Parker with gold Inlay

[Chris Davis]

I have an unusual Parker 'D' grade 20 gauge made in 1917 with 'Parker Bros' inlayed in Gold on the bottom of the receiver. I understand that it is the only 'D' grade gun made with a gold inlay. It 'letters' with the gold inlay and was made as a gift from Parker Bros to E.I Dupont for use at his trap shooting school at Young's Million Dollar Pier in Atlantic City, New Jersey. There's a name and number stamped into the receiver - "F.B. Potts. No. 717". You can see it in the photo directly under the gold inlay. The stamping is crude... not factory. Maybe it was done at Dupont's trap shooting school. Does anyone have any idea what the name and number might signify? Thanks, Chris

http://i625.photobucket.com/albums/tt333/cd4dallas/Parker003.jpg
http://i625.photobucket.com/albums/tt333/cd4dallas/Parker011.jpg

[Bruce Day]

Not being from the east and never having been to Atlantic City, I had never heard of Young's Million Dollar Pier and did not know that Dupont had trap shooting schools. After reading your post, I searched the internet and learned about these matters. Thanks for the post that broadened my knowledge.

I know nothing about Potts, however we have a few people here who are devotees of the history of trap shooting and if anyone would know, they will.

Interesting gun. Gold on a Parker is rare, rare, most being aftermarket added.

[Drew Hause]

No hits in the Sporting Life archives which end about 1915, and not mentioned here in 1910
http://www.la84foundation.org/SportsLibrary/SportingLife/1910/VOL_55_NO_14/SL5514025.pdf

http://pic20.picturetrail.com:80/VOL1373/6511424/19974446/389761441.jpg

[Christopher Lien]

Chris,
Both myself and fellow PGCA member Bill Murphy have done some past research on the Dupont Powders Atlantic City trap shooting school at the end of Young's pier... I'm just just curious, is there any mention in your Parker letter of "Jack Fanning" or "Lou Parker"?...

I wonder if perhaps your gun was intended as a promotional prize/trophy, or maybe it was just good advertising by Parker Bros to gift a gun for use at the Dupont school so the Parker name (in-Gold) could be noticed at a high traffic venue of amateur shooting sports... Smart marketing, sell more guns... There were a lot of women who shot at the end of Young's Pier during that time period, and given the smaller gauge of the 20-bore mentioned here, I would not be surprised to find out that "F. B. Potts" was actually a young lady shooter...

You have a very interesting Parker Chris, what are some of the overall dimensions of your gun, barrel length, stock, frame size, and do you have more photos with a better close-up of the "F.B. Potts. 717" area?...

Best, CSL
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[greg conomos]

Gold inlay or not, that is a very pretty script used to write 'Parker Bros'.

I don't see how you can qualify the 'only D grade made with gold inlay' claim. Maybe you can say ' the only D Grade known to me with gold inlay'.

[Bill Murphy]

So, you have a PGCA letter? Can you post a scan of the letter? In my files I have a copy of an order for a 20 gauge Dupont Shooting School gun. I wonder if the serial number matches your gun? What is your number? I also know of a nice Dupont Shooting School 12 gauge. Maybe Chris Lein would post a picture of it. I believe he has a picture in his collection.

[Josh Loewensteiner]

I think this Parker belongs in the "Parkers Found."

[Ed Blake]

Could we see more of the gun?

[Bruce Day]

Chris,
Both myself and fellow PGCA member Bill Murphy have done some past research on the Dupont Powders Atlantic City trap shooting school at the end of Young's pier... _____________________________
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Chris, Chris, maybe you all and Bill could do a Parker Pages article on the subject with photos of some of the guns used?

[Drew Hause]

Some Jack Fanning infro here, with a pic of he and Neaf Apgar courtesy of Chris. A flinch ended his career as a competitor.
https://docs.google.com/View?id=dfg2hmx7_319dj27s2ch

[Chris Davis]

I appreciate all the responses to my question. I'll try to get a better picture of the stampings and a scan of the letter later today and post them. Here's a photo of the letter. I think you will be able to read it.
http://i625.photobucket.com/albums/tt333/cd4dallas/Parker028.jpg

http://i625.photobucket.com/albums/tt333/cd4dallas/Parker001.jpg
http://i625.photobucket.com/albums/tt333/cd4dallas/Parker009.jpg
http://i625.photobucket.com/albums/tt333/cd4dallas/Parker023.jpg
http://i625.photobucket.com/albums/tt333/cd4dallas/Parker013.jpg

[Bill Murphy]

Sorry, Bruce, but I was in the middle of the research project when I needed some minor access to the PGCA research collection. The board of directors and the research committee refused that access and the project ended. Maybe Chris Lien and I will prepare an article for the Double Gun Journal. I'm sure most of our members are subscribers to that publication. Thanks for asking, though.

[Bruce Day]

Bill, a DGJ article would be great also.

Art Wheaton has a great article in this quarter's Double Gun Journal that involved research into the PGCA records, and he thanks Mark Conrad for his help. Did you ask Mark to check the records for you? I know that whenever I have asked Mark for assistance, he has been more than helpful.

There is another Parker article this quarter about a C grade with nice and unusual engraving. I don't believe that author is a PGCA member .....he would have been aided by seeing some of the deep cut and rondel engraving C's we have pictured here over the years and shown at exhibits.

We consistently have great Parker articles in the Parker Pages and the DGJ, and I'm glad you and Chris will be doing an article......it all helps Parker collecting.

Bruce Day, Parker novice and so much to learn

[Bill Murphy]

Bruce, as much as you enjoy stirring the pot if it does not affect your close personal contacts, Mark Conrad has nothing to do with the situation I describe about being denied access to the PGCA research collection to prepare articles for the Parker Pages. Mark Conrad has been more than helpful to me in my research. It is other PGCA powers that have been behind the denial of access to research material.

[Bruce Day]

I'm not stirring your pot or anyone else's. I don't know and don't care what got you crosswise with the board, nor is it any of my business. All I know is that the PGCA research has been great for me and they have been very accomodating . I'm very pleased that you will write a DGJ article, all this about the Million Dollar Pier and the Dupont Shooting Schools is new to me, and I look forward to reading the article.

Just take my post at face value. No agenda other than encouraging great Parker articles.

[Dave Suponski]

Chris, This is a wonderful and very interesting Parker. Thank you for sharing this gun with us.

[Mike Shepherd]

Chris that is a beautiful and desirable gun. Congratulations and thanks for posting it here.

Best,

Mike

[Bill Murphy]

Yup, it is about the rarest of the rare, a gold inlaid gun with factory documentation and important provenance.

[Ed Blake]

That for end looks different to me, sort of a semi-BT. And the checkering is different. Is it aftermarket or some strange Parker variant?

[Dean Romig]

No question of it being a presentation or display Parker with that wood. You'll likely never see another Grade 3 Parker with that quality wood.

[Christopher Lien]

I was checking my files on past material concerning the Dupont shooting facility at Young's pier and came across an old e-mail from Murphy back in November of 2006... Bill and I were discussing Parker Dupont Try-Guns, and he also mentioned what I believe is the same 20ga DHE shown to us in this thread... Bill said he had never actually seen the gun, but he thought it had been sent to the Dupont shooting school at the end of Young's pier... I remember thinking the chances of seeing a DH 20ga with a gold scripted Parker Bros bottom frame surfacing anytime soon were probably pretty slim, but now 5 years later here it is... This is what keeps things interesting in the world of "Parkerdom", you never know what you might see or find from day to day... I'm an avid researcher and long time collector of early live bird and trap shooting history, and also enjoy interesting old double gun provenance... This is a very unique Parker and it would be a fun gun to research, I hope Chris Davis can provide us with some additional larger photos for a better overall look... Like we sometimes say, if only this gun could talk and tell it's story, imagine the many adventures in might reveal... Part of solving this mystery will be to figure out the identity of "F.B. Potts" and the significance of "#717"... I've been looking, has anyone else found anything, Dave Noreen, Murphy, Drew?...

Best, CSL
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http://www.webpak.net/~cslien/1DupontTrapScoreSheet.jpg
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[Drew Hause]

Long way from Missoula to Young's Pier, and 'POTT', not Potts, but interesting
http://web.mac.com/robertdotson/iWeb/Fly%20Collection/Franz%20Pott.html
There is definitely a 's' engraved?
Could #717 be a fly pattern?

[Christopher Lien]

There was a "Frederick Potts" who shot trap & live birds in the New Jersey area, and at the Lakewood country club during that early time period... This would be fairly close to the Dupont shooting school at the end of Young's Pier... Looks like this fella also competed against the well known Parker shooter Capt Money... Perhaps there is a connection here between this "F. Potts" and the "F.B. Potts" on the 20ga DHE Dupont Parker???... The shooting history and close proximity to Atlantic City is certainly there.

This from 1901... http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F3081EF6385A16738DDDAA0994DA405B 818CF1D3

Best, CSL
________________________________

[Bruce Day]

Chris, wonder who the manager of the Dupont School would be? Might there be records to check the Dupont employees?

[Christopher Lien]

Chris, wonder who the manager of the Dupont School would be? Might there be records to check the Dupont employees?
----------------------------------------------

Not sure if there are surviving Dupont Powders records from that far back (almost a 100 years)... I do know the man in charge of the school at it's inception in early 1916 was Henry "Hank" Stevens, a professional shooter and former factory rep for Remington... Hank was also known as one of the best shooting instructors around... Hank's assistant in the new Dupont Powders shooting school venture was Hayes Apgar, son of well known professional shooter Neaf Apgar... Hank Stevens is shown at left in the photo below, middle is Jack Fanning a Dupont rep, and at right is Neaf Apgar a rep for the Peters Cartridge Co... These three men were all well known and respected shooters of their day...

Best, CSL
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http://www.webpak.net/~cslien/1StevensFanningA.jpg
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[Bill Murphy]

In my records I have the names of some of the "wheels" at the Dupont Shooting School. I'll try to locate the names. By the way, the Frederick A. Potts from Lakewood only shot registered Interstate Association or American Trapshooting Association targets in one year between 1913 and 1922, the years that the School may have been active. That year was 1916. He was referred to as middle initial A in the 1916 average book, so I guess he is not the guy whose name is engraved on the gun. I think I mentioned earlier that there are at least two D Grade 20s sent to the School. The School was mentioned in early publications as using 20 gauge guns exclusively. The School try guns, however, seemed to be 12 gauges, at least the ones I have seen. At least one is a Parker GH Grade and at least one is an Ithaca single, both try stocks made by Arthur P. Curtis. The Parker ended up with Colonel Townsend Whelen and was used by stockmakers in his gun store in Washington, D.C. until the store closed. Walt Snyder probably knows which of the Flues Ithaca single barrel Curtis try guns were sent to Dupont. I have the impression that there are more than one Curtis Ithaca out there, but I don't know which ones were sent to Dupont for use at the School.

[Drew Hause]

Neaf and Hank 1913. Hank now shooting a Remington pump
http://www.la84foundation.org/SportsLibrary/SportingLife/1913/VOL_61_NO_04/SL6104017.PDF

[Bill Murphy]

Another 20 gauge Dupont Shooting School gun is #172,459, a VH Grade ordered in 1916. It had (or has) "The Parker Gun" in white letters. The GH Curtis try gun, mentioned in The Parker Story, is #158,664, ordered New Years Eve 1914, in time for the opening of the School, as I recall. No brand identification was placed on that gun.

[Christopher Lien]

The more I've studied and researched the early Dupont related "Try-Guns" the more it seems they had less to do with the Dupont Shooting School at the end of Youngs Pier, and more to do with being on the road with a select group of Dupont Powders factory reps touring as many gun clubs as possible in their respective territories... I'm also inclined to think there may have been more than one Curtis equipped Parker Try-Gun, but only the person in charge of the Parker records would know for sure... From what I've been able to find in my research, Jack Fanning was initially going to be in charge of the Atlantic City shooting school, but for whatever reasons, Hank Stevens assumed that Dupont position at Youngs Pier in early 1916... Fanning went on the road with his Try-Gun, which was probably the best way for Dupont to utilize a man of his skills and celebrity shooting status...

I have always suspected there was a great untapped story with the relationship between Parker Bros and Dupont Powders... I believe (head Parker store guy) Louis Parker and Jack Fanning were probably good pals. And who better to grease with gun favors (like a gratis Parker Try-Gun) than "Jack", an aging pro-shooter and respected shooting instructor who could recommend Parker Bros guns to people at gun clubs all day long... This would be like having Ty Cobb or Babe Ruth hanging out at the ball park telling kids what brand of baseball bats and gloves to buy... A sure thing, money in the bank...

Murph had mentioned an Ithaca single Curtis modified Try-Gun, which may well be the gun that Jack Fanning is sharing with other Dupont reps in the 1915 image below. Also looks like there is another single Try-Gun leaning against the table behind them...

Best, CSL
______________________________

http://www.webpak.net/~cslien/1FanningTryGun1915C.jpg
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[Drew Hause]

Chris: I scanned these images from the August, 1926 National Sportsman article by Fanning "Technique of Trapshooting"
It is similar, but longer, than "Trapshooting Hints by Jack Fanning" which appeared in Forest and Stream August, 1921 http://books.google.com/books?id=xUsoAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA356&dq

He looks to be in his 50s, and was shown shooting a Smith

http://pic20.picturetrail.com:80/VOL1373/6511424/19974446/381232258.jpg

http://pic20.picturetrail.com:80/VOL1373/6511424/19974446/381232255.jpg

The gun against the trap house may be a Remington pump, and that could be 'Hank' in the middle leaning over the try gun

[Dave Suponski]

Chris, This great research. Keep up the good work my friend. I find this stuff very interesting.

[Christopher Lien]

Thanks Dave,
I've gathered quite a bit of material on Jack Fanning and the Try-Guns over the past few years, and it remains a work in progress... I've also been lucky in collecting some great early Dupont Powders items in my travels, and hope to put it all together for a good read in the future...

Best, CSL
____________________________

[Dave Suponski]

Really looking forward to seeing it Chris as I know you have been hard at work on this for awhile now...

[Christopher Lien]

Chris: I scanned these images from the August, 1926 National Sportsman article by Fanning "Technique of Trapshooting"
He looks to be in his 50s, and was shown shooting a Smith

-------------------------------

Drew that's a good one, I remember running across that article a few years ago, Murph and I were debating over whether or not that was a Smith he is holding... The straight on image you posted of Jack's mug looking directly at the camera was a rare occurrence, as he had this thing about always turning away for a profile shot in photos... Of the 7 or 8 original old photos I have of Fanning at gun clubs and other shooting events, most folks are looking straight ahead, and Jack is looking sideways in all of them...

Best, CSL
_________________________

[Drew Hause]

You've no doubt seen this DuPont trade card Chris: Jack Fanning, Tom Marshall, Fred Gilbert, Rolla Heikes and J.A.R. Elliott and all look to be 'seniors'
Elliott retired in 1912 to promote his "Elliott Ear Drum Protector" introduced in 1904

http://pic20.picturetrail.com:80/VOL1373/6511424/21690841/372160130.jpg

[Bill Murphy]

Chris, you probably have the same reference I do of the Dupont salesmen going on the road with try guns. I think you sent me a copy of the "Dupont Try Gun" article. However Parker GH #158,664 was actually specified to be for the Atlantic City Trapshooting School on the Parker Brothers order. It was to be sent directly to A.P. Curtis, then to Atlantic City. The school may have been promoting a certain brand of shotgun, but it wasn't just Parkers because the Ithacas were marked with big white letters on the stocks as was the Parker VH 20. I believe, as you do, that there were more than one Curtis Parker try gun, but I have never seen one other than #158,664.

[Dean Romig]

http://pic20.picturetrail.com:80/VOL1373/6511424/19974446/381232255.jpg

This is the only picture I can remember seeing of a famous shooter of that era using a glove on his barrel hand.

[Christopher Lien]

Dean Romig;
This is the only picture I can remember seeing of a famous shooter of that era using a glove on his barrel hand.
-------------------------------------------

Dean,
Go back and look at the photo I posted of Hank, Jack, and Neaph, all three men are wearing gloves, Apgar's is on his right hand as he was a left handed shooter... Gloves on hot barrels back in the day of high volume competition shooting with splinter forends was very common...

Best, CSL
__________________________

[Christopher Lien]

Chris, you probably have the same reference I do of the Dupont salesmen going on the road with try guns. I think you sent me a copy of the "Dupont Try Gun" article. However Parker GH #158,664 was actually specified to be for the Atlantic City Trapshooting School on the Parker Brothers order. It was to be sent directly to A.P. Curtis, then to Atlantic City. The school may have been promoting a certain brand of shotgun, but it wasn't just Parkers because the Ithacas were marked with big white letters on the stocks as was the Parker VH 20. I believe, as you do, that there were more than one Curtis Parker try gun, but I have never seen one other than #158,664.
----------------------------------------------------

Bill,
I'm just curious, are you sure about a reference on the Parker Brothers order page to send #158,664 to the Atlantic City Trapshooting School after A.P. Curtis was done with it?... And are you sure it was 1914?...

Perhaps I miss read the Parker Brothers order page, but I did not see any reference to the Atlantic City Trapshooting School, and I thought the date was 1916...

Just want to make sure my information and time-lines are correct...

Best, CSL
________________________________
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[Dean Romig]

Thanks Chris - now I see the gloves. I guess I just never looked close enough at the pictures but the one I referenced is just so obvious, being such a large (and likely lined) glove.

[Bill Murphy]

Chris, you are right. Although the order for #158,664 was December 31, 1914, it was ordered by Dupont, to be sent to A.P. Curtis. No mention was made that it be sent by Curtis to Atlantic City. However, the date of the order was close to the opening of the Steel Pier Shooting School. The date of the article about the Dupont shooters going on the road with try guns was 1917. I think you have that original article. The price of the gun was $60.00, a 25% discount off the normal $80.00 GH price. The order for the VH 20 gauge was 1916. I wish we had order dates and customer information on the Ithacas. The Curtis Lefevers are even more of a mystery.

[Bill Murphy]

Drew mentioned the possibility that the gun leaning in the background may have been a Remington. I looks more like a pump gun than another Smith for sure. Is that Sousa holding the gun?

[Christopher Lien]

Chris, you are right. Although the order for #158,664 was December 31, 1914, it was ordered by Dupont, to be sent to A.P. Curtis. No mention was made that it be sent by Curtis to Atlantic City. However, the date of the order was close to the opening of the Steel Pier Shooting School. The date of the article about the Dupont shooters going on the road with try guns was 1917. I think you have that original article.
----------------------------------------------------------

Bill, Do you have an actual reference to the shooting school opening in 1914???... From what I have found in research, I believe the Dupont shooting school opened in the early part of 1916 with Hank Stevens...

I'll check on the 1917 article you mentioned... I do have an earlier article from March 1915 where Fanning is educating a group of Dupont reps on the function of the Try-Gun, and then sending those men back to their areas of the country with their own Try-Gun for use at various gun clubs and shooting events...

CSL
_____________________________________
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[Bill Murphy]

Chris, my date reference is not too ironclad. It is a dated reference to the school being in its "third year" or some such. I'll look it up.

[Mark Conrad]

Chris, I have additional information on this gun that I found in a repair. I can post it here or in a PM if you desire. I do not see this repair in your research letter.

Mark

[Bill Murphy]

Mark, are you referring to the gold inlaid 20 gauge gun or the GH #158,664? Thanks.

[Mark Conrad]

Mark, are you referring to the gold inlaid 20 gauge gun or the GH #158,664? Thanks.

I am referring to Chris Davis's DHE 20.

Mark

[Christopher Lien]

.....

[Bill Murphy]

That's interesting reading. Now what is the next step in this research? I guess I shouldn't bring that up.

[Christopher Lien]

....

[Chris Davis]

Chris, I have additional information on this gun that I found in a repair. I can post it here or in a PM if you desire. I do not see this repair in your research letter.

Mark

Mark - I believe this might be the longest delay in responding to a post in the history of the forum. I would love to hear about the repair. Posting the information here is fine. I can't believe I missed this. thanks, Chris

[Mark Conrad]

Chris, I passed the records off to Chuck Bishop last year. He may see this post or you can PM him. Mark

[Bill Murphy]

I would contact Chuck indicating that you would like an updated letter. There should be no problem. I guess it's my turn to post about my date reference for the opening of the Dupont Shooting School. Hang on just a little longer, Chris.

[Chris Davis]

Mark, Bill, thanks for the response and for pointing me in the right direction. Chris

[Kyle E. McKain]

Hello Chris Davis, I purchased a very unique 22 single shot breakover on December 13th, 2008 from an individual at a gun show in Tyler, Texas. The gun has no manufacturers information on it only the stamping " F. B. Pptts No.717 with three small stars above the F.B. Potts and a serial number 13278 under the trigger guard which I don't believe is original to the gun. I came accross your posting while trying to research more information about this gun. I have found some interesting things about our stampings (1) The United Mine Workers of America Local Number 717 represents the employees of Remington Arms in Ilion, N.Y. and has for many years. (2) The individual I purchased the gun from claims it belonged to his father who had bought it from in Oklahoma many years ago. (3) The Potts family has several members who were involved in shot gunning sports, an article in the New York Times dated Feb. 13,1901 mentioned a Frederick A. Potts competing in a trap shoot at Lakewood Trap Club in Lakewood, New Jersey. My 22 appears to be old and is in excellent condition, it has a beaver tail forearm and a beautiful walnut stock with hand checkering including the butt plate area. The checkering closely resembles some of the checkering patterns I've seen on Parker's. My gun has a Bull barrel 21 7/8" long x 3/4" diameter with eight stars stamped on the muzzle end. I am beginning to believe that perhaps F. B. Potts may have been a gunsmith or owner of our guns at one time. If you or anyone out there can help with more info please contact me here or by e-mail. kyleemckain@embarqmail.com. Thanks!

[Bill Murphy]

Kyle, it sounds like our guy. Maybe someone will add some information.

[Andrew Bulla]

Chris - If you decide that you would like to sell please let me know. Andrew

[Bill Holcombe]

Realize this is an old thread, but remembered the subject of the million dollar pier-there is a very nice article on the shooting school and an Ithaca I believe that was sent there in the curgent DGJ. The school only allowed 20 gauges to be used.

[Brian Dudley]

This is the gun that was auctioned off earlier in the year at Julias. It had a non-original btfe on it. I just happened to habe the original serial number matching forend wood and tip for it. After the sale to the new owner,i had the opportunity to reunite the lost forend with the gun.

[Phillip Carr]

Brian it sounds like this would be a great addition to an article if one was done on this gun.
My wife's mothers Madain name was Potts. She was born in Oxford NJ in 1923 probably no relation but interesting just the same.

Here is an interesting DuPont Parker. Looks like it spent some time at the DuPont Wilmington gun club. It appears the VP at DuPont ordered for the President at the time. Like many of These old Parkers, sure wish I new more about the history of this gun.

http://www.jpgbox.com/jpg/50379_1024x765.jpg (http://www.jpgbox.com/page/50379_1024x765/)

[Dean Romig]

I wonder what a "comb bolt" is....






.

[Brian Dudley]

That means Combination Bolt. It was the post 1910 bolt and wear plate. Put into pre-1910 guns as a service upgrade.

[Dean Romig]

First time I've ever seen that even mentioned in a letter. I have three such guns that went back for various services and all three had the replacable wear plate replaced with nary a word of it having been done. I had always believed it was done to all pre-1910 guns that went back for service simply as a matter of course and that particular free service not even recorded.

Chuck, what's your take on this?






.

[Brian Dudley]

Chuck will support what i am saying... As , i believe, he is who told me what a comb bolt was when i first saw it in a letter for other guns.


It was a standard service upgrade, maybe it was just noted in some repair entries and others not.

[Howard Loewensteiner]

A parker below AA grade with factory gold inlay is indeed x rare and possibly unique. the name of F.B.Potts # 717 and three stars is a mystery, any ideas?. very interesting gun.

[edgarspencer]

A parker below AA grade with factory gold inlay is indeed x rare and possibly unique. the name of F.B.Potts # 717 and three stars is a mystery, any ideas?. very interesting gun.

I believe Dean determined in previous research that he was a three star General in the US Army.

[greg conomos]

Three star or not.....it's part of the gun's history but still not-so-great his name is stamped into the receiver.

[Mike Franzen]

Glad to see this old thread revived. I guess it remains another Parker unsolved mystery.

[Josh Loewensteiner]

This gun is easily one of the more unique Parker's I have seen!

[Bill Holcombe]

I was mostly reviving it because of the very good article on the shooting school in DGJ.

[Christopher Lien]

I may have missed it... Did we ever find out for sure what the crude stamped letters of F.B. Potts, 717, and 3 stars on the frame-bottom truly represented???

Best, CSL
_____________________________

[edgarspencer]

I'm not the new owner of this gun (sold at Julia's last spring) but I envy the lucky person who bought it. I handled this gun for quite some time at the preview, and have to say, it's getting a bit of bad press here.
As the recent thread on 'soul' is fresh in my mind, I would say this gun had been imbued with a lot of it. The stamping was not offensive, but, on the contrary, very intriguing. Dean didn't pipe up re the history of Potts, and the Military, so perhaps it was someone else who made the connection.
That gun would be made very welcome in my rack.

[Christopher Lien]

I also found the gun to be very interesting and unique, just wanted to know if anyone had discovered the significance or identity of the person named on the bottom... The gun oozes early 1900's shooting history, and I'm sure there is a great story surrounding Parker #175916.

My research regarding the relationship between Parker Bros, Dupont Powder, Louis Parker, Jack Fanning, Try-Guns, Hank Stevens and the small-bores used at the Atlantic City shooting school, continues as a work in progress... Always something new to be found...

Best, CSL
__________________________

[Dean Romig]

The only thing I was able to learn from a few quick Internet searches about the name stamped there was a reference to a "Capt. F. B. Potts" paying $19.00 in dues to the Society in a document containing hundreds of names of military people, all paying some amount of dues money. The title of the document was "Recorded Procedures of the Society of the Army of Tennessee" and dated 1879. It could be deduced that Capt. F.B. Potts may have been around twenty years old in 1879 and in 1922 or so would have been around sixty-five or so and may well have risen to the rank of Lieutenant General by then. Just a WAG on my part but it is quite plausible.

Further examination in this same document yields the name of Brevit Major General B.F. Potts of Helena, MT. Probably nothing to do with the subject of the name stamped on the gun.




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