Old Cases

[Russ Jackson]

As some of you guys have noticed ,I recently purchased that very nice A&F Case that Angel had for sale on our " For Sale List " ,Shortly before my purchase there was a conversation about the gun being wrapped in a Chamois like material before being put into the case , would any of you Gentleman or Ladies know what that material was ? Russ

[George Lander]

Chamois is tanned deer skin......George

[Russ Jackson]

George ; Is this what was used ?

[Kenny Graft]

Russ...galazan has a 2-peice med brown soft cloth sleeve that looks like chamois. It will work fine till you get one made from your next buck.....check CSM web page. thanks Kenny SXS ohio....(-:

[Bruce Day]

Russ, Parker Bros originally supplied gun sleeves with shotguns. For lower grade guns, Dave Suponski has an original gun sleeve set, a long narrow one for the barrels and a separate one for the butt. They had a fold over, string tie top and were of an olive drab loose weave cotton. Dave was kind to loan to me his original set and my mother made a duplicate, which I have posted photos of in the past. For higher grade guns, Parker used an artificial chamois fabric, a tan cotton flannel of the same shade as the real chamois that is sold in auto parts stores for washing cars. I know G's were supplied with the cheaper fabric sleeves, A's with the higher grade chamois. I assume the divider was V-D, cheaper fabric, C's plus would be the chamois. I have seen Dave's original sleeve set and one A grade sleeve set. Original Parker sleeves seem rare and I suppose many were thrown away when they got holes in them or dirty. The A set I saw was not in good shape. I do not know if the practice of supplying gun sleeves survived into the Remington era.
Galazan sells gun sleeves of a thicker than Parker original flannel, with the Galazan logo imprinted on them.

A chamois is a European mountain goat. Today, "chamois" sold for washing cars, gloves, etc is made from a specially processed sheepskin. Deerskin is close but not the same, its thicker. Shakespeare ( US made in Kalamazoo, Michigan) used to supply its machined and jeweled fishing reels in chamois flannel bags in a sturdy cardboard box to keep the reel from damage, and with a replacement parts package. Now today, stamped part fishing reels come from China in a blister pack and try to find the parts to fix one. They are just throw aways when they get loose or malfunction. Don't get me started.


Added: I looked at my Galazan sleeves, and they are some kind of synthetic fiber flannel adhered to a mesh backing. They have a drawstring top. I think if a person really wanted to be authentic to the Parker originals, he would have to make his own, because the originals were cotton fabric and a fold over top with wrap around and tie ribbons. The original chamois ones use a fabric like those L L Bean chamois cloth shirts.

[Russ Jackson]

Bruce ,Thank you much for the information ,you are a wealth of knowledge !! The case I purchased from Angel came with a very nice 16 Ga. O Frame Hammer gun inside of it , I figured I would add the case for a " BONUS " ! I was sort of figuring on putting the CHE 20 in it when I bought the case and use it for traveling ,I was thinking the " Chamois " that you can buy for drying Automobiles was a bit light in color ,but they are nice and soft ! Possibly they could be dyed ? What do you think ?

[C Roger Giles]

This is interesting how the cases were lined.

A few years back I bid on a case that Kevin had donated to the PGCA silent auction at the annual meeting down in Willimgton, Ohio. When I got it home the interior lining was all crumbly ie shot to hell so it took out the old stuff and have since put the barrels in one sleeve and the stock/action in another made of cotton flannel that was intended as inexpensive gun cases and told myself to be satisfied with my inexpensive solution. Now if I read this thread right I am not the only person with this solution and if so I'll carry my G to events in the imperfect but useful case sans embaressment.

Ha Ha on you Kevin

Rog

[C Roger Giles]

What I failed to mention in my first thread, that the exterior is in excelent condition and the manufacturer is Brauer. Also it is not for sale.

PTG Rog

[Francis Morin]

Sounds like trying to find a can of Signet oil that supposedly Parker supplied with their fine guns back in its heyday-- I have purchased two leather LOM cases from Angel: a Brauer and a Red Head and they were 100% as he represented them to be- well worth the price, and if I get to chose where my $ go- for important items related to our beloved doubles, it will be first to a brother PGCA member rather than some schmuck at a table at the Joe-Blow Gun Show- I've seen some rather crappy looking LOM cases offered at gun shows at way outrageous prices- have never seen the chamois gun sleeves-

Amazing that a purchaser of a fine BHE 20 in 1923 would, most likely, not keep the hang tag or the box or any other Parker ephemera- and why so- back then, Parker, GM (just underway) Dow Jones- we all thought they would last forever perhaps- Now in a nostalgia trip back in time we seek out antifacts of an era where handmade in the USA and pride of workmanship were the rule and not the exception.

Kalamzoo, MI and Shakespeare fishing tackle "Honor Built" also home of the original Gibson guitar Co.- now their guitars are made elsewhere, are still good, but not the "Steinways" as from Kazoo-

Anything you buy today from a "Big-Box-Outlet" has a short life and in its rebirth becomes a BOAT ANCHOR!!:banghead::banghead::banghead: