Well the letter came today and it has great detail but it is not a lost relic from a famous individual. The gun was ordered by F.S. McClure who was the manager of the Robert Ward & Co, (Imperial Cannery) in Vancouver BC. Robert Ward & Co was a turn of the century fish cannery in the Vancouver area owned by British interests. Nothing to exciting on Mr. McClure but everything looks 100% original. Couple nice details in the letter:
Silvers rubber butt
Two Lyman sights
2 3/4" chamber
Good stock measurement detail
4 blade Damascus noted.

Still looking for some 28" Damascus barrels

Best regards.

Here's the letter on 87712. Note the date of Dec 24 1897....just the next month (and the day before Christmas).

It's also interesting how Parker did a lot of repair work for free for the original owner but it seems like by the time the second owner sent it in they had had enough and charged him!

Kirkover was an outdoorsman, dog enthusiast, Republican, and a big shooter....

Step one get the wood fixed......thank you Chris Dawe.

WOW

great work Chris

Did you ever find barrels for it Brian? Fantastic first step!

One heck of a start, Incredible !!!!

I have a set of D3 and Brad B has something put aside for me as well. This particular gun was specific in the letter having 4 blade.

I forgot to mention if you look on the original picture there was a heck of a splinter out of the tang and it had a HUGE sling swivel stud big enough to chain your dog to. Chris did a bang up job on the splinter and delicately inlaid a diamond in the wood using the checkering lines to hide it for the stud .......whoa buddy it is real nice work!

Cant wait to see it brought back to its full glory. Kudos to you for saving it. It found the right person.

I'm still biting my nails waiting to see that CHE 20 gauge again!!

Nothing money won't fix and a whole lot a time.............

When I asked about the B with extra long forend, I was thinking about 88,220, the first Parker made with Vulcan barrels, as I recall. The stock book gives it a V code, but it was actually a V5. It was a wonderful gun that I should have bought.

Bill, is that the Grade 5 that Stephen Cobb owns or owned with VH engraving?





.

Lordy! That barrel rust reminds me of stuff I've seen dragged out of a pile of straw and cow poo.

No, Dean, Steve's gun has "no engraving" like my CH Grade. The V5 is a full house BH, with engraving and fine furniture, and fitted with the first set of Vulcan Steel barrels fitted to a gun. When that gun was made, there were no VH guns. The long forend is very "Becker like". The gun appeared in Maryland, for sale, several years ago, and I don't know who bought it.

I believe I remember someone posting pictures of that gun, or at least the mounted forend, on the old forum and there may possibly have been a picture of it in Parker Pages long ago.






.

It was one neat gun. I was either scared off by the price or the lack of a factory (PGCA) letter.

Sometimes the one doesn't seem too far fetched as long as you have the other ,and all is right !

The 1897- 1898 period must have had all the employees talking about what management was up to, because of all the 'Firsts' in fairly quick succession.
When I acquired 88490, a Titanic barreled CH, I went looking through the book at where it fell in the history of 'steel' barrels, Titanic barrels (compared to the the earlier introduction of the Whitworth barreled AA grades.)
86736 was the first appearance of Titanic barrels, a DH I believe.
86817 was the first steel barreled CH, also Titanic steel, and 87712 was the first steel BH, again, Titanic steel.
I saw that 88220 was the first use of Vulcan steel barrels, but didn't know it was a BH. A short while later, Parker fitted Vulcan steel barrels to a CH, 88725,
The first steel barreled 20 gauge was 88402, a DH, but what really caught my eye was 89539, what may be the first 24" barreled gun, and a DH 20 gauge, no less.
This got me thinking what a great grouse gun that must have been, and no sooner did I think that, I found a 24" DHE 20 gauge. Sure, it began life as a 30 inch gun, but cylinder bores is about right for the north woods of Maine. Several plump birds would attest to that if they could.

I may be mistaken but I understood the 1st gun with Vulcan steel barrels was a DH S/N 82225. I own 82226 delivered April 18 1896 and it letters and has Vulcan steel barrels. Originally delivered with no safety, an absolutely knock out piece of wood with a half pistol grip.

Thanks, Phil. I actually had all of those earlier Vulcan barrelled guns highlighted in my Serialization Book.

I can refinish this gun for you to your preferences , or I will have to see it to tell about restoring it, of course everything can be restored just a matter of time and input. Notice I'm talking about two different approach to your firearm: renew or restore.

I have to ask... is this method of spamming every thread on this forum generating any success for you. ???

I don't understand, I'm a gunsmith who specialize for years in old traditional ways of refinishing new custom or and old firearms, this guy's have a question and here is my answer as I provide services successful to many customers, I can provide references, I'm sorry that you took it wrong and offensive calling me spam. than you

Mr. Janusz,
Where is your gun smithing business located?
Perhaps if you came to some of the venues and events we all attend and introduce yourself members here would get to know you. It would be very beneficial to you if you could bring several examples of the work you have done.
Other gunsmiths rent a table at these events for the very reason to display the best examples of their work. Some gunsmiths like Brian Dudley bring several guns to show off his skill and I'm quite sure he has gained a lot of new business by doing this.






.

My name is Pawel Janusz, I have been a member for almost a year, in business 25 years, I'm located in ingleside Illinois and moving soon to excelsior springs missouri. I'm Ffl holder. Over the years I had took variety of work and mastered ways of old traditional refinishing methods successful offering it to a huge growing group of customers that are find me from recommendation. My background reaches also fluent operation of manual and cnc manufacturing equipment, g-code programming and most important production process of manufacturing precision and decorative parts. I build couple picture albums in my profile and like to invite everyone to look at. I will be placing soon another album dedicated to Parker D grade with Damascus bbl that I recently refinished along with other Parkers, except this one did turn the nicest as it was never open, file, or sand before, just natural wear, dents and glamorous broken stock at grip area. Everyone is welcome to visit my Web at www.pjgunmaker.com, my tel.: 224.595.4463, e-mail: myarkebuz@yahoo.com

Pawel

I hesitate to get in the middle of this - but here goes -please take this as an attempt to explain and help

from what i have seen from the pictures, you do nice work. But - you have made 62 posts up to this point- i could find about 6 or so that were a genuine contribution to a discussion about a gun or other topic.

such as this one http://parkerguns.org/forums/showthr...647#post191647

but the rest are just asking for business - such as in these threads

http://parkerguns.org/forums/showthr...967#post205967

http://parkerguns.org/forums/showthread.php?t=18674


there are several very good craftsman on the board - if you watch, you will notice that they offer advice - post "how-to"s for common issues and join in conversations - I cannot ever remember them jumping in to ask posters for their business instead. If someone else recommends them - the response is generally to go to PMs for the conversation

you would seem to have a lot of knowledge - please join in and share it - advertise in shooting magazines, come to the events and grow your business that way.

just my opinion

yes I do agree, the reason is I want to let people know about my work since I'm moving my business to Missouri and will have more time to do restoration work, I don't read much as I'm very busy working, so i just catch little and let people know i exist and yes junk makers do get on my nerves and i promise to control my self. lol, Yes I do know what I do and I'm so confident that I warranty all my work, serious references are available but my work speak for his self the best. Once I move I like to dedicate more time to attend discussion so it don't look like I'm there only for business, sorry.