A.C. MIDDLETON'S PARKER INVINCIBLE
 

Now that we know the whereabouts of the Czar Nicholas A-1 Special (I assume that it still resides with Jack Puglisi) and Bo Whoop 1 rests with BW2 in Memphis at the DU Museum, does anyone here know what has become of the only known Invincible. I was reading about it tonight in Mike McIntosh's "Best Guns". He relates that Mr. A.C. Middleton owner of the Victor Talking Machine Company had a 16 bore Invincible built for himself and took possession just before the stock market crash. He stored it in an upstairs closet of his 25 room mansion with the hang tags still attached and, presumably, never fired it. After his death and that of his wife the home was sold with the Invincible still in the upstairs closet. At some point the owner of Safari Outfitters acquired it and later sold it to a private collector. My question is, WHO? And where is it now? If put to market what would it bring?
And what about SN 200,000? Where is it now? Enquiring minds want to know.

Best Regards, George

They are at the National Firearms Museum,I believe.I believe Robert Peterson of Guns and Ammo owned all 3 of them.

George,

I'm surprised you don't know all about the Parker Invincibles. There are 3 known to exist and owned by the late Robert Peterson who was a magazine publisher. They are currently on loan to the NRA National Firearms Museum in D.C. They have been displayed in the last few years, two that I recall were the Old Baltimore Gun Show and the gun show in Chantily VA.

Do a google search to learn more.

Regards,

Chuck Bishop

I remember reading that Jack sold the Czar gun

And what are the recent rumblings of a few members knowing the whereabouts of "a major part" of a "fourth Invincible" all about? Misters Murphy, McCormack and Hoffard are the ones who have made the statements but without any 'empirical evidence' I guess it is still in the rumor stage. If a fourth Invincible did truly exist, my money's on the serial number being in one of the "lost books" or something like 300,000 :corn:

Dean, New York

Sorry Dave, that doesn't sound very 'empirical'.

Steve, I believe Mr. Jack had the gun sold before he bought it. I don't believe the fourth Invincible is more than a vision in some gunsmith's mind. George, admission to see the three Invincibles is "free" and open for viewing at least six days a week in Oakton, VA. If you are in town, give me a call and I'll meet you there. I haven't checked on them for a while.

At the "Southern" I asked the guy at Pugs table about the Czar gun, he laughed and said they were about to take the gun out to the range one day to bust some clays and Jack sold it that same afternoon, they never got to shoot it.

Gil you are correct... that's the way if happened....

Bill: I'm planning to come to the Vintagers this fall and a visit to the National Firearms Museum will be on the iteneary. I will let you know when my plans are firmed up and perhaps we can meet there.

Best Regards, George

While we're on the subject of the Invincible grade, some years back there was a Pachmayr Invincible for sale, I quess it was like the one in the TPS, anybody got to examine one of those and if so does it look as good as pictured. If I remeber right I think the asking price was 35k.
Regards,
Gill

At the Buffalo Bill Museum in Cody Wy. you will see several Pachmayr upgraded Parkers, some of which would give an original Invincible a run for it's money.

Well for George or anyone else who has not had the opportunity to view the Invincible’s Allan Swanson has just announced in another thread the following.

Well Gang ---Today it has been confirmed by Wayne Sheets of the NRA that all three (3) of the Parker INVINCIBLES will be on display at our annual banquet on the 24th of September at the Elks Lodge in Easton, MD. Remember the space is limited and tickets are on a first come basis. Do not wait until the last minute or you may loose out!!

Many thanks to Allan for making this opportunity possible for members of the PGCA.:bowdown:

Gentlemen, If you are ever up in Illion, NY at Larry Del Grego Jr.'s shop you can see what is purported to be a Invincible frame--that is, one without the bullseye milling for the hinge pin. Larry Sr. told me that he was offered $10,000 back in the early 70's to produce an Invincible. He said he declined.

I'm sticking to the theory that the serial number is either in one of the "lost books" or is ser. no. 300,000

That's the part I've seen as well, it was no great mystery they had it as far as I knew.

DLH

Invincible Frame
 

That Invincible frame has the side clips brazed on, and was described as "green" by Babe when he showed it to me.
According to Robert Runge, the serial number was affixed to frame, barrels and fore end iron when the rough parts were soft fitted in "the first warehouse" to begin a gun. We showed his sketch of this in the article on numbering several years ago.

Best, Austin

A.C Middleton's house is about 2 miles from where I live. A good friend of mine's Dad did a lot of carpentry work for the Middleton's. My recollection is that the gun was 1st sold by Jaeger's in Jenkintown, Pa. It was consigned to them by the fellow that found it in the 3rd floor closet. It sold for $12,000 to a Mr. Ford of Libby. Owens, Ford glass manufacturer fame. His collection was then purchased from his Estate by Gary Herman, owner of Safari Arms in Ridgefield. CT. It was on display in his shop sometime around 1970. A group of us traveled up there to see this beauty at that time and I still have the color photo(s) that Gary was handing out at the time. As I recall, back in 1970, this was the only Invincible that had surfaced up to that time. The only reference book was Johnson's. but Larry Baer's books were soon published. Just some random thoughts from Mt. Laurel, NJ.

Could that have been the Owens of Owens, Corning fame?

Thank you for that history of the Middleton Invincible.

The first definitive article on the gun was by Dick Baldwin in a 1969 Guns and Ammo magazine. Oddly, Guns and Ammo publisher Robert Petersen became the ultimate owner of the gun years later. The full story was published recently, co-authored by those who know the facts. I cannot relate the complete bibliography on the gun, but someone may be able to lead us to the latest article which, I think, was authored by Dietrich Apel and printed in the Parker Pages.