Clark Gable’s DHE 20ga

[Bruce Day]

Given to him by Carole Lombard, with case. 28ga

[Reggie Bishop]

Tag says 28 gauge I noticed. Tell us more Bruce!

[Kevin McCormack]

As I recall there are a couple of threads discussing the history, records and lore of this gun on the site. Perhaps a thread search will provide a series of good reads.

[Chuck Bishop]

Was it a 20 ga or 28 ga we saw at the banquet in Vegas?

[John Davis]

What a great third wife.

[Reggie Bishop]

As I recall there are a couple of threads discussing the history, records and lore of this gun on the site. Perhaps a thread search will provide a series of good reads.

I suppose we could just end all discussions here in the forum and read past posts about topics that have been discussed throughout the ages.

[Dave Noreen]

Carol got Clark a second hand gun! When 194298 was made Clark was selling neckties at Meier & Frank in Portland, Oregon. Seems that there are as many Clark Gable Parkers around as there are Annie Oakley Parkers.

[Stan Hillis]

That is one cool leg o' mutton case. Gun ain't so bad, either .......

How long are the barrels on this 194298?

SRH

[Drew Hause]

Gable in 1935 holding a Remington Model 32, Winchester Model 21, a Parker, and a Remington Model 17.

http://pic20.picturetrail.com:80/VOL1373/6511424/20002415/413080240.jpg

Gable had a BHE 32" barrel with BTFE 28g SN 201993 shipped 6-13-23 (obviously purchase later),
a 32" BHE 20g,
a 20g Skeet configured DHE given him by Joan Bennett,
and a VR A-1 Special purchased at the New York Sportsman's Show, from the Remington rep Cliff Baldwin, after the NYC premier of Gone With the Wind Dec. 19, 1939.
http://parkerguns.org/forums/showthread.php?t=2301
He later gave the A-1 to Gary Cooper. Leaning on the car

http://pic20.picturetrail.com:80/VOL1373/6511424/20002415/412687752.jpg

He also had a 20g CHE 2 barrel set
http://parkerguns.org/forums/showthread.php?t=13455

1955 and I don't know which 20g and it appears to have a cheekpiece

http://pic20.picturetrail.com:80/VOL1373/6511424/20002415/412687445.jpg

[Drew Hause]

October 1941 and discussion https://www.doublegunshop.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=566298

http://pic20.picturetrail.com:80/VOL1373/6511424/20002415/408907623.jpg

Brief film of Gable & Lombard hunting at 4:30 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uR6NiBMRnD8

[Drew Hause]

Gable gave Carole Lombard a 20g Crown grade Smith SN 170967, FwEOBV, 28" barrels as a wedding present March 29, 1939. The gun was completed on 1/16/39 and shipped the same day to Harper and Reynolds, Los Angeles.

http://pic20.picturetrail.com:80/VOL1373/6511424/20002415/412685332.jpg

In 1940 Gable gave Carole a 20g O/U by Erich Klebe
https://www.rockislandauction.com/detail/79/3369/clark-gable-presentation-erich-klebe-overunder-shotgun

[Drew Hause]

Josh sold the 32" 28g BHE
https://www.gunsinternational.com/guns-for-sale-online/shotguns/parker-shotguns/incredibly-rare-parker-bhe-28ga-with-32-quot--barrels--1-of-4-----believed-to-have-been-owned-by-clark-gable-.cfm?gun_id=101095992

Post from 2005 claiming that the Lombard DHE was restored c. 1990
http://smith-wessonforum.com/lounge/601728-clark-gable-carole-lombard.html#post140560075

[Kevin McCormack]

Drew, thanks very much for posting these old photos and tidbits of articles discussing these fabulous old guns and the personalities that owned and used them. Those of us who have been at this for awhile have seen most or all of them sometime before in the distant past, but I for one never get tired of revisiting them. One of the best functions of our Search toggle is the use of a SN of a particular gun, which can bring forth a wealth of prior threads containing information that most members have no idea exist.

[Dave Noreen]

FWIW I found that picture that Drew annotated as 1935 of Clark Gable holding the five shotguns in an article titled "Something About Shotguns" in the Guns and Shooting section edited by Phil Sharpe in the July 1939 National Sportsman magazine, pg 24.

89334

Are those long slim barrels of the gun we can't see be the long barrel BHE 28-gauge.

[Drew Hause]

Thanks Dave. He is wearing the same duds in the picture which Getty Images dates 1935. Possibly there is record of his purchase of the M21? I couldn't find a M21 listed in his collection.

http://pic20.picturetrail.com:80/VOL1373/6511424/20002415/413080239.jpg

[Drew Hause]

Found the image and it is only dated 30s
https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/american-film-actor-clark-gable-wearing-a-vest-demonstrates-news-photo/52039615?adppopup=true

This states 1934
https://www.imago-images.com/st/0081874313

He is with Wendy Barrie. Her first U.S. film was 34'. I didn't find that they were in a film together.

[Dave Noreen]

Not all that dependable when they both call the Model 21 a rifle and one says he is wearing a vest!! Looks like a shooting coat to me.

[Scott Janowski]

Clark with a 32 Remington.

[Harold Lee Pickens]

I've shot hundreds of grouse around Gables home town of Cadiz, ohio

[Dave Noreen]

Looks like a fairly early Model 32TC "Target" Grade with double triggers. By 1935 Remington was no longer offering the double triggers. The Model 32 Clark is holding with the bunch of guns in the 1939 picture has a single trigger and a Fray Mershon "Whiteline" recoil pad.

[Mike Franzen]

Following

[todd allen]

Gable gave Carole Lombard a 20g Crown grade Smith SN 170967, FwEOBV, 28" barrels as a wedding present March 29, 1939. The gun was completed on 1/16/39 and shipped the same day to Harper and Reynolds, Los Angeles.

http://pic20.picturetrail.com:80/VOL1373/6511424/20002415/412685332.jpg

In 1940 Gable gave Carole a 20g O/U by Erich Klebe
https://www.rockislandauction.com/detail/79/3369/clark-gable-presentation-erich-klebe-overunder-shotgun
Looks like they had good taste in dogs as well!

[Drew Hause]

Gable, his Parker, and Jimmy Robinson
Robinson published an article in Sports Afield in 1939 "A Duck Hunt With Clark Gable", which was included in his 40 Years of Hunting published in 1947
http://www.geocities.ws/cactus_st/article/article58.html

Interesting pad. Is that his A1??

http://pic20.picturetrail.com:80/VOL1373/6511424/20002415/414481421.jpg

[Dean Romig]

Double-A at least I think.





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[charlie cleveland]

truly carole and clark gable were meant to be together....charlie

[Dave Noreen]

The vent rib A1 Special he bought from Cliff Baldwin has a beavertail in every picture I've seen and according to Jimmy's caption of the photo says 1938, though Xmas 1940 is written on the lower right corner of the photo. Oldsters leaving us many things to ponder.

[Bill Mullins]

A couple years ago I had an opportunity to shoot Clark’s BHE 28 at Sporting Clays. It was a real pleasure and balanced beautifully. My first target was a clay rabbit which I pulverized..... and one I usually have a problem hitting! Josh and I were shooting clays together. He “loaned” me the gun for the afternoon. I would have loved to have owned the gun but it was well out of my budget!

[Dean Romig]

I envy you that experience Bill!





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[charlie cleveland]

bill I m sure that clark thanks you for taking care of his gun that day....I envy you...charlie