Rock Island Auction Inaugural 410 for sale???

[George M. Purtill]

I received an email from RIA which touted the upcoming sale of the "Documented and Historic Inaugural Parker Brothers 410.....".

I have to say the picture looks familiar and I believe I held the interesting piece of history at the Hall of Fame Dinner two or three years ago. At that time I was told that 410 (which we all know the history of) resided at the NRA museum. Charlie Herzog was able to secure its furlough for us to view.

Was I mistaken in believing the NRA owned this arm?

I am getting older but have I lost my mind?

[Brian Dudley]

Could you share the photo they sent you?

The "first" .410 attributed to Charlie Parker, which was with the NRA museum, was technically an A-1 special. But had little engraving not the frame.

It is pictured on page 630 of TPS. Serial number is 190767

[Bill Mullins]

George... It is my understanding the Robert Petersen Foundation owns the little
prototype .410 that was in fact displayed at the Parker Gun Foundation Hall of Fame Induction a few years ago. It was featured in the Volume 22, Autumn 2015, Isuue 3 of the Parker Pages. A rare little gun indeed and started the .410
production at Parker Brothers. 🤗

[Mills Morrison]

I find it hard to believe it is being sold. Stranger things have happened though

[George M. Purtill]

Brian- I deleted the email and cant find it.
Bill and Mills- if the Peterson Foundation owns it they can sell it. It was apparently only on loan.

[Brian Dudley]

Based on the story from the NRA, the entire peterson collection was donated to the NRA. And the stipulations were that any of the guns that were to be kept by the museum, had to be displayed. Maybe this gun is in the lot that is not going to be displayed/kept, therefore it is being sold.

[George M. Purtill]

Brian- I recall the email mentioned the Peterson Collection. Again if they still owned it and only loaned it, they can do whatever they darn please.
Bill- maybe the Invincibles are for sale?

[Bruce Day]

The NRA often sells guns that have been given to the NRA Museum.

This is a photo that was distributed to members several years ago.

[Kirk Potter]

....

[Bill Mullins]

George, I don't think we will see the three Invincibles up for sale anytime soon.
It has been rumored the NRA Museum was offered five million for the Invincibles
a few yesrs ago... and declined. The guns were owned and donated to them by the Robert Peterson Foundation.

[Brian Dudley]

Yup... that is the gun.

[Dean Romig]

The Parker .410 prototype.

It was written up in the Autumn 2015 Issue of Parker Pages.


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[Dean Romig]

From the Autumn 2015 Issue of Parker Pages.

This gun was fitted with .410 Lefever barrels.


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[Reggie Bishop]

Cool gun!

[Kevin McCormack]

Really not unusual at all - museums de-accession items all the time for reasons of space, funding for new acquisitions, changing display genres, or very often they just become tired of looking at it and want something new and different

[Dean Romig]

But only on stuff the museum owns outright.






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[George M. Purtill]

Kevin is right and Dean partially so. I am guessing the seller is Peterson and not NRA.
However, we attendees at the Hall of Fame dinner should count ourselves lucky to have held and viewed that 410 because after the auction, it will be in the hands of a private collector who may not let it see the light of day again.
Thanks Mr. Herzog.

[Bill Murphy]

It is my understanding that the Petersen collection was donated with restrictions on deassessioning. I doubt that the Petersen family owns any of the NRA stuff. The "restrictions" are what will hold up the sale of various guns, not the ownership.

[Brian Dudley]

Maybe the gun also made an appearance at the one HOF dinner that I have missed. But I soecifically remember the gun being at the 2016 annual meeting in Baltimore. Where the Curator of the NRA museum was the speaker.

[Mills Morrison]

Yeah, I have a few potential bidders in mind and one was mentioned

[Russ Jackson]

Has there ever been any articles done in the Double Gun Journal on this 410 ? If so does anyone know which one ?

[Mike Franzen]

That gun was brought to the second HOF banquet by Charlie Herzog. He took it to each table and allowed anyone who wanted to, to hold it. He asked that no photos be taken. I thought the story was Charles Parker Jr. Got a set of 410 barrels from Ithaca and had them fitted to a frame. After stocking, the gun was shown around the plant and production began shortly after. It was a cool little gun.

[Dean Romig]

Lefever barrels according to Bill Mullins who wrote the story for Parker Pages.





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[Mike Franzen]

I defer to Mr. Mullins.

[Brian Dudley]

Correct, the rib on the barrel set is Lefever Nitro Special.

[Dean Romig]

I defer to Mr. Mullins.



Me too - I always will.





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[Brian Dudley]

I am having trouble looking up this on RIAs website. Does anyone know what the .410 sold for?

[Bill Mullins]

Brian, I don’t think it ever made the auction. Possibly a private sale??

[Bill Zachow]

Dean, if my memory is still working right, I believe those barrels were made by Ithaca.

[Dean Romig]

Lefever/Ithaca barrels to be specific Bill.





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