AHE 20ga
 

See anything unusual about this A?

It lacks the single bead which is a usual feature of Grades 5 and 6.

It also appears to have been engraved by Frederick. W. Anschutz who was Parker Bros. chief engraver between 1911 - 1930, beginning his apprenticeship under H. Gough in 1890. Anschutz is also known for his protrayal of almost all of his dogs as decidedly male.

The first thing I noticed was the lack of the bead although I've seen that on other A's. The second item was the engraving on the large screw did not match the two smaller screw heads.
Leave it to Dean to pick up on the other item.:)

Maybe I am looking at the pic from the wrong angle, in the top left is the lever high?

Probably not... the lever is locked open and probably just the angle the gun is in.

Sure. I'm no expert of course, but A's have the single bead or rib around the breech balls as shown in the A below. The single rib is a characteristic of A and B grades. It is sometimes difficult to tell between an A and a B.

This one shows the screws also.

I haven't hoisted the dogs by the tail and haven't looked that closely.

I believe I read in an old Double Gun Journal that "Parker Brothers" is usually in the minor panel as in the second AHE gun.

Best,

Mike

This dummy would like to know how can I read the "attached thumbnails"
Thanks
Linn

I right click the picture and a drop down menu appears. I choose "open link"

That works for this dummy!

There is not much difference on my screen between the linked picture and the one that appears on the thread.


Best,

Mike

What about the barrel band engraving, I don't think I've seen one like it.

The fancy barrel band is a feature often seen on high grade guns. I'll try to find more and post photos.

I have not seen an A without the breech ball rib.

Here is the butt end of the gun. Factory heel and toe plates made from a skeleton butt. I have not seen another like it.

Bruce, will you ask your "Buddy" if the PGCA research letter discusses the heel and toe plates?

Bruce,
When I said that I had seen the missing bead before, it was in an old DGJ article Vol. 17 from I think about 2008. It featured grade 6 guns and my guess would be that this was the same gun shown as they mentioned the heel and toe plates in the article. What are the odds of there being two such guns?

xxxxx

unusual
 

As I have no A grades I am hardly one to comment, but I had thought the looking back bird styles were found on earlier Parkers. Did not realize they continued to engrave that way into the fluid steel era.