A.W. du Bray's great grandson

[John Sexson]

I am Arthur's great grandson, and I own two guns that I inherited from him. I am interested in a $ amount for insurance purposes, or for possible sale to the right collector.

(1) Parker double barrel pigeon shotgun (March 26, 1878..serial # 86637).
(2) Sharps 45-90 carbine (February 15, 1859..serial #39695).

There is also a trophy he won in a pigeon shooting contest, and various hunting knives.

I have signed verification from A.W. du Bray that he owned them.

Any information would be greatly appreciated.

John A. Sexson

[Robin Lewis]

86637 is a grade 7 Top Action 12ga. There are very few grade 7 hammer guns, 5 are recorded in The Parker Story.

I'm sure that Parker will hold lots of interest with the members here.

In order to sell on this site you will need to join the PGCA to gain access to the for sale secton but a guess on value without seeing it would be difficult. But, it will command a large $$$ value; the question is how large.

I talked to Jack Puglisi a few years ago, he had one listed for sale. Since he has passed, I don't know where that Parker ended up.

I would love to see some pictures of these guns and trophy!

[Randy G Roberts]

Yes, pictures please. I'm afraid you will not find many folks willing to help with values without the pictures. A Grade 7 hammer gun, WOW. Pictures :corn::corn:

[Mills Morrison]

Robin gives good advice. Yes, WOW, please post some pictures.

[Brian Dudley]

Condition will do a lot to determine value of both of the guns.

I always like to tell people to just use the Blue Book values for insurance since they are usually on the high side, and they are in print, thus documented. But, the book would not take into account any additional value your guns may have due to their being owned by your great grandfather. And, I would say that the Parker would hold value for that reason over the Sharps, due to his connection with the company.

Oh, if Muderlak was alive...

[Dean Romig]

But you need to be a PGCA Member to even suggest a gun will be for sale.

You can join online from our home page and it is only $40/yr.





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[Kevin McCormack]

John, Ed Muderlak and I talked about the hammer pigeon gun many times. The March 26, 1878 date you refer to in talking about the gun is probably a patent date reference; I own 88653, a Grade 6 hammerless, which was built in 1897. If you decide to sell the trophy, I would be interested in it.

[John Dallas]

I'm sure Mr Sexson was unaware of the prohibition for non-members to sell on the site. That being said, I wouldn't be surprised if his private message box is filled at this point. I wonder if it would be appropriate in the future to limit the Private Message function to members only. I'm sure Mr Dunkle is looking for more work to do:eek:

[Robin Lewis]

Yes condition counts. These grade 7 hammer guns are at the top of my Parker desire list, even more so to me than any of the three grade 9 guns. I just think the AA hammer guns are perfection. Over the years I have had the opportunity to buy two of them but passed because of the asking price. In the mid 90's I passed on one that Dick Stewart had, he was asking $49K at the time and a few years ago Jack had one that he was asking $250K. The one that Jack had is pictured in our Grades web page.

Pictures will get comments going I'm sure so please post some for our viewing pleasure!

[Bruce Day]

Where your great grandfather lived in San Francisco. Corner suite , top floor, Sutter Hotel at Sutter and Geary streets.

This is only a couple blocks away from the Hotel Belvedere, where private detective Sam Spade officed at Spade and Archer Detective Services. Sam met Mrs Archer in the first level coffee shop of the Sutter Hotel after the untimely death of her husband, Sam’s partner. Discussions were held about the whereabouts of a certain black bird.

[edgarspencer]

Bruce, it simply boggles my mind how you pull this stuff up:shock:. I struggle with whether I took my pills this morning.

[Bruce Day]

The accounts of the time of DuBray tell how he would shoot sea ducks in the San Francisco Bay wetlands, perhaps with the same gun his grandson is inquiring about to sell. Lot of family history there. I’m sure glad I have my grandfather’s gun, although it sure isn’t anything high grade or special except to me.

Edgar, I was in San Francisco a few years back and stayed at the Marine Memorial Club. Lines of flags with battle streamers carried at Guadalcanal, Tawara, Iwo Jima, Saipan , where my father was. It’s always a humbling experience. Too bad the old quarters at the Presidio where I used to stay for almost nothing are closed. I thought I’d walk on down to the Sutter, go to Tadich, and old North Beach. All those places that Dashiel Hammett wrote about are there.

[James Palmer]

Sea ducks in the bay were fantastic this yr....

[John Davis]

Been trying to attach a copy of du Bray's gun list. If successful, you'll see the AA is the second gun listed.

[John Davis]

The list is actually two pages.

[Todd Poer]

Great stuff, I think Scoop Romig will find all this interesting.

[Randy Davis]

I would like to see the Live Bird Trophy...

Enjoy the Sport

Trap3

[Bill Murphy]

John, are the two pages in the original attachment? If not, can you post a picture of the second page? I spent a lot of time yesterday looking for that list in my files and couldn't find it. Thanks. I would also like to see a good picture of the trophy.

[John Davis]

Bill, second page was not attached but l’ll do that as soon as I get back to my computer.

[allen newell]

Bruce, I share your same interest and passion for military history especially WW2 Pacific theatre but not exclusively. I've swam off the invasion beaches of Saipan and toured the island. Pillboxes, Japanese tanks and artillery pieces still litter the invasion beaches. But the most moving experience I had in the Pacific was visiting the American Cemetery of the Pacific just outside Manila. If that hallowed ground does not move one to tears, they're not human. Not my intent to hijack this thread, just wanted to respond to something Brice said earlier in this thread that moved me

[John Davis]

Page 2 of du Bray's gun list attached.

[John Sexson]

I just signed up to be a member, trying to figure out how to post pictures.

[Robin Lewis]

Welcome to our Parker family! I look forward to learn about your great-grandfather and your Parker experiences.

Go to www.parkerguns.org and click on the faq link on the left side. At the bottom of the FAQ page are two links that may help with posting pictures.

[Dean Romig]

I just signed up to be a member, trying to figure out how to post pictures.


Welcome to the Parker Gun Collectors Association John!

Your joining should prove to be mutually beneficial.





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[Rich Anderson]

The guns of Arthur DuBray would make an interesting article. He led an interesting life from his narrow escape of going with General Custer to being a top salesman for Parker. A friend has a W.C. Scott Premier grade pigeon gun that the rib is inscribed "custom made for Arthur DuBray. It has the finest engraving of any gun I've ever seen.

[John Davis]

June 18, 1910, The Sportsmen’s Review, “Capt. Arthur W. DuBray (‘Gaucho.’) Learning that one of our old-time friends and correspondents is going to leave Cincinnati to take up his abode in California, we take this opportunity of presenting this sketch to our readers, who doubtless have read many articles from his pen, signed ‘Gaucho.’
Arthur W. duBray is an Englishman by birth and parentage, a naturalized American citizen and a cosmopolitan. At an early age he went to South America, where he spent several years on the Patagonian frontier in the days of Indian raids, when game was plentiful and when a good sound horse and a couple of powerful, plucky dogs and the best of firearms for companions were about all that constituted his belongings. There he enjoyed fine sport, chasing ostriches and deer, shooting an occasional puma and plenty of feathered game. He speaks both French and Spanish, and at one time when using them almost exclusively was as fluent in them as in his own language.
Upon reaching the United States, Mr. duBray devoted several years to his favorite sport, game shooting, and in Minnesota, when duck, grouse and snipe were plentiful, enjoyed excellent shooting.
In 1875, having met with financial reverses, he joined the army, and in 1876 was stationed at Fort Seward, North Dakota, adjoining the present site of Jamestown. There he had the honor and pleasure of meeting General George A. Custer, and at their meeting the general, himself a thorough sportsman, and knowing of Mr. duBray’s passion for shooting and a wild, roving life, offered to take him on the campaign that ended so disastrously to himself and his famous crack regiment, the flower of the army, the Seventh United States Cavalry. Owing to an unlooked-for delay, occasioned by the general not being in command of the fatal and memorable campaign, orders for Mr. duBray to join it were never issued, as in the meantime the general with the greater part of his valiant command were annihilated.
Upon the return of the remnant of this superb regiment to their winter quarters at Ft. Abraham Lincoln, he received an appointment in the quartermaster’s department at that post, and in the spring of 1877 he went afield with his cherished regiment on the Nez Perces expedition. Here he was fortunate enough to come under the observation of that splendid and most intrepid Indian fighter, Colonel F. W. Benteen, who then commanded a battalion of the Seventh Horse, and after an engagement with the Nez Perces Indians, Colonel Benteen made special mention of Mr. duBray in an order that was read at the head of his battalion. Such an honor emanating from one of the foremost Indian fighters of his time, Mr. duBray regards as the most important event of his life and the climax of his checkered career, and even today, when speaking of his idolized Colonel Fritz, he cannot do so without feelings of the deepest emotion.
In the following year he again took the field with his beloved regiment in the pursuit of fugitive Cheyennes, and saw some hard service in that campaign.
During these two expeditions he had exceptionally fine shooting at antelope, elk, deer and buffalo, and always kept his mess well supplied with game, even when in a hostile Indian country, and as he generally accompanied the foremost scouts he naturally had many lively experiences when away from the command.
In December, 1890, Mr. duBray left the army and accepted the position of traveling salesman with Parker Bros., his fondness for guns and shooting causing him to take this course. During the succeeding years he has traveled in the interest of his company through the South, the entire west coast, Canada and Mexico, and is now going to take up his residence in San Francisco as resident agent there.
As a writer for the leading sportsmen’s journals he has been before the public for nearly thirty years, and has contributed gratuitously many articles on shooting, guns, etc. He is now regarded as the leading exponent and firm believer in small-bore guns for upland shooting, and was the first writer to bring twenty-bores into prominent notice, having learned while shooting with his friends in Texas what these small bores can be made to do.
It is with profound regret that Mr. duBray is leaving his southern field of work, for, as he has said, he only too well knows that nowhere can he find more loyal, sincere and true friends and companions than those he has made among the chivalrous Southern sportsmen, whose memory will always remain as one of the brightest episodes of his life, and to whom it pulls hard to say good-bye, for they entertained him in their homes, divided share and share alike with him afield, and invariably treated him with frankness, kindness and courtesy.”

[Dean Romig]

Great stuff from our most proficient historical archivist. :bowdown::bowdown:





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[Bill Murphy]

I expected to see Dr. Truitt's name in the customer column of the second list.

[Mike Franzen]

John, do you have an address where DuBray lived in Newport, KY? I live just 30 minutes from there and would like to go see it I could get some pics and post them.

[John Sexson]

Sorry I do not know that address

[Mike Franzen]

John welcome to the PGCA. I’m sure Arthur would be proud you are keeping his legacy alive. Someone on here might have his old address.

[Bill Murphy]

Mike, Arthur had addresses in Cincinnati, like 3214 Perkins Avenue or 3314 Perkins Avenue depending on the source, and maybe others. However, his digs in Newport were probably at the Newport Barracks, where, in December of 1878, he bunked in with a General Greene for the winter. However, in 1896, his address was Newport, according to the National Gun Association. However, that may have been Newport Barracks also. If he was at the now abandoned Newport Barracks, we may never get a good address in Newport for Dubray. Newport, and Newport Barracks are just across the river from Cincinnati, and Newport Barracks is now a park.

[Garth Gustafson]

Cincinnati directories show DuBray living at 809 Ridgeway Ave from at least 1895 to 1903. He was at 3314 Perkins Ave from 1904-1910 after which he left Cincinnati. Time has not been kind to those neighborhoods and the area today is blighted. The Perkins house may still be standing but appears to be in poor condition.

[Rick Losey]

but have the streets ever been renumbered - that is not uncommon

[Rich Anderson]

How about pictures of the guns????

[Garth Gustafson]

but have the streets ever been renumbered - that is not uncommon

Cincinnati streets were re numbered in 1895

[Destry L. Hoffard]

Somebody told me that one of DuBray's direct line relatives was a professional baseball player. Is that you John?

[John Sexson]

Yes...Richie Sexson. He would be du Bray's great great grandson.

[Chuck Bishop]

John, I just mailed your research letter to you yesterday. I have to tell you it was the most complex and interesting letter I've ever done. It took me over 1 hr to do it.

Congratulations on a fabulous gun!

[John Sexson]

Thank you for your efforts. I can't wait to see what information you came up with. I have been working with Brian Dudley on the gun and I am sure this will help him figure out the details on what i have.
Thank you
John Sexson

























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[Dean Romig]

You have a treasure that should only be handled by an esteemed auction house like RIA, Morphy's, Bonham & Butterfield's, or Amoskeag - any of which draw the elite among gun collectors and will procure for you the very highest bids possible for such an important artifact in the world of collectible antique firearms.... You would be ill-advised to do otherwise!





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[John Sexson]

Thank you for that info. I have been in touch with Josh Lowensteiner from Morphy's and he is going to be on the west coast in early May to look at the gun and discuss further my options.
Thanks,
John

[G. Wells]

Would love to see pictures and a copy of the letter.

[Kevin Finnerty]

Been trying to attach a copy of du Bray's gun list. If successful, you'll see the AA is the second gun listed.

I owned #97426 a BHE 28 Gauge ..... during the time The Parker Story was being written...

I sent photographs to be published in the book

However since the gun was an exceedingly early 28 gauge
..straight grip
... Titanic Fluid Steel barrels #97426 1901?

and was equipped with
Automatic ejectors....

The photographs of the gun were returned to me unpublished
As at the time, the order books for that year had not yet been discovered
And the authors of the Parker Story were unable to verify the guns originality
....My guess is it was suspect because it was too early to be a 28 gauge

It seems likely to me, that upon the return of that salesmans sample 28 Guage by Mr. du Bray to the Parker Factory

The ejectors were likely added by the factory or had actually, in fact- been original to the gun, as this is one of the first 28 gauge fluid steel guns ever built

And it was clearly intended to be shown with all the “modern amenities” as it had been Mr. du Bray’s sales tool....

To add further interest, I acquired the gun in the late 1980s
....out of the Cincinnati Ohio area

Sadly, I no longer own the gun, however, I have some very nice digital photographs which I will hope to find and upload in the next week or so...

The engraving is a very unique and gorgeous deep relief

...almost in the expression of the first A1 special

[Dean Romig]

Kevin, Welcome to the PGCA forum.

We’re so pleased that you chose to share this information with us and we eagerly await your pictures.

Have you since sent for a research letter on 97426 ?





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[Bill Murphy]

I think my research shows 97428 to be one of the first 28 gauges. The research material was published in the Parker Pages a few years back and discussed on this forum. My research did not include 97,426.

[Reggie Bishop]

Any idea where 97426 resides these days?

:corn:

[Kevin McCormack]

I think my research shows 97428 to be one of the first 28 gauges. The research material was published in the Parker Pages a few years back and discussed on this forum.

Yes; my notes from researching "Grandma's 28" (GH Damascus 28 ga.) show 94373 as the first 28 ga. made, appearing in the Order Books (Stock Book for that SN missing so production date is not exact but would predate January 1900). Interestingly enough, the first half dozen 28s were Grade 3 and Grade 5 guns.

[Mills Morrison]

I sure would like to see an early Grade 5 28

[Reggie Bishop]

I sure would like to see an early Grade 5 28

Me too Mills!

[Kevin Finnerty]

I think my research shows 97426 to be one of the first 28 gauges. The research material was published in the Parker Pages a few years back and discussed on this forum.

I would be interested in any link to the above mentioned discussion

Hoping to upload a few pictures soon....

[Dean Romig]

I would be interested in any link to the above mentioned discussion

Hoping to upload a few pictures soon....


Kevin, in searching in our Parker Pages Digital Archive I find the article "Early 28 Gauge Parkers" by Dave Suponski, Bill Murphy and Mark Conrad shown on page 44 of Vol. 16, Issue 2 (Summer 2009) but when I go to page 44 there is an article by Dave Suponski on original Parker Brothers case hardening.

I'm sure I can find the Early 28 Gauge Parkers article but it's going to take a lot more research.

This is the very first glitch I have ever found in the Digital Archive and it may not even be a problem with the archive but rather it may have originated with the publisher Village Press.





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[Bill Murphy]

The PP article has serial numbers listed for early 28s. The article did not include all of my research, but it did include most of it.

[Dean Romig]

Okay - Going on the premise that the error was created by the publisher I went and dug out my hard copy of Issue 2 of Vol 16 and looked at the table of contents and they are exactly as shown in the Digital Archive (which I thoroughly expected to be so) so the next step was to page through the entire magazine and I found the publisher had transposed the two articles and the "Early 28 Gauge Parkers" article was in fact published on page 47.

As Bill says, some of the very earliest 28 gauge serial numbers are listed in the article.

The Parker Pages Digital Archive is available to PGCA Members for $50 and back issues of Parker Pages are available from PGCA Life Member James Hall.





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[Bill Murphy]

Posting error

[Mike Franzen]

So, whatever happened with the the DuBray grade 7 hammer gun?

[Dean Romig]

So, whatever happened with the the DuBray grade 7 hammer gun?



I sent you a PM Mike.





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[Dean Romig]

The earliest serial numbers for 28 gauge Parkers is as follows from the article by Dave, Bill and Mark...

94373
95000
95420
95421
95422
95426
95428
95431
97027
97031
97032
97033
97034
97036
97037
97038
97170
97426
99181
99599
99600
99686
99687
100303
101329
102155
102156


Some of these may have been rebarreled 20 gauge guns. We don't have all the data on all of them.





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[edgarspencer]

The earliest serial numbers for 28 gauge Parkers is as follows from the article by Dave, Bill and Mark...

94373
95000
94520
95421
95422
95428
95431
97027
97031
97032
97033
97034
97036
97037
97038
97170
97426
99181
99599
99600
100303
101329
102155
102156


Some of these may have been rebarreled 20 gauge guns. We don't have all the data on all of them.

You're missing 99686 & 99687, which were an identical pair of 24" VH guns.. They were the first 24" 28ga. guns made. They were ordered by H&D Folsom in 1900, and delivered to a "Mister Currier" in 1901

[todd allen]

So, whatever happened with the the DuBray grade 7 hammer gun?
Yes. I was hoping to see pictures.

[Dean Romig]

Thanks Edgar - I made that edit to my list. Those two were not in Dave's article and I'm glad you brought them up.

If anyone else knows of very early 28 gauge Parkers not included in this list please let me know and I'll insert them so we can have a complete list to be able to refer to.





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[Randy G Roberts]

Yes. I was hoping to see pictures.

Here ya go Todd. It is a real beauty. Taken with my cell phone in a motel so it is not the best pic, not the worst either.

[Dean Romig]

Yes. I was hoping to see pictures.


I wrote and published a very complete article beginning on pg. 25 in Parker Pages Fall, 2018 (Vol. 25, Issue 3) on this gun with loads of very high quality pictures.





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[edgarspencer]

Any idea why 95,000 & 94520 are listed as 12ga. guns in the serialization book?

[todd allen]

I wrote and published a very complete article beginning on pg. 25 in Parker Pages Fall, 2018 (Vol. 25, Issue 3) on this gun with loads of very high quality pictures.





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Thanks Dean. I'll have to look that up.

[Bill Murphy]

I had remembered that 95,428 was in my list from the article. 95,426 doesn't appear.

[Bill Murphy]

Dean's list, which Edgar added to, was never intended to be a complete list. In the Dave Suponski article, he (Dave) included an incorrect and incomplete list of "the first ten 28 gauge guns" provided by Austin Hogan. The list was only of ten early 28 gauge guns, and not anywhere near the first ten. I don't know how Austin's random list got into the article. My research on the first 28 gauge orders was included in the article and begins at the bottom of the first column and continues to the end of column two and was my only submission for that article. The mention of 97,426 was included by the author of the article and was not part of my research. As I stated before, my research is not claimed to be complete and further numbers may come up when missing order and stock books are discovered as well as the guns themselves. The first orders I discovered were February 6, 13, and 20, 1900. These were the earliest orders I found by date, not neccesarily by serial number.
There could be earlier orders in a corresponding order book, but I don't know whether that is true or not.

[Dean Romig]

I had remembered that 95,428 was in my list from the article. 95,426 doesn't appear.


Bill, I just edited my list with the addition of 95426





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[Dean Romig]

Dean's list, which Edgar added to, was never intended to be a complete list. In the Dave Suponski article, he included an incorrect and incomplete list of "the first ten 28 gauge guns" provided by Austin Hogan. The list was only of ten early 28 gauge guns, and not anywhere near the first ten. I don't know how Austin's list got into the article. My research on the first 28 gauge orders was included in the article and begins at the bottom of the first column and continues to the end of column two. The mention of 97,426 was included by the author of the article and was not part of my research. As I stated before, my research is not claimed to be complete and further numbers may come up when missing order and stock books are discovered as well as the guns themselves. The first orders I discovered were February 6, 13, and 20, 1900. There could be earlier orders in a corresponding order book, but I don't know whether that is true or not.


Right Bill, the list is incomplete but not through anyone’s fault, but simply a result of whether available knowledge was included, or not, in the article Dave authored.
If anyone can add a serial number to the list I created here please let me know and I’ll edit the list with the addition of forthcoming serial numbers.

And just like we in the world of Parkers “never say never” we also must recognize that in our world of Parkers, our Parker knowledge will “always” continue to grow.





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[Bill Murphy]

The Austin Hogan list is a random list of early serial numbers, by no means the earliest or first. I am not sure how Dean's list was compiled, but, as Edgar mentions, it includes a couple of 12 gauge guns. Or not, refer to later posts.

[Dean Romig]

Any idea why 95,000 & 94520 are listed as 12ga. guns in the serialization book?


Edgar, in Dave's article he lists 95000 as a possibly rebarreled 20 gauge and and 95420 as a 28 gauge ordered by Shoverling, Daly and Gales on Feb. 6, 1900.

The appearance of 94520 on the list was a keystroke error by me and has since been corrected.





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[Bill Murphy]

Dave did not list 95,000 as a possible rebarrel of a 20 gauge. He made the statement that 28 gauges between 94,000 and 95,000 were possible rebarrels. He did not list 94,000 or 95,000 as individual guns, only a range of serial numbers. By the way, my 97,032 is in the February 20, 1900 William Wagner order that includes the seventh through the tenth known 28 gauges. It is quite a nice VH, formerly owned by famous gun dealer and Parker collector Norman Strebe, shot on a regular basis. Norman's business was a mile or less from the William Wagner store.

[Dean Romig]

Dave did not list 95,000 as a possible rebarrel of a 20 gauge. He made the statement that 28 gauges between 94,000 and 95,000 were possible rebarrels. He did not list 94,000 or 95,000 as individual guns, only a range of serial numbers.


Nit-picking Bill?...

If he had listed 9400X to 9500X I could agree with you but IMO where specific serial numbers are written then those two serial numbers are included in the range of guns that may possibly have been rebarreled to 28 gauge.

No offense intended my friend.





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[David Noble]

Apparently, (and obviously) Mr. Sexson's only interest in coming to this forum was to establish a value and sell the Grade 7 gun. Admittedly, his first post spoke to that intention.
I think it a bit rude that he never followed up on the forum to post pictures or update those that took an interest and offered help. After the sale of the firearm he could have updated the forum and thanked all that helped.
I wonder if the gun sold through Josh or if it went to an auction house.
Dean, I'm going to go through my back issues of Parker Pages to see your story and pictures of the gun.

[Dean Romig]

David, it was just a few days ago when he stated he intended to post up pictures of the other gun (not the grade 7 hammer gun) and I think we need to give him the benefit of the doubt and wait another week or so before we disparage his intentions. When he first came on with this very thread four years ago he really didn’t know how our web forum was set up and we know most newcomers here rarely read the small print about gun sales and trolling… and he’s definitely not a troll but a genuine aficionado of duBray’s Parker.
And I’m willing to wait several weeks for pics of the BH 28 in the hope that we haven’t scared him away.


Oops… Mr. Finnerty offered to post pics of the 28 gauge BHE, not Mr. Sexton. My mistake?



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[David Noble]

Yes Dean, your mistake. I was speaking only of Mr Sexson.
Mr. Sexson never responded after the 8th day of his joining the PGCA and never renewed his membership. Once he got the info and contacts he needed, he never added anything else.
I too am looking forward to pictures of Mr. Finnerty’s BHE 28 ga.

[Dean Romig]

Regarding the pigeon competition trophy that duBray won, this is the only picture of it that Mr. Sexson ever sent me in preparation for the article. Unfortunately, due to space limitations, it was only published in Parker Pages as a 1" x 1" image on the page.

Triple click on image for full enlargement.

Credit to Morphy Auctions for the picture of the gun.


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[Kevin Finnerty]

Another one of Arthur du Bray’s tempting “sales tools”

This one a Rare 28 Gauge Straight Grip BHE #97426

Likely one of the First Titanic Steel 28 Gauge BH Grade Parkers ever built....

Lots of details to discuss...

And I’m sure some controversy and “Intellectual Parker Banter” will follow..

Enjoy,

And imagine an appointment to shoot with Captain du Bray
...back in the Fall of 1900

[Dean Romig]

A fabulous gun - Thank-you Kevin!





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[Mills Morrison]

An amazing gun!

[Brian Dudley]

The engraving on that gun is very unique! A true mix of B grade and commonly seen AA grade engraving. Wonderful!

[Reggie Bishop]

It reminds me of the 32” 28 gauge that was owned by Clark Gable. Love to see more of it!

[Dean Romig]

Deep relief engraving on a Grade 5 is pretty rare.





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[Chuck Bishop]

Here are the results for the S/N's in Deans reply. From the factory records. These are the earliest 28ga. guns I could find.
94373 28ga. grade 5
95000 12ga.
95420 No records available
95421 "
95422 "
95426 "
95428 "
95431 28ga.
97027 No records available
97031 "
97032 "
97033 "
97034 fit new 20ga.barrels to gun, gauge ?
97036 28ga.
97037 "
97038 No records available
97170 28ga.
97426 "
99181 28ga.
99599 28ga.
99600 28ga.
99686 28ga.
99687 28ga.
100303 28ga.
101329 28ga.
102155 28ga.
102156 28ga.

[Dean Romig]

Thanks very much Chuck!

Of the twenty-six serial numbers listed here it is surprising that only ten of them are shown in the “28-Gauge Shotguns” table at the rear of Volume II of TPS.

As a point of interest…

94373 is a TI5 with a CPG and 28” barrels.
95431 is a TI3 with a straight grip and 26” barrels.
97170 is a TI3 with a straight grip and 26” barrels.
97426 is a TI5 with a straight grip and 26” barrels.
99181 is a TI3 with a CPG and 26” barrels.
99599 is a TI3 with a straight grip and 26” barrels.
100303 is a VH with a straight grip and 26” barrels.
101329 is a VH with a CPG and 26” barrels.
102155 is a VH with a pistol grip (round knob) and 26” barrels.
102156 is a VH with a CPG and 27” barrels.







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[Dean Romig]

A couple of more pictures of duBray's AA hammer gun.


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[todd allen]

That's a beauty for sure! I would love to shoot some box birds with that gun!

[Dean Romig]

A few more.


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[Alfred Houde]

Purely a sports comment:

All those times I saw Richie Sexson play for the Buffalo Bisons I had no idea he was du Bray's great-great grandson...

[Marty Kohler]

Big, tall power hitting first baseman......

[Craig Larter]

Another Parker with a du Bray connection and 1897 Madison Sq. Garden Show. I assume this gun was "sold" to Du Bray as a sales tool and not a personal gun??? Also this show gun is not listed in the PS.

[Dean Romig]

I wonder what it was about that gun that it was returned so many times by so many buyers?





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[Kevin McCormack]

[QUOTE=Dean Romig;355279]I wonder what it was about that gun that it was returned so many times by so many buyers?

They probably didn't care for the lackluster engraving and the "Plutoesque" rendition of the dogs.

[Dean Romig]

Looks very much like Harry Gough’s work. I like it.





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