D Grade Engraving

[Dave Fuller]

Here's a 1907 DHE with ducks on the floor plate. I would be most interested to see other variations of the D, especially ones that have something besides the ducks or pheasants (always 4, right?) on the floor plate. These threads are a great idea and could someday become a wonderful photo archive of Parker engraving sorted by grade - Great job John!

[Greg Baehman]

Here's DH #155290 devoid of any of that damn case coloring that muddy's up the engraving! I'm not sure if those are Prairie chickens, Guinea fowl or turkeys on the floorplate---they certainly aren't ducks or pheasants.

[Bruce Day]

Sharptailed grouse, possibly prairie chickens, but the tail is correct for a sharptail. Those were the prairie birds before pheasant, which didn't become numerous until around 1900. Pheasant were creatures of cultivated land and not much land was broken until then.

Chickens: fan tails
Sharpies: pointy tails

Hunters would come to Kansas, Nebraska and the Dakotas by train from the east, guides would pick them up by early cars or horse and buggy at the the railroad stations, the hunters would stay in hotels or with the farm families and the locals would drive the hunters around where they would shoot from the wagon. The season started in late August/ early Sept when the young birds were easy targets.

We have one fellow coming in on Friday from New Hampshire, another from Michigan. We'll tell him not to shoot while the wagon is moving.

[Dave Fuller]

Thanks Greg, I'll see if I can scrub the rest of those irritating colors of that gun. I believe Bruce is right about yours haveing sharptails on the floorplate. I hope others will post photos like these. I really enjoy looking at the differences and speculating about some of the cartoonish engraving... like the flying turnips and the Scoobydo on my gun.

[Rick Henley]

This is a DH that I recently purchased with unique engraving on the side of the receiver. I have heard of some CH's having elk and deer in the panel scenes, but not DH's. The rest of the engraving is identical to any other DH's. I received the letter today which doesn't mention anything about the engraving or any other special order features.

[Frank Cronin]

You have a real nice DH Parker Rick. Love the engraving and the wood.

[Ed Blake]

Rick - what vintage is your DH? I've observed that the engraving done around the WW1 period seems deeper and better executed than other periods. That one is very nice.

[Dean Romig]

Rick, does the letter mention anything about 'boring for ball and shot' or anything else that might indicate the gun would be used for game animals as well as fowl??

[Steve Huffman]

Rick Is this the same gun listed on GI ? Or is there Two of them ?

[Bill Anderson]

Rick Is this the same gun listed on GI ? Or is there Two of them ?

Just an observation, but since the pictures are absolutely identical, I would say yes, it's the same gun on GI.

[Brent Francis]

This DH was from 1892. I know they look like guiney hens but they are actually passenger pigeons. At least thats what I will tell folks if I ever sell it. My pics arent too good but there is a pointer on one side and a setter on the other. FYI I checked and the earliest pheasant season I found on the web was 1906 but that wasnt an exhaustive search.

[Kenny Graft]

The DH listed on G.I. It states 3 1/2 drop at the heal....too mutch for me. But the engraving is superb....few parkers have deer/elk or stag creatures...

[Rick Losey]

So -I keep seeing birds on the floor plate of D grades,

how common is a Setter on point on the floor plate?

http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg195/setterw/floorplate.jpg

[Dean Romig]

Very uncommon on later guns - not so uncommon on early DH parkers.

[Don Kaas]

I have a 36" D3 6 frame DH 8 gauge that has ducks on both side panels and geese on the floorplate... unusually appropriate for Parker engraving...

[James L. Martin]

here's my DH 94555

[Matt Grunzweig]

Interesting engraving!

[Dean Romig]

unusually appropriate for Parker engraving...


And especially appropriate for an 8 gauge Parker.

[jimcaron]

They are stunning! I can't help but admire the detail.

[Chris_Caile]

My 1889 DH has a setter on the bottom.
Thanks-

[Rick Losey]

My 1889 DH has a setter on the bottom.
Thanks-

interesting - what gauge and what is the serial number?

[Chris_Caile]

12ga SN# 58509, ordered in November 1889, delivered January 1890.

[Dean Romig]

Chris, do you have a research letter on that gun? It may have been specially ordered that way but it isn't likely that a letter might mention that. That said, it is an early one and it is not especially unusual to find Grade 3 guns of that vintage to have "unusual" floor plate engraving motifs. Later Grade 3 guns normally display four birds in flight - either four ducks, four pheasants, four sharptail grouse or whatever. Yours was made during a period of transition in engraving themes and motifs. The early DH guns also were not as elaborately engraved as were DH's made even just five or six years later. It is fun to study these Grade 3's

[Chris_Caile]

Dean-

I do have a letter, it does not mention any special engraving. The engraving is a setter on the bottom, setter on the right side and a pointer on the left.

[calvin humburg]

Would you like to see a D hammer gun?

[Rick Losey]

Would you like to see a D hammer gun?


Well DUH. :rotf:

Have we ever said "please don't show us that Parker" :corn:

[David Noble]

Uh, I have to leave the computer for a moment to go to the restroom. Please don't post those D hammer gun pics while I'm away!

[Craig Larter]

Here is the setter on my 1910 D---one of the nicer Parker dogs in my opinion---
http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t2/clarter/ParkerdogD.jpg

[Dean Romig]

That particular engraver (from just after the turn of the century into the early 'teens) is a favorite among Parker collectors who have a keen eye for engraving.

[Craig Larter]

This is the setter on my C from the same period 1907---appears to be by a different hand than the D above and not as well done
-----I prefer the engraving style on the D
http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t2/clarter/ParkerdogC.jpg

[charlie cleveland]

both are very nice dogs..i could not pick out which one was the best... charlie

[David Noble]

Craig, both dogs are beautiful but I like the more disheaveled dog with the hidden paws on the C.

[Kenny Graft]

Both dogs are very nice....but the C has better background, looks like real cover...I vote for the C

[calvin humburg]

Finally got some decent pictures. Yes cleaned it needs .
18968[/ATTACH

[ATTACH]18969

18970

18971

18972

[Rick Losey]

very very nice

Calvin -- nice pictures
what year was it born?

I know a D is not the top grade but the engraving on these gun is very pleasing to my eye - great art and not overly busy

[Dean Romig]

The C and the D look to be engraved by the same hand to me. We'll never know of course, but I'd bet a dollar on it.

[charlie cleveland]

one purty hammer gun...bet she aint seen to much action in the field...just to nice...lucky calvin... charlie

[Rick Losey]

I posted the setter from the floor plate earlier in this thread

here is the right side setter

http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg195/setterw/rightsidesetter.jpg

[calvin humburg]

1886.

[Rick Losey]

1886.


thanks Cavin, just two years before my DH - its interesting to see how the style changed with the switch from hammers

[David Noble]

Calvin, WOW! Well worth the wait! I'd give my lef.........well, you know.:bowdown:

[David Noble]

The C and the D look to be engraved by the same hand to me. We'll never know of course, but I'd bet a dollar on it.

I'm certainly no expert on engravers but I was thinking the same thing. Different time, different style, yet similar, especially the heads.

[calvin humburg]

I wonder if that is the front of a boat in the left.

Did they ever silver plate the triggers they look that color and it is comimg off?

19006

[Rick Losey]

Did they ever silver plate the triggers they look that color and it is comimg off?


yes they did -

[Dean Romig]

Grade 3 and above were usually plated. That is a very nice one Calvin. Please send me a PM with details.

Would you care to sell me those hammers? ;)

Dean

[calvin humburg]

Whats the Pointer on your gun look like Rick?

[Rick Losey]

Whats the Pointer on your gun look like Rick?

He looks like his hair is too short :rotf:

http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg195/setterw/parkerdpointer.jpg

[calvin humburg]

Ho Ho Ho, he looks just right and a pretty nice one at that. Better be careful or Sam will come lay in your dark chair. Thanks ch

[Mark Brady]

First, sorry for the quality of the photos. The first three pics are of my DH 10 gauge circa 1891. The next three are pics of my recently purchased DH 12 gauge trap gun from 1904. This gun has 32 inch full and full Titanic Steel barrels and still breaks clays like it did 108 years ago (as long as I do my part).http://gun parts 2 2229 2230 2231 2232 2233 2234 2235

[Gary Carmichael Sr]

Grade 3 hammer guns have a lot of engraving on them for some reason here's one

[Rick Losey]

now I wonder when the pointer and setter swapped sides - before or after the hammers went internal.

[Dean Romig]

Oddly enough, Grade 3 Lifters didn't seem to have been as elaborately engraved as the T/A Grade 3 hammer guns.

[Kenny Graft]

You all know how them bird dogs are....always swaping kennels, and they always want to be were they do not belong! .................(-:

[Kenny Graft]

BAD...bird dog!

[Bill Holcombe]

I have recently been really looking at some engraving differences on Ds so I thought I would share the pics I had found that looked good.


Credit to Brian Dudley, I know 2 of these pics are his D grade, others were random google pics. Thought show some nice variations.

Realized one of the pics is of a C or B, but will just leave it as its a good engraving.

If I ever find a parker with a Brittany on it I am in trouble. I probably couldn't afford it, but that wouldn't stop me from trying.

[George Lang]

I have an early DH that has the dogs on both sides facing towards the buttstock. I have never seen this on any other D grade shown on this site or any where else. Does anyone know of any other examples?

[Dean Romig]

That style of engraving depicting the rear facing dogs is very unusual and seen mostly on lifter grade 3 guns. Thank you for sharing that.





.

[Larry Frey]

If I ever find a parker with a Brittany on it I am in trouble. I probably couldn't afford it, but that wouldn't stop me from trying.

Bill,
Please view the attached link to an old (and one of the best) thread titled "Who let the dogs out". Would this gun fit your request for Brittany engraving? I believe the gun was an A grade 20 gage.

http://parkerguns.org/forums/showthread.php?t=2367&highlight=brittany+engraving&page=20

[Bill Holcombe]

Larry you aren't helping :) Now I have to rob a bank to buy a A grade 20.....

[John Cinkoske]

If I did this right, here are a few photos of my 1931 VR DHE engraving...

http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh68/MacNaughton360/Parker%20DH/DHE%203.jpg (http://s253.photobucket.com/user/MacNaughton360/media/Parker%20DH/DHE%203.jpg.html)

http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh68/MacNaughton360/Parker%20DH/DHE%202.jpg (http://s253.photobucket.com/user/MacNaughton360/media/Parker%20DH/DHE%202.jpg.html)

http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh68/MacNaughton360/Parker%20DH/DHE%201.jpg (http://s253.photobucket.com/user/MacNaughton360/media/Parker%20DH/DHE%201.jpg.html)

Looks like the dogs are boys...

[DanLives]

Rick are you still a member?

[Rick Losey]

Rick are you still a member?

Rick who?
member of what?