GH looking back birds
 

My interest in Parkers ready took off three years ago with the purchase of a 12 PH. My next gun was 16 GH on a 0 frame made in the 1892 that did not fit me therefore did not workout. But the engraving of the 2 birds one always looking back is normal for GH guns of that period.This gun was replaced with 16 GH 1 frame (that fits) from 1928. none of the birds are looking back. Is there a time when the engraving style got away from looking back birds ? just as 1926 or 27 Parker dropped the spur on the DHBP. Thanks in advance.

Hi Daniel - Austin Hogan, former editor in chief of Parker Pages, had a keen affinity for Parker's 'looking back' birds to the point that he even posted a picture of a cloud formation he photographed that had a very strong resemblance to Parker's 'looking back' birds. If you look on the archived PGCA website it may still be there.

Your observations on this engraving are about correct.





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I believe one of his articles and it may be in TPS as well atributed the looking back bird to the period of a specific engraver...

That is very likely Bill.




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This has me very curious, could you show an example of "looking back birds"?

Here you go

Thats a good one Mills! You typically see it more common on the side plates!

They are sharptail grouse.

This is timely as I was just reading up on GH guns. I recently purchased a 20 bore with a looking back bird on the side. it is a 1920 era gun but the TPS states that the looking back birds were phased out around the turn of the century at the end of the "Harry" Gough era. I guess like many things the change was not a complete one.

This is a zero frame 20 bore.

How are you able to determine those looking back birds are sharptail? Their bodies are very elongated and remind me more of some African birds not any bird I know of in N. America. With their long necks perhaps some type of goose.