mighty fine guns...charlie

The Hollywood gun an embellished GHE 16 two bbl set was sold through Alex Kerr's of Beverly Hills and I have a BHE 32inch 3inch chambered 20ga that was ordered by a gentleman from LA.

In Central Oregon where I live you seldom see Parkers as this was logging country most people just did make a living with little to spare for something as expensive as a Parker. On the other hand Ithaca's are fairly common and Remington's show up now and then. That said I've had eight Parker's but gave two of them to my oldest daughter so I guess I still have six on hand. Since I started buying double rifles the purchase of smooth bores has languished but I still love them.

While copying the Parker records some years ago in Ilion, it was noted that there were many, many orders from Simmons Hardware in Saint Louis , MO---gate way to the west-- that covered several pages per order or hundreds of guns per order during the 1880,s and forward. I am sure that many were used as utility guns, but for sure there were those that survived in good shape and are still in collections/ownership in the west.

Here's one. Sixteen gauge G.

West Coast Parkers
 

I bought a VHE 410 a few years back owned first by a real estate executive whose son told me was likely purchased at Kerr's. It's in Oregon now.

As mentioned, my GH was shipped to Tufts-Lyons Arms Co on April 28, 1897 and was part of a large Parker order. Here is a picture of their storefront on S. Olive St probably taken in the late 20's or early 30's. These old photos are fascinating.

I have a 2 bbl set 20 ga. DHE that was shipped to H. C. Golcher Co, San Francisco CA. in 1941.
More on that later, stay tuned.