Derek, it's hard to argue against the tape but let me just bring up another factor. In the photo with the young man pointing the gun, there appears to be a reflection off of the forend tip of what could be a beavertail forend and the lad's fingers seem to be gripping the forend half way up the barrel diameter. Looks to me like there are two different guns in the photos. Take a closer look at that tape.

Looks like the tape measure says 38" above the breech and its backwards maybe 2" from the muzzle so 40" could be right , its kind of hard to read but I see 41" above the middle of the top lever . If the tape had started at the muzzle it appears it would read 40" .

I wonder what a 40" 10 ga Parkers would fetch ? A 36" barreled hammerless Parker 10 ga sold near here a few years back for 15k . If its on a #6 frame I wonder if it would go for about what the long barreled 8 gauges do . I seen a 38" Parker #6 frame 8 ga sell for 19k a few years back .

The photo shows 40” on the tape. It is the angle of the photo that is, for some reason, playing tricks on people.
And the gun in the photo being shouldered by the young man has a splinter forend.

Exactly, if you focus on the right side of the breach only it appears that the 40 inch mark on the tape is dead nuts on it. Interestingly enough if you look at the muzzle end at that angle it appears like the tape is 2" back toward the breech end but it is not. All due to the angle.

Thanks for all of the responses everyone, honestly I didn't anticipate many people would pay much attention to this.

As far as the length goes, I am at the mercy of the information that I have. The photo seems to me to clearly show a 40" measurement, but I will let anyone make their own assessment and not argue on something that I can't personally measure.

Let's assume for a moment that the barrels are 40" as detailed in my "case file". The story is much more convoluted than what the original post even begins to explain. Back in 1980 Gene (the gentleman that took the gun and lent my grandfather $2000) began to have some suspicions that the gun was not worth the money that he ponied up and my grandfather went on a mission trying to get verification on value as well as tried to find a buyer for the gun as he didn't have the money to repay the debt. He contacted a handful of serious collectors from the late 70's and early 80's as well as several publishers of outdoor literature. I have several letters from Herschel Chadick stating that he believes the gun to be a fake and several other letters claiming it's the real deal. I even have some notes referencing one Larry Del Greco (?) who claimed to have worked on the gun in New York, citing that he remembered having to extend bluing tubes to accommodate the barrels. You should see the manila folder full of names, slides, addresses and phone numbers as well as letters and magazine clippings... it would make a cold case detective sweat.

I have reason to believe from the original investigation conducted by my grandfather that the gun is in fact legitimate, however it may have had a new stock in the late 1920s. This is based on a note written on a loose piece of paper, with no further explanation. It's listed as having a dog head butt plate with two birds engraved on the receiver.

That being said, if it is the real deal and it is worth a small fortune my salary as is will not support a 10k reuniting.

I have attached another photo that was in the pile of information to show the serial number as it is stamped on (forgive me I'm at a loss) the receiver? I've also attached another photo of the lad (my father) shouldering the gun at a different angle. I understand the end of the barrel seems to go off of the photo but I believe it ends right at the edge of the frame.

Thanks again everyone!!

D

I can tell you that it's a GH, 10ga. with 40" Damascus barrels and a pistol grip. I can't tell by the pictures if the stock is original. What was your grandfather's last name and where did he live. I know we all wish you good luck in finding that gun. The fact that there aren't many GH's out there with 40" barrels may help.

hope you solve this mystery and be able to afford the gun if you find it...charlie

Thanks for reaching out Chuck, my grandfather and I share the same last name: Lathrop and he was most likely in the Detroit, Mi area. Although he had been in and out of the East Coast in earlier years.

It looks to me that the gun is not wearing the original but stock. It is a little rough and that is probable a good thing because it is not going to be in that 10,000 range. Not even close.

A PH 10 gauge 36" sold in Florida in the last two weeks via internet auction for 18 or 19 hundred plus a few small fees . Gun appeared to have been refinished . Well as I can remember the gun was made around 1914 if my memory serves . I suppose by the time the winner got that gun with shipping they had about $2300 in it .