Engraving Question
 

In looking at D grade and above engraving there are standard variations that I've seen, they are seen in the books. However, some seem to have extras. For example 4 pheasants walking instead of the more common 3 on a D grade. This gun also seems to have more scroll work. Are these upgrades that were ordered, different standards from different periods, or was the engraver taking creative liberties? Thanks Jeff.

...a picture is worth a thousand words....

A customer could order a graded gun with "extra" engraving and Parker would do anything the customer wanted as long as it was tasteful and reasonable.
Different periods in engraving along with different chief engravers is usually why we see variations from the 'norm'.

Are you sure it's not a C grade?

I've looked up the s/n in the book, and it matches to a D. I've ordered a letter as well. I'll try to get some pics this afternoon. I've seen other variations in the past that I was curious about, this one just seems to have extra.

PIC
 

As requested:

Yes!

the variations in D grade engraving is a popular topic

here is one thread

http://parkerguns.org/forums/showthr...highlight=dogs

If it matches the description in the records, it may be a "Friday afternoon" gun. Many times an engraver, rather than start a new receiver at the end of the last day of a long week, would add small extra adornments in the form of extra coils of scroll or in the case of game scenes a tiny bird or insect. Other times the engraver, hearing or knowing a favorite motif of the person that ordered the gun, would add touches of that motif. There is a very well known high grade (AA or A1S, I forget which) that has a bumble bee engraved on the orbit each breech ball.

The letter when he get's it should explain a lot.

:corn:

I don't see much special about it....but I guess if the letter says so...

Based on the floorplate, I see a little extra engraving as compared to a typical DH, but not all that much more.

Nice looking flock of feeding birds. Austin used to get excited to see engraving that showed a "looking back bird". He said it couldn't be more realistic looking with that sentinel bird.

I believe TPS says all the looking back birds were pre 1900 design. May have been associated with Gough but can't remember, the design not the actual engraving

Pics
 

This is what I was referring to. There are little extras like this. She's a DH 20ga straight stock. Built by Parker for the 1896 New York Exposition. According to TPS it was marketed to Lady shooters.

could be me- the first picture looks pretty fresh-

More
 

Few more views:

Pretty typical grade 3 engraving, maybe approaching grade 4 execution. Nicely done but not especially elaborate... Maybe just a tad.

What do the side panels of the frame look like? That may be more telling than the floor plate and forend iron.

Jeff,

here is another post with pics of the D grade I bought last fall. It was made in 1899 so around the same time period as yours.

I don't have any pics of the forearm on there, but lots of pics of everything else.

Dean, the sides show the same as my DH 12. Just kind of normal.
Bill, your link didn't show.
I'm really just trying to learn about Parkers and the variances in each. Not trying to glorify a particular gun.

http://parkerguns.org/forums/showthread.php?t=14210

No one thinks you are. Just sharing info.