1874 underlifter hammer gun 12 gauge

[dianeflynn]

I am still trying to find out info on parker gun, finally able to get barrels off. now want to know has anyone seen this name on their guns, it seems to be stamped in wood under forend two letters then Foster. so could foster be the engraver of the gun. also has initials JB in a few places,one jb is real clear others look like they could be tb, jl, no number except on barrels. i posted pictures with my lst post under discussion forum (need help with id of parker gun). any ideas what these mean. thanks diane

[Brian Dudley]

Please post pictures of the gun and the areas of question.
What is teh S/N of your gun? 3,000 or 4,000 series?

There is reference in "The Parker Story" of some early guns having the Stock Makers name stamped in the wood on the forend. This is most likely what you have. If I think of it, I will look into the Employees chapter of TPS and see if there is a Foster listed as a Parker Employee, but I doubt that much information is listed that goes back that early. But who knows, he might have been a long time employee that was still employed many years after 1974.
The other markings would be Contractor markings as well. If you look at my photo albums, you will see photos of my 1874 lifter project (S/N 4216). You may see similar markings on the water table to yours.

[Brian Dudley]

Page 591 in TPS shows a photo of a forend stamped with the same parking that you say yours has. It is H.S. Foster and they say that it was most likely a marking for the stocker that made the part.

I also checked the listing of early employees, but Foster is not listed.

Other observed Forend wood markings. were E., J. Phoenix and C. Beecher.

Also, J.B. is noted as a common water table marking from 1869 - 1875.