2012 PGCA Silent Auction

[Larry Frey]

I thought I would give those planning to attend this year’s annual meeting a small sample of what they have to look forward to in this year’s Silent Auction. We have many great items and more coming in all the time. I would ask that if someone is planning to bring an item or two to donate at the meeting that they call or pm me so we can have it entered into our system which will save a lot of work and confusion the day of the event.
We have many new and used books on guns, fishing, and all kinds of hunting including waterfowl, upland, and big game. The granddaddy of them all is an 850 pager called "After the Hunt" which was donated by PGCA member Jim Mayer. This is absolutely the most amazing cook book for sportsmen and has great recipes for any type of game you could think of and some you might not. Anyone who might be interested should Google the name and you will see what I'm talking about.
We will have a large assortment of Parker Bros. items including reloading tools, eyeglasses, a clock, and an eight gage hammer gun that will make a nice project or parts gun.
We will also have some one of a kind hand made items like Dave Suponski's 2012 edition granite Plate, and a hand made bowl made from a knot of a tree by a craftsman in Pennsylvania.
This is a small sample of what you can expect and I'm sure there will be something of interest for everyone. Please remember that we cannot accept credit cards and payment for successful bids will need to be made in cash or by check.

[John Dallas]

Is there any way non-attendees can place absentee bids?

[Larry Frey]

John,
As far as I know, what you suggest has not been previously tried. We currently have no plans in place to offer internet bidding for next months auction but will look at it closely to see if it makes sense for next years event.

[Craig Parker]

Larry,
Will there be a full list of items posted and what about just submitted bid turned in.

Thanks, Craig

[Larry Frey]

Larry,
Will there be a full list of items posted and what about just submitted bid turned in.

Thanks, Craig

Craig,
We can consider all options going forward but we typically have 100+ items in the auction and trying to post not only a list of the items but accurate descriptions and photo's would be a lot of extra work. Then of course the items would need to be packaged and shipped which creates more work and expense. Being as we are but a few volunteer’s doing this in our spare time makes expanding the process very difficult.

[Dean Romig]

I'll add some things this evening. Nice job Larry.

[Craig Parker]

Thanks Larry and the guys that pull this all together, what a great job. I look forward to seeing pic's of what will be another fine and grand gathering. It was just a thought and agree with the problems that arise in these deals.

Thanks Craig

[Dean Romig]

Here are a few other items with more to come in the next several days.

First is a Parker Bros. 8 Ga. project gun or parts gun... you choose.
This gun sports the desirable fishtail top lever and a custom top rib.
It could easily be classified as "Folk Art" and would look very nice hanging over the mantle.
The PGCA Member who donated this fine gun spent $42 just in shipping to my home.
One lucky PGCA Member will go home with this beauty!!
.

[Steve Huffman]

WHAT THE ? Now thats taking a licking and keep on ticking well I dont know about ticking.

[Dean Romig]

The hammers still cock and the triggers release them but I haven't tried it with live ammo... don't know as I'd recommend it either.

[Steve Huffman]

CHICKEN !!

[Steve Huffman]

2013 Raffle Gun ?

[Mills Morrison]

How bad are the bores?

[Steve Huffman]

I would love to listen to what that gun has to say ! If it could talk.

[Dean Romig]

I'm sure it had a lot to say in its day... and it said it with authority!!

[Dean Romig]

More Silent Auction items.

First is Dave Suponski's third in a series "The Parker Gun" granite hotplate hand-made right in his granite fabrication shop
shown alongside Tom Latham's contribution of a fine collectible Jim Parker "Parker Bros." sheath knife.

Next is a 1974 Charles Parker Co. sales award plaque donated by Dave Suponski along with two very nice, unused damascus sheathed and cased knives, a wooden three-piece cleaning rod and a "Parker Gun" patch for your shooting vest or jacket.

Beneath those items are an authentic red clay brick from the original Parker Gun Works building which burned to the ground.
Crossing Cherry Street and serving the Parker Bros. and Charles Parker Company manufactories was a well used railroad track which was torn up and paved over but on our recent visit to Meriden Dave kicked up this very old railroad spike.

Finally, a slightly used but very nice Filson upland game and shell vest.



.

[Richard Flanders]

Very nice. I love the granite hotplate. I was cutting small versions of that on the rock saw here at the mine yesterday.... And think of all the birds that gorgeous 8ga must have put in the bag! Unbelievable.

[Bill Murphy]

After seeing this gun, I know how to save all that time and money I have been spending to replace bolt plates in loose Parkers. Next thing we know, Tony will be marketing "tightening collars" for double guns in his catalog.

[Dean Romig]

That beautiful burl bowl shown in Larry's post was harvested from an old tree in Northeastern PA and hand fashioned into what you see by a fellow who calls himself "Burl Bob" and I will post his business card later this evening.

[charlie cleveland]

how long are the barrels on this 8 ga..this is the secound 8 ga that ive seen with this barrel tighting teknique..appears to have been done by the same man...mitghty interesting gun....charlie

[charlie cleveland]

would it be asking to much for the serial no s on this gun and frame size.... charlie

[Bill Murphy]

Great question, Charlie. The more interest you promote on this gun, the more it will bring for the PGCA. I think we have seen this gun before on this site, maybe as a gun offered for sale on gunbroker or some such site. It is in the back of my brain somewhere, but then I am approaching 67 years old and such things are not absolutely clear any more. I am on that gun like a tick on a fat female setter. Look out.

[Mills Morrison]

Hopefully, someone will restore it to its former grandeur. I imagine it depends on the condition of the barrels. It sounds like the action is salvageable. Wood can be replaced. Not sure where you go if the barrels are beyond repair

Bill, It was on the High Road forum over a year ago. I was actually surfing around recently and saw it.

[Dean Romig]

Charlie, I think the two are one and the same. The barrels are a bit long for a "stage coach gun" at 27 3/16". The rib is a custom replacement of 1/4" x 5/8" strap iron but nicely filed to a taper at the breech. Ser. No. is 65145 and it originally had 34" Stub Twist barrels. It is built on a 6-Frame. The stamp on the lug is indiscernable but the distance between firing pin centers is 1 3/8 exactly.

It's pretty tough to tell how the bores are because they have developed so much "patina" in them that they will likely need some serious scrubbing or even honing but there is a lot of barrel wall thickness yet. The complete locking lug is loose which is likely the reason for the custom-made strap iron locking band.

[charlie cleveland]

thanks dean for the info on this old gun.. i dont know why but i really like this old gun maybe cause its lived such a rough life and a parker to boot... charlie

[Mills Morrison]

Here is another cool Parker 8 gauge I found while surfing around :cool:

http://s561.photobucket.com/albums/ss58/martyd_bucket/Damascus%20Shotgun/

[Larry Frey]

For those that will be attending this years Annual Meeting our have a friend that they trust to bid for them we have continued to receive some very nice items for the Silent Auction. The PGCA is very lucky to have such generous members and businesses who continually make our Silent Auction a success.
Below is literally a pile of ammo donated by our friends at RST. Alex and his crew are great supporters of the PGCA.
At the Hidden Hollow shoot Destry came to the booth with a wonderful print and a hand made decoy shown in an earlier pic that came from our friend Roger Giles who recently passed away. Destry said that Roger had been a frequent contributor to the auction and would want that to continue. Thank you Roger and Destry.
This past weekend at Vintagers master engraver and PGCA member Geoffroy Gournet came to me and said he wanted to make a contribution to this years auction. What we received was a beautiful custom engraved and signed cigar cutter that I'm sure would be highly prized by any of our cigar smoking members.
I just found out the Anne Mitchell will once again be donating one of her hand made shooting vest. After the auction I will post a more complete list of all who helped make this years auction the best one yet.

[charlie cleveland]

some nice things here... charlie