A Parker covered up with "critters" ...
 

I saw this AHE 16 gauge Parker (Guns International #: 101359496) listed today and it made me do a double take and make sure it was a Parker. Most Parkers don't excite me because the engraving really disappoints, because of the lack of "critters" being engraved on the receiver and trigger guard. And usually if a Parker does have them, I can't always tell what specie they are, besides dogs. This particular Parker AHE is just covered up and I can tell what they are. But still the least desirable engraved guns for me are London and Spanish made SxSs, just repetitious scroll. Just my thoughts. Yeah, I know, too bad the barrel has been wacked.

Bill

Twenty-eight inches?... Thirty inches?.... I wonder what the factory records show?





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Curious how you "know" the barrels are cut? Have you handled the gun?

It's interesting that the gun is from the early 1920s when, in my probably very biased opinion, the engraving begins to go downhill. I agree with you, Bill, that the gun is nicely engraved. Thanks for bringing it up.

Listed in the Parker Identification & Serialization book as having 30" barrels.

Bill

Thanks!

I wondered why it was priced like it is. That answers that. Rabbits and pheasants!

The engraving on that gun is really superb! And the rabbits on the bottom are an interest choice for a critter. I have not seen too many examples of rabbits engraved on Parkers.
The birds on the side right on top of the scroll is and interesting treatment as well. Usually on A grade guns, the game will be pretty hidden amongst the scroll, but usually they are not as large as those birds on that gun.

When it comes to high grade Parkers, A grades will usually be loaded with game. AA grades will have much less game and more use of relief engraving. And A1s will very rarely have any game at all.

When I saw this gun for the first time about 7 yrs ago, it had Remington replacement barrels on it. I don't believe that they have a rib inscription.

Looks to me like that gun was rebarreled by Remington. No banner on the rib. Of course Steve's pictures never shows us the barrel flats or watertable markings.

I like the rabbits and the rest of the engraving but the wood leaves a lot to be desired at least for me and that pad would have to be replaced.

That's a beauty, for sure!

That is a great gun. Some of the best engraving I’ve seen. I wondered about the wood as well. Looking at the checkering I also wonder if that’s a factory job. Maybe the pictures don’t do it justice. No legend on the rib probably is a Remington rebarrel. Wonder what happened to the originals? And those rabbits look like Jack rabbits to me. Who ever the artist he or she did a great job.

More likely to be European hares, keeping in mind many of the best engravers employed by Parker Brothers were trained in Europe and in particular, the British Isles. The long faces are those more of hares than of rabbits.

But then, on further investigation, the jack rabbit of the American Southwest is actually a hare and not a rabbit at all...





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Picture of a Jackrabbit. Dean is correct they are a hare.

In the early 70's I hunted in the mountains of southern Italy. The hare were as big as small dogs.

The Hares we chased with APC's in Germany looked to be about 30 lbs. we never caught one. If that A were rebarreled by Remington it might be a bargain.