DH 79,472

[Bruce Day]

So what is so wrong with Parker engraving? I see people writing about how bad Parker engraving is , like others are far better .

Are all those English guns better ? All the others better than this mid grade 16ga ?

Maybe I have no artistic but it seems pretty nice to me.

[Bruce Day]

The $100 Parker when new.

[Bruce Day]

Sure look like pheasant to me.

[Jim Beilke]

Looks pretty damn good to me!!

[Jim DiSpagno]

Bruce, critics of engraving have never even attempted to draw, less try to use a graver in steel to know really how tedious and difficult it truly is

[Jay Gardner]

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n308/Doublegun_2006/Mobile%20Uploads/2016-09/6B494427-E342-494C-9B99-A4EC22FB12B8_zpssapgkcbc.jpg

I've always been partial to D-grades but the B's and above had more depth. Personally, I think the LCS Grade 5's set the standard for engraving of dog scenes.

[Jay Gardner]

Sorry, duplicate post.

[Bill Holcombe]

Ds are great.

[Dean Romig]

Certainly the higher the grade the more detailed and elaborate the engraving but I admire the scroll and filigree on Parkers beginning as low as some grade 2's and certainly the grade 3's.
It is true that sidelock guns have a larger palette upon which to execute the engraver's art.






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[Daniel G Rainey]

love them all. some just appeal to me more than others.

[Brian Dudley]

I spent some time looking at a set of BHE barrels with a gentleman i know who dabbles in engraving. He had a microscope and was examining areas on the barrel. The microscope showed that the breech and rib extension engraving was not really all that well executed at that high of magnification. Bit of course, you have to figure it was done 100 years ago in less than desireabke lighting and meant to be seen with the naked eye being heald in the hand.
We were however VERY impressed with the lettering on the rib which was all hand engraved since it was a vent rib gun. The letter "S" in particular hadhim very impressed at how cleanly they were cut given the multiple turns. He simply said, "whoever cut that letter did it a LOT and was damn good at it"!


Also, you have to figure that many of these guns were in fact production guns. Especially G grade and below. And different parts were cut by different people. I have seen D grade guns where you can tell for sure that the trigger plate and frame were cut buy different engravers. Things like trigger guards were likely cut by journeyman that were barely teenagers who were lucky to be given a new tool after a year of cutting the same thing over and over again.

[David Noble]

I really like this dog on the bottom of a CHE.

[Dean Romig]

I know I've shown these setters and turnips before, but...

All D grades.




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[James J. Roberts]

Where any Parker's engraved by engraver contractors that did'nt work for the Parker Bros. J.J.

[Brian Dudley]

I know for a large period of manufacture, all of the head foreman were independant contractors and all the department help reported to them.

But i do not know if any work was actually sent out to truely independant engravers.

[Bill Holcombe]

According to TPS there were several parkers sent out to one famous engraver outside of parker bros. None of them have been found.

[Dean Romig]

I'm not at home right now but I have some information at home supporting what Bill states.





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[edgarspencer]

I believe H. Gough traveled the NY,NH & H railroad regularly between Hartford ( Colt) New Haven (Winchester) and Meriden.

[Dean Romig]

I would like to see his traveling kit or satchel of his favorite engraving tools. An artist of his stature and talent would certainly never have used tools in those various engraving departments - he would have made, shaped, sharpened, and hardened each of his own tools and would certainly have travelled with them.






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[James J. Roberts]

Dean,Each engraver has his and her's own special tools I would'nt feel comfortable using another engravers tools.I teach students the traditional hammer chisel and hand push tools plus power assist at my school.J.J.

[Dean Romig]

I believe H. Gough traveled the NY,NH & H railroad regularly between Hartford ( Colt) New Haven (Winchester) and Meriden.

Interestingly, Henry A. Bishop of Bridgeport had a hand in the management and operation of that railroad line as well as two others in the CT & NY area. He was a wealthy philanthropist and entrepreneur as well as a statesman and political figure.
He ordered a AAHE 20/28 straight-grip two-barrel set which is known to still exist. I have the 24" Damascus 28 gauge DHE that he ordered for his wife Jessie A. Bishop.

On page 2 of this thread I posted a few pictures of DH engraving - the top picture is Jessie Bishop's little DHE.

An article on this subject will be published in the near future.






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