil Yearout]

I can't be of any help; just wanted to say that it's very cool about your grandfather's calls and his sporting history. I wish you the best of luck in locating that Parker!

[Richard Flanders]

I'll have to look at the VH12 my brother has and which came from a grandfather. It has a relatively crude replacement stock. If it has that serial number I will give it to you.

[Destry L. Hoffard]

I've always thought I might find a Morrow call being as how I live in Michigan and hit a lot of estate sales and flea markets. But sadly, I've never even seen one. Same with a certain knife maker.....

[DuncanMorrow]

Keep looking MarketHunter, they are out there. We know Sandy gave many calls away and also sold them through vendors as far flung as Marshall Field. Good luck.

[Henry McRoberts]

Morrow calls are out there and a few have been showing up in recent years at the larger decoy auctions, As mentioned the checked calls are bringing large prices. Ones with the " peep sight " tone boards are also desirable. You just have to keep searching. I would imagine that the knife Destry is searching for would be a " Scagel " as they were made in Michigan and are very rare. Good Luck.

[DuncanMorrow]

Whitefish : Is this an example of a peep site tone board?

http://home.comcast.net/~d.morrow/pwpimages/DSCN1192%20%28Small%29.JPG

[Henry McRoberts]

Yes, that is what is called the " peep sight ". I have a Morrow call identical to this one, but without that sight. Many Morrow calls were sold through the " Art Beauchamp " sporting goods store in Flint I believe, I also had a plain Morrow from a Detroit store, but cannot think of the name.

[Destry L. Hoffard]

This is an interesting thread, I'd only ever seen a couple Morrow calls and had no idea they came with different marketing labels.

DLH

[DuncanMorrow]

Marketing labels would be an innacurate characterization in reference to Sandys calls. I don't think you are going to see anyone hawking a "John Alexander Duck Call by Marshall Field". Where his calls were originally sourced from in most cases is probably lost to time/history with few exceptions. I have never run into anyone that knew where their call was originally sold and could prove it.

[Destry L. Hoffard]

Oh I thought you all meant that there were Morrow calls known that had store labels from the places they were sold. Some callmakers did that, an example would be Charles Perdew and the calls he sold through VL&A in Chicago.

DLH

[Henry McRoberts]

The Perdew calls from VL&A have four panels carved on the barrel of the call. In one of the panels he carved the initials VL&A and would also add the owners initials if they wished. These calls are sometimes called the " ST. Francis Call ". Charles Perdew only made Duck and Crow calls. His duck calls were either the plain cedar model or the fancy carved calls with flying ducks. His crow calls were similar in plain cedar or the fancy carved ones with crows and owls. No Perdew calls had labels of any kind attached. All Perdew calls are very collectable as are his duck decoys.

[Destry L. Hoffard]

Yes I'm very familiar with Perdew calls and have owned several, including a VL&A. The call is clearly marked with the name of a corporate entity, even if it's scratch carved into the call. Hence my comment.

[Dale Medders]

So quite curious Richard if you had the lost gun?
Would make for a Happy Ending.

[Richard Flanders]

Not sure yet and won't know for some time. I'm in Alaska, the gun is in Michigan...somewhere. It will be some time before if ever that I get to see it. I won't forget though. I have the S/N recorded and will look.

[DuncanMorrow]

Any chance you have had an opportunity to check the serial # on that old Parker you have? I am still searching for #121210. I am certain it will pop up eventually. Thanks.

[Richard Flanders]

Not yet. I will be in Michigan in May 2018 and hope to check then. Thanks for the reminder. I'd say that the chances are slim, as I personally know of this gun being in our family as far back as at least the late 50's. I was shooting it myself in the early 60's.

[John Dallas]

I've got an unfloated Madison Mitchell goose that was sold thru Schmidt and Guyette years ago. Lotsa good stuff there.