An Interesting Serpant Engraving....

[John Dunkle]

These pics came in today, and when I saw them - I asked if I could post it to the forum. I have not seen an engraving of "Parker Bros." embedded in a serpent or snake before, so I thought they were kind of interesting.

Best to all,

John

[Gill Frye]

That's the type of engraving I just love because you could look at that thing all day and still not see it all....very nice.

[Mike Wilkerson]

Very interesting! There's always something new with Parker's.

[Dave Suponski]

I agree Gill.....JD thanks for posting the pictures and thank you to the owner for allowing us to enjoy them.

[John Truitt]

Single band behind the breach ball= A grade (grade 6)?

[John Dunkle]

Hi John,

I just left an e-mail for the owner asking for more information, but I think too it is an A grade... You and I are on the same page on this...

My best always,

John

[Dean Romig]

Very unique engraving and the detail is flawless. It looks like billows of scrolled flame coming from the serpent's mouth. This engraver was incredibly talented - may we know the year range the gun was made please?

The dogs are very stylish but that little Dr. Suess-like bird at the front of the floor plate really tickled my fancy.

And what is the figure in the oval void left between the fern stems between the two floor plate screws?

[James Brown]

Is that a frog between the front floor plate screws????

[Dean Romig]

James, that's exactly what I was thinking but a better picture or a confirmation by the owner would be the only way to know for sure.

[Robert Rambler]

Maybe a bird?

[Larry Frey]

John,
What year was that gun made? The snake on the trigger guard below is on a grade 7 and was made around 1902.

[Dean Romig]

Very nice Larry. Yours?

[David Weber]

Those pictures are like the 3-D pictures .... I can stare and stare. What beauty. Thanks John!

[Larry Frey]

Dean,
I'm surprised you don't recognize it. That gun was part of the last Parker team to win against the LC Smith team at the Southern SxS . With a little luck it will be there again this year.:)
The rest of the gun is shown on the grades page with the familiar green background.

[Dean Romig]

Now that you mention it, it all comes back to me now :knowbetter:

[Bill Murphy]

Frog.

[John Dunkle]

Hi Bill, Larry and all...

It is indeed an A grade - with a "born on date" of 1891, Larry.. ;)

Also - I've asked for higher resolution pictures of what does appear to be a frog..?? Here is the best I have so far... As well, I told the gentleman that if his photo skills are not up to the task, just send the Parker to me, and I would be happy to shoot it for him (in every sense of the word.. :eek: )...

I don't think he's buying that advice from me, tho'...

JD

[Gregory Miller]

So, Jedi Knights of Parkerdom, do we have an educated guess on who did the engraving.

[Dean Romig]

Greg, I'll get back to you on that this evening after some study.

I'm rethinking the object of the "frog" engraving and I'm leaning more to a bittern with beak pointing straight upward in its disguise posture.... makes more sense than a frog too...

[Dave Suponski]

Okay... My guess is the Loch Ness Monster...

[Gregory Miller]

Or at least someone trained in the land of Loch Ness? The famous H&H with the sea serpents (they use in their literature) is one of my favorites works of engravers art.

I must admit that the serpent for the name block on the Parker is a very nice touch.

[Gill Frye]

I wonder if that is one of the three AH's built for the Columbian Expo back in 1893? I think the serial numbers were 66201, 66202 and 66203.

[Patrick Lien]

So, Jedi Knights of Parkerdom, do we have an educated guess on who did the engraving.

H. Gough?

[Dean Romig]

Patrick, in my opinion you are absolutely correct. Henry "Harry" Gough, Parker Bros.' chief engraver, by invitation (from England) of Charles A. King, from 1887 - 1898 (ser. range 52744 - 90307).

See page 606, Vol. 2 of The Parker Story. The similarities are just too close to be anyone but. Look at the examples of H. Gough's work in Chapter XV beginning on page 595. He was one of the few Parker Bros. engravers to have ever signed his work and there are several examples of this in The Parker Story. Possibly, with the aid of a magnifyer, the owner of this gun might find such a signature.

[Patrick Lien]

Patrick, in my opinion you are absolutely correct. Henry "Harry" Gough, Parker Bros.' chief engraver, by invitation (from England) of Charles A. King, from 1887 - 1898 (ser. range 52744 - 90307).

See page 606, Vol. 2 of The Parker Story. The similarities are just too close to be anyone but. Look at the examples of H. Gough's work in Chapter XV beginning on page 595. He was one of the few Parker Bros. engravers to have ever signed his work and there are several examples of this in The Parker Story. Possibly, with the aid of a magnifyer, the owner of this gun might find such a signature.

Dean,
I was studying those same pages in TPS recently when I was researching another gun by H. Gough. I think the setter dogs he did are a dead give away. They all look "possessed". His Stag's are very lifelike as well.

Patrick

[Dean Romig]

I agree, and Henry's son William Gough, replaced him as chief engraver in 1899 and his work was so much like his Dad's that it is often difficult to tell who's work was who's. I believe William apprenticed under his Dad and worked for Parker Bros. for several years before taking the lead in '99.

[Bob Roberts]

John D., You might suggest to the owner of this Parker to examine closely the area around the threaded trigger guard mounting hole with the trigger guard removed.

[Dean Romig]

True Bob, but often H. Gough would sign his work right in the artwork as is seen in PML's first picture where his signature appears just beneath the elbow of the hind's front leg.

[Tom Carter]

My 5 (B) grade 10 gauge has the initials HG on the edge of the engraving on the left side plate. At least G is the best I can make of it. There is no question about the H. This gun was ordered in February 1881 and delivered in April. I was told by a very knowledgeable Parker collector the engraving was done by Harry G. The dates don't fit. Any idea who it could have been if not Harry. The book says he became the engraving supervisor in 1887. When did King over seas? Did Harry work there for some period of time before becoming the chief engraver? With a Parker there always seems to be questions that can't always be ansewered. Tom

[Bill Murphy]

Has anyone found a Gough signature under the trigger guard on a gun lower than A Grade?

[Bill Murphy]

I just took an 1893 World's Fair BH 10 apart to look for signatures. (That's what I do every Thursday that it rains.) I couldn't find a signature under the trigger guard, or anywhere else, but the animals sure look like the ones pictured here. I never cared much for the elk or stags until I looked at them under a high power glass through the case color. Wow. The dogs are those sinister looking ones but with black faces, which makes them look even more "possessed" as Dean describes them. OK, what is the serial number of the serpent gun?

[John Dunkle]

I just took an 1893 World's Fair BH 10 apart to look for signatures. (That's what I do every Thursday that it rains.)...Bill, I want to be at your house on all the rainy Thursdays, then..??!! :)

OK - the owner e-mailed me the serial number (I thought I posted it already, but it doesn't matter, because if I did - it would have been incorrect..!!! :D as he transposed two digits :rotf:

Anyway - # is 56254 making it an 1889 AH...

Best to you folks!

JD

[Patrick Lien]

Anyway - # is 56254 making it an 1889 AH...

John,
The serial # book list 56254 as CH Grade. Maybe we could get pic of the serial? Maybe the book is wrong.

Patrick

[Dean Romig]

Good catch Patrick.

Et tu JD??

[John Dunkle]

In spite of the Serialization book - I'm pretty sure it is an A grade....

:rotf:

:shock:

:bigbye:

JD

[John Dunkle]

And with better pictures - it is not a frog??!!! ;)

JD

[George Lander]

It sure looks like an "A" to me, and the dog looks like a dog, the duck like a duck & the dove like a dove. GREAT PICS JOHN!

Best Regards, George

[John Dunkle]

Hi George!

Many thanks!! Again, the engraving alone should have set it above a "C" grade? Anyway, when Bill asked about the serial number, I asked the owner for some watertable pics - so those came over...

Next - I called him back and requested that he send me the BIG images - right from his camera - uncropped, unedited, whatever... I really wanted to see if that was a "frog" (as I thought it was too ;) ) between the floorplate screws... So those were sent and I resized, cropped and "voila".. :) It's not a frog and the engraving is spectacular!!!

Anyway - hang tight.... I want larger images of the sides, stock, etc... When I get those, I will post them up as well....

To the current owner - thank you for trusting me....

To the rest - thanks for bearing with me on getting some great info/pics about this old A grade.. I think the wait will be worth it though....

Many thanks again!

John

[John Dunkle]

Here is another fine shot... These pics are dribbling in, so as I get them, I'll post them up...

My Best to all,

John

[Rich Anderson]

The bird "flushed" on the Setters, a German Shorthair would have pinned it so the owner of that Parker could have shot at it.:rotf:

[John Dunkle]

And last two for awhile....

I hope you enjoy....

John

[Dean Romig]

Thank you both, John and the owner of that fine AH, for allowing us to enjoy such an example of the engraver's art. Have you been able to discern an "H. Gough" engraved anywhere on it?