Threads like this one teach me something new each time. Hadn't given any thought to how different the engraving might be among nose pieces of the various Parker grades but for the attention to detail displayed by the gents who have posted photos. Thank you.

An AAHE

Forend Tips
 

I'm continually amazed at the creativity, and artistry, of the Parker Bros. gunmakers, engravers and collectors.

Not Parker engraveing but IMHO nice anyway. Gunner's Gun

AAHE

BHE

Early lifter Grade 1. No fancy engraving but nice surviving case.

CHE Nice barrels lousy tips :):)

Craig - there is little difference between a Grade 3 and a Grade 4 in features like the forend tip, skeleton buttplate and the execution of the engraving. The Grade 4 has a bit more coverage and a few extra flourishes with the floor plate engraving often done to order. There are, of course, exceptions to this in some of the nicer Grade 4's we have seen here.

Rich, is that the forend tip on "Gunner's Parker"?

Grade D, D, G. Starting to get the hang of this picture thing.

Thistle & Robbie Burns
 

Thank you, Dean. You could well be on to something.

John, Thanks, I've held that opinion for several years.

Dean yes that is from Gunner's Parker. He'll be shooting at the Southern:)

Rich, I'm looking forward to it!!

A Charles Boswell damascuss 20 ga

She does have some nice tips though :)!

This tip is from a Mint GHE Remington Era gun that came to my office today.

Hmmm... that seems to exhibit the more 'open' engraving that Robert Runge is noted for.

How about a peek at the sides and bottom of the frame???

nice, but let's see the rest of it

Here is a quick photo from my phone of the bottom of the frame. Its darn close to mint! I've got to get back to work, guys!

This tip just arrived at my office. It's attached to a BHE 16 gage that I plan to shoot a little tomorrow at Addieville.

Josh, tell me it's a .410.

That's funny Josh. Fondling Parkers=work. Yup, Uh huh.

Nice BHE 16 Larry, a new addition? If so I hope you bring it to the Southern.

Larry, When your done shooting it a little I will gladly shoot it alot.

I don't have any spectacular Parker Bros tips, but I kinda like this one --

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...orearm8x10.jpg

From a small Missouri turnip farmer. DuBray D grade , B grade, A grade.

The A Grade tip which is the actual prototype for the Distinguished Service Award pin now resides on the Editors Gun.



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wow..charlie

fresh off the farm. Last year's turnip crop brought high prices.

i m going to start growing turnips..mighty nice tips.. charlie

I like the third one the best. Is there a gun that goes with it?

Reminders of why these guns are so special. I'm feeling really inadequate right now.

This one is from VH serial No. 101780



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Honest - it really is!



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That's a very nice tip for a V grade. It would be interesting to see if the gun was completed on a Friday, perhaps the engraver had some extra time before the end of the day but not enough to start another project so he lavished up the tip. Either way vey nice.

My beloved VH, completed LATE Friday afternoon:

http://i60.tinypic.com/w7lrur.jpg

That's what the forend tip on 99.99% of VH guns should look like. Thanks Forrest.

Thanks Dean, not being sarcastic, just poking a little fun into these learned pages. I love that shotgun all the same, with or w/o engraving. Inletting is certainly second to none!