Another stone turned over!
 

I enjoy doing research on these old guns and our task is becoming less difficult as Google and universities digitizes more historical documents. I am fortunate to own a Parker AH 10ga that was on display at the Madison Square Gardens Show of 1897. Up until recently I have been frustrated finding much information except for written accounts of the show in NYC. Well my luck changed today and I discovered the 1897 issues of Forest and Stream are now available and searchable from the U of Michigan. To my great joy a image of the Parker Booth is included in the article with some text which I have shown below. Just imagine the gun below was in that exhibit 120 years ago with 80 other Parkers, amazing!

what a great gathering of parkers...you sir have one fine parker...if only we could know each stories that our old parkers hold....charlie

That is amazing. It is amazing how much you can find online.

Thanks for sharing Craig!

Imagine walking into that booth and feasting your eyes on nothing but the very finest brand new Parkers right straight from that "dusty little plant down in Meriden." What an absolute treat to have been able to talk Parkers with none other than A.W. DuBray - though I'm sure he commanded the floor. ;)







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By the way, do I count six-iron crolle on those barrels?


And six elk in the air over that fence all at once.





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Dean I do believe you are correct. As you can imagine it is the center piece of my Parker collection and as I gather more historical information the more I admire it as a great example of our sporting heritage.

I have searched, but that is the first picture I have seen of the Parker display. Well Done!

And to think even back the "they rested nudely in their racks"!!!!!:shock:

Thank you Craig for finding and posting this! Your AH 10ga is stunning. I will be saving this picture and article also as I possess a second gun that was in this same exposition! Mine is a 20ga BH serial number 84040. My gun was in the 1896 and 1897 shows. It was later returned to Parker for addition of auto ejectors, single trigger and fluid steel barrels. I think it is great that two guns from that show are now in our fraternity of collectors! I wonder if others here might have guns from this show?
My BH is pictured below and in a couple of follow up posts. (I can only post one pic at a time from my iPad)
Thanks again! David.

Wonderful in every way!

Thanks for sharing.

BHE 20 pic 2:

Fabulous BHE!

Thanks very much.






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Pic 3

Anyone have another to add?

Both beautiful guns and great article. Imagine, guns ranging from $50 to $400 in 1897. Any idea what your guns would have sold for back then?
Kirk

Very interesting and Good research. I would like to see as many pictures of the guns as u have. It's a joy to look at those works of art. Mona Lisa would make a good back drop for them.

For anyone interested in the complete 6 page article in Forest and Steam with many pictures I have uploaded it to a server and is available to all for download. Enjoy interesting reading. Craig
http://www.foxcollectors.com/3-20-1897MSGarticle.pdf

Looks like gun shows have been around for awhile. When was the second amendment adopted?

December 15, 1791 was when the "Bill of Rights" was adopted. These were the first ten amendments to the Constitution.






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Great to see this article, thanks Craig I've been looking as well. Here's my gun from that same 1897 NY show, sn 83,115. A BH 10g. It also went to the Boston show in 1898, then to the Charles Parker Co. in NY in 1900. After all that hard work, it was sent back to the factory, to "make good as new" again!

Will

love that 10 ga..sounds like she traveled a lot and stayed in the limelight awhile....charlie

Will: Beautiful BH and in 10ga WOW thanks for posting pictures. It would be fun to have a reunion of these show guns some day.

Bring them to Las Vegas boys!!

+2. Please do!

Sounds good Craig, and thanks. Charlie, it was surely in the limelight for a couple years early on, but this gun then spent a lot of time in the field and has the scars and wear to prove it (though it has great bores and original chambers). Later this month it's going in for its first tune up since probably 1901 when it went back to Meriden.

Will it sure doesn't look like it needs much of a tune up to me, the wear was hard earned and adds to the beauty of these old guns in my opinion.

I couldn't agree more Craig, the things I'm talking about are fixing some muzzle damage, getting it tight on the hinge again, removing dents, that kind of tune up.

Thanks Will I was hoping it wasn't headed for full restoration, it is truly a beautiful gun, enjoy. Maybe you can make it to Hausmann's one of these years and we could have a reunion. I would love to handle your BH. Craig

120 years ago and we're still referring to these wonderful sporting pieces as weapons, "designed or used or usable as an instrument for inflicting bodily harm, means used to get the better in a conflict", according to OED, when firearm seems appropriate. Sorry OT; only a post with a hope of getting rid of the term.

I'm with you King.
To me a 'weapon' is an instrument used to overcome an adversary in combat.

That's not what my intentions are when going afield after wild game.





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Unfortunately Dean and King our world is full of people who just don't get it. The saying I like, You can't fix stupid. Let's try not to let them get us down fellows. ch

My 10 gauge BH, displayed at the Columbian Exposition, now wears 30" Titanic Steel barrels. It is poorly restocked and needs a #3 frame buttstock. Serial #77614.

That doesn't sound like a firearm fitting of a collecting man of your stature Mr. Murphy. I will gladly take it off your hands for you and spare you the shame of it being in your collection :)