Incredible Subject of Future Article

[Dean Romig]

This Parker was practically thrust into my hands yesterday. "Take it." the man said. "I'm leaving for a few weeks, so take it and look it over and I'll contact you when I get back."

I was at the post office and this guy saw the PGCA sticker on my truck window so he waited for me to come out. He told me to follow him to his house where he brought this little Parker out and a bunch of pictures of his Dad and grandfather with their Parkers - one being this little beauty. It is a 20 gauge DHE with an ivory mid-bead and a 3/16" brass front bead. It has two forends, both factory made, and a smallish buttstock with a tiny grip cap and a skeleton buttplate.

Among the stuff he has is an old newspaper article from the Andover newspaper stating that the owner of this gun and two other shooters each took first place in their class at the Glen Rock Kennels Skeet Field - the place where skeet was invented and where William Harnden Foster often shot with his good friends the Davies.

This will take some work but I'll put together a fitting article on it, the owner, the Glen Rock Kennels, etc. It should tie together a lot of the things I've been working on (off and on) for many years.

Best, Dean



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[charlie cleveland]

mighty intersting gun you have dean...charlie

[Eric Estes]

"practically thrust into my hands"

Lol, that just never seems to happen to me. Very very nice Dean. I look forward to the article.

[Brett Hoop]

Holy Cow! Stuff like that never happens to me when I go to the Post Office.

[Christopher Lien]

Dean,

Looking forward to your article on the 20ga, appears to have some very interesting history.

P.S. --- I would like to order 5, No, make that 10, of the PGCA window stickers...;)

Best, Chris ~ CSL
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[Dean Romig]

I would like to order 5, No, make that 10, of the PGCA window stickers...;)

Best, Chris ~ CSL

Hahaha... Mary Bowes sends one in each New Member Package but I don't know where they can be purchased.

I'll loan you my "Lucky" sticker when the Parkers stop getting 'thrust' into my hands :bigbye:





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[Russ Jackson]

Any chance of directions to your local post office ?

[John Campbell]

Mr. Romig:
That appears to be a very fine DHE... and the doorway to what I hope will be a fascinating story! As you may have gathered in the past, I'm as intrigued by the personal and historical stories behind classic double guns as I am with the guns themselves.

Best of luck with your quest. Fate has thrust it into your hands!

[Bill Murphy]

Today, I was having trouble negotiating with my cane along a street in Easton, MD, so I sat down on a bench to rest. A PGCA member walked up and inquired if I was a fellow PGCA member since he kind of recognized me. We had a nice visit. He had no gun to sell me.

[Drew Hause]

August 1926 "National Sportsman", by William Harnden Foster, and possibly depicting his son.
Foster Sr. shot a 27" barrel 20 gauge DHE Parker SN 225905.

http://pic20.picturetrail.com:80/VOL1373/6511424/18779715/298465485.jpg

Not sure if this is his son, but it's a Parker

http://pic20.picturetrail.com:80/VOL1373/6511424/18917639/405683747.jpg

[Dean Romig]

Drew, I'm sure you know but there are probably many others who don't know that second painting is the same illustration that WHF penned for page 111 of New England Grouse Shooting except that the gun on pg 111 is a sidelock hammerless, possibly a British small bore or a LC Smith. He was a wonderful artist.






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[Drew Hause]

Here 'tis

http://pic20.picturetrail.com:80/VOL1373/6511424/18917639/374609002.jpg

[mark wright]

very nice Dean!

[Mills Morrison]

Great snag Dean! Looking forward to the article

[Dean Romig]

I just measured the chokes - Rt. is .007" and Lt. is .011"






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[Dean Romig]

Great snag Dean! Looking forward to the article


It's not mine Mills... just on loan for a short while. I would truly like to take it to my skeet club and shoot a couple of rounds with it. :whistle:

I'll ask the owner when he gets back.





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[Rich Anderson]

The only thing that gets thrust into my hands are bills:cuss:
That's a nice 20 with perfect upland chokes. Maybe you can sneak in a grouse hunt with it....you know just for testing and reliability of function.....you want to be sure he knows if it's safe to shoot:)

[Dean Romig]

The owner is not a shooter but I'll ask if I can shoot a round or two of skeet with it. If he agrees to it he is welcome to come to my club and shoot as my guest.





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[Alfred Greeson]

Thanks for sharing the little 20. Great gun.
Was by Albright's in Easton, Md. this week and they have a number of Parkers recently added to their inventory. One was an interesting Maryland Ducks Unltd or something like that. It is a 12 with engraving that made it look like an A1, with a beavertail for end. Interesting items, I think all 12's, might be worth a call.

[Bill Murphy]

I saw the Parker Alfred describes, this week. I tried to look at it closely, but just couldn't do it. I was afraid for my eye health. Maybe I misinterpreted the gun and its decoration.

[Alfred Greeson]

I didn't look at it closely either. Seems it had been well used but would that have been something done aftermarket or would it have been a factory upgrade, maybe by Remington. Sorry I didn't check it closer but it may have had Titanic barrels. Anyone know more about such?

[Kevin McCormack]

I saw the Parker Alfred describes, this week. I tried to look at it closely, but just couldn't do it. I was afraid for my eye health. Maybe I misinterpreted the gun and its decoration.

It was a strange and terrifying gun (conjuring up what it must have looked like before it was "enhanced"). Commentary on it had been overshadowed since earlier that afternoon, however, regarding the "aged but elegant" straight-grip CHE Pigeon gun on the rack that, save for a "burping" ejector problem, was described as "one of the most exceptional and rarest Parkers ever to come in here." A marginal ROHAPAW candidate, it nonetheless bore scrutiny.

[Alfred Greeson]

Thanks Kevin, sounds like I need to make sure I take my best bifocals in the next time I glance at a look a like gun.

[Alfred Greeson]

Thanks Kevin, from what you and Bill saw, I think I need to make sure I take my best bifocals in before I report something unusual. Pardon the rookie observation.

[Mike Franzen]

"ROHAPAW"???

[Chris Travinski]

Rode hard and put away wet, use your imagination....

[Mark Conrad]

Dean, this is a great story. Check the forends to see if they are numbered 1 and 2. Just may be a two barrel set.

[Dean Romig]

Thanks Mark. I'm delighted to hear from you - I hope you're doing well and I wish you the very best at this Holiday season.
Only the BTFE has a 2 and the original splinter has no marking other than the serial number of course. There are two Remington stamps so I suspect the BTFE was fitted to the gun on one of those two occasions.

Be well my friend!
Dean

[Mark Conrad]

It was just an idea. Take care and have a nice Thanksgiving. Mark