Collecting In Difficult Times
 

These are difficult economic times for many, and I hear such discussions when Parker people and vintage shotgun people gather. While we like to display the rare, unusual and costly guns, there are many serviceable and fine shooting Parkers and collectibles that are not costly and within reach of many enthusiasts. I don't know of a single collector of high grade guns that looks down his nose at the base grade guns in terms of serviceability, in fact, many that I know leave the high grade guns in the rack and reach for the V's and G's when they go hunting.

Photos 1-3 show a damascus GHE 12ga and a fluid steel PHE 16ga. A person might be able to buy one of these that needs cosmetic work for under $2000 and $3000 respectively. Look for one that is mechanically sound, not cobbled together and needs barrel refinishing and maybe a little steaming to remove gouges and maybe you can do some gentle refinishing on your own. With these, or other low grade Parkers, such as a pair of V grades in 12 and 20, a person can shoot anything, upland game or waterfowl, and it will gain in value. These are all you really need and you are a Parker collector.

A lot of collectors like to have period accompanying things such as cases. The leg of mutton cases are available and not costly. Maybe you can pick up one for $80, maybe more, sometimes you find a real bargain. You put your old Parker in one of these and that's what they were made for.

Here's a Red Head pebble grain. There are all sorts and makers of these things.

This restocked V is a go-to gun for me. I love to shoot it and I don't worry about babying it. Note the full-coverage checkering on the fore end... way none-original but I really like it!

Many Parker collectors also like old cleaning rods. These are also not costly and hunting for them can be kind of fun.

Photo 1 shows a C M Powers cleaning rod made by the Fairies Manufacturing Company of Decatur Ill. Powers was a first rate trapshooter around the 1900's and a Parker shooter. One of our members has his AAH Pigeon Gun. They came in a box in a bag and come apart as you see it. The boxes and bags are rarely found but the rods can be found with a bit of searching.

Photo 2 shows other types of rods. BGICO was a Bridgeport company that supplied cleaning tools to Parker. You can find them in hickory, rosewood, ebony, the latter can be costly. Then there are ones from Marbles, Outers and others that are all interesting to collect and more fitting to a Parker than one of these fluffy plastic light sabers.

Photo 3 shows various inexpensive Parker paper, all reproductions and all available. These are easy to find and are often passed off for the originals, which are rare and costly. Its interesting to have some of this and these run maybe $15-20 each.

Others have various low cost items that are fitting for collecting on a budget and maybe they can post pictures. You don't have to be wealthy or spend a lot of money to have a nice Parker collection.

BGICO aka The Bridgeport Gun Implement Co. was based surprisingly enough in Bridgeport, Conn. not Meriden.

xxx

What da ya mean "Back East Somewhere" Bridgeport and that factory building happens to be about 10 minutes from my house! Never ever heard of Meriden Gun Implement Co.

Dave, if you have some of their things, post them. I have seen their reloading implements but those are costly today. I have seen a couple rods, the one shown and a nice ebony one, but no others. Maybe there would be something reachable for the low expense collector.

I've never been in Connecticut.

Actually Bruce alot of the BGI loading tools and such can be bought on Ebay pretty cheaply.Parker used BGI almost exclusively for their reloading tools. BGI just put the Parker name on them.

Another CT loading tool manufacterer is "The Torrington Gun Implement Co." and their stuff is pretty easy to find also.

I,ll put some pics up when I get a chance..:bigbye:

Dave, exactly. I know of a few things that are inexpensively collectible that accompany Parkers and maybe others do too, and can post them and get people interested in having a nice collection without spending an arm and a leg. You know we show these high grade Parkers but there are a lot of folks who can't afford them in this down economy and maybe there are some Parkers and Parker period things that would be fun to collect.

Dave & Bruce: This may be a little O/T but wern't Thompson SMGs manufactured in Bridgeport?

Just Wondering......George

Bruce, you make some good points and your tips on looking for vintage cases, cleaning rods etc it is good advice for some good fun. However, I have in the past read some slightly disparaging words from participants in this web board towards Trojans in particular. An orginal condition, with good dimensions Trojan, especially in 20ga is not easy to find and is a joy to shoot. I have also read disparaging comments on restorations which may not be for everyone, but IMO a family heirloom or rare/unique gun is worthy of restoration if it has gone past the point of no return. There is and should be room for everyone at the table, from the person who has their grandfathers Trojan to the owners of high grade and extensive collections. On another point I believe these hard economic times are bringing some guns out of closets and making them available for sale. I am aware of a Remington-Parker Skeet gun that became available after being in the same family since 1940. Cash is King these days as they say.

George,Thompsons were made by Auto Ordinance in West Hurley NY. Some early ones were made by Colt in Hartford,CT for Auto Ordinance.

THOMPSON SMG
 

Dave: The reason that I asked is because I recently got to handle one that was marked: :THOMPSON SUBMACHINE GUN
CALIBER .45 M1A1 on the left &

AUTO-ORDNANCE CORPORATION
BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT U.S.A on the right

It belonged to an old friend, recently deceased, who brought it back from WWII. I went back today to recheck the markings. I wonder if there is anything left of the AUTO-ORDNANCE factory.

Just Wondering.........George

George,I don,t really know.I would suspect that they may have moved to BPT. The history I found on them was that they were in NY in about 1927. Maybe they were manfactured by Remington under contract for Auto Ordinance during the war. As EDM says:"Investigation continues"

Here are a few pieces....some Parker some not

A few fun item,s

Parker Turnover

Bottom of shell holder

The Sycamore Loading Block actually appears to be made out of sycamore wood. It was a common lumber for drawer sides and bottom as it wore very even and smooth with time and use. We had some at home one time when I was a kid, it's super had and dense. Reminded me of beech only maybe harder actually, pretty stuff full of cross grain and curlyque.

DLH

George and Dave, Auto Ordnance was in Bridgeport starting in 1941 or thereabouts for a time, but the West Hurley address is after Numrich Arms Corporation started using the Auto Ordnance name in 1974 to build their Thompsons. Apparently, Numrich didn't buy the company, just started using the name, no fuss, no muss.

Thanks Bill: There are some nice looking GH & PH Damascus Parkers in the Rock Island sale yesterday & today. Did anyone here get one? They seemed to have very low estimates.

Best Regards, George

Bill,Thanks for the information.I was closing in on it but ya beat me to it! Also I found the original building for the BPT Gun Implement Co. Its on the corner of Helen St and Barnum Ave.in BPT. I will check it out when I get a chance.

I was talking to our own Ken Waite yesterday and he is a distant relation to Marcellus Hartly of Remington Arms Corp.Marcellus Hartly and Marcellus Hartly-Dodge(his son) were also a principles in BGI Co.

Well, to answer my own question. It looks like I got a 12 bore Trojan SN 226491 for $450 + BP. I bid on 31 lots and only got one. It will be interesting to see the realised prices when the appear.

Best Regards, George

Just curious how many times if any What type of cleaning rods have you found when you purchased a parker and found the following C.M Powers cleaning rod made by the Fairies Manufacturing Company of Decatur Ill. They came in a box in a bag never seen in good condition and come apart / Rot. And they are really made well and it it's all I use. I'm curious if you guys can post some pics of them and curious if anyone has same maker for small bore and the reason I asked over the last 3 months I obtained 4 Parker's and two had the powers cleaning rods. The other two powers I have came with Parker guns as well.
I would like to hear what you guys think and if you can post pics of powers small bore models if anyone has.

Thanks for resurrecting this post Pat. Well worn, lower grade Parkers are underrated. I really like G grades. My first and favorite Parker is a 20 gauge Trojan that was acquired for under $1000.

I love an old parkers with some use and as long as the screws are not botched up or it's not loose I like to leave as is. And even then guys or gals who have a budget if you find a gun they like and it fits and the screws are butchered up and it's loose having it tighten up is easy with correct gunsmith. A parker with some use and old case color and some oxidation and not so perfect wood has lots of class.
If you look around anyone who wants to be in a parker gun can be in the game. That gun is just waiting for some RST ammo x 2-1/2 #9 and a nice Autum day and some woodcock. Lets face it if you have anything that is mint it is not going into the woods and if you do lets just say it's a V Grade And value is 5 to 9 k one slip and fall and you bang the gun, It hurts and the gun just went from mint to Mother fletcher, every year goes by the guns are getting harder and harder to find and more are getting redone, Which if you want to go that way or the gun needs it that's cool, some are sold to local police station for 25 gift cards.ETC,

On the other end back to the minty guns Who purchased the 12 Bore GHE that was pretty minty that was on the net towards the start of the week ? It was on the guns INTER and I called and just missed it. Did anyone other see that GHE ??