Did Parker leather face higher grade guns ordered with a Silvers pad?
 

On Grade 3 and above did Parker ship guns ordered with a Silvers pad include a leather face??

I have a transition era vh12 that has a thin leather covering over a silvers like pad. Don't know if it's original. I know it makes it difficult to remove the pad for repairs. I can't imagine how I could get the thin leather off without destroying it.

I know Fox leather faced guns fitted with a Silvers a grade CE and above. I have a grade 3 Parker circa 1901 that letters with a Silvers pad was it originality leather faced??

Burt Spiller's VH, a transition gun, has a Silvers style pad faced with leather.

But again, it's only a VH and not a Grade 3 or higher as requested.

There is no mention of butt treatment in the research letter I ordered on the gun but it is certainly old enough to be original to the gun.

See the badly deteriorated pad when the gun was auctioned at The Cobb's Auctioneers on October 13, 2008 with Austin Hogan holding the gun and compare it with the condition of the pad as Tom Keer is holding the gun while shooting with Morris Baker, current owner of Spiller's Parker.



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From what I have seen of leather faced Silvers pads the early ones were all spurred and the spurs varied over time. Most were leather faced and I believe the leather was used primarily to retain the plugs. I believe the 1953 Winchester 21 catalog displays various forms of leather facing pads on 21's. Most leather faced pads I have seen were covered in cow hide.

My DHE, circa 1924, has a covered pad. Unfortunately, records don't exist to verify its authenticity

I've never seen it mentioned in the Order Books. Nor is it mentioned in any of the catalogs I've looked at. Maybe Mark Conrad can give his thoughts.

I don't think there is any correlation between leather covers and pad manufacturers. The pad could not have the leather cover on it prior to installation simply because there would be no way to attach it to the butt stock without going through the leather.

Here is a photo of a 1905 Parker Silvers pad. The factory letter doesn't mention any pad addition but considering the gun has been in the family for about 77 years, the length of pull matches the factory letter, and the black plate is curved makes me believe the pad is original to the gun. By the way, the plate does not have a spur. The gun is a C grade.

I have owned two Parker DH grade guns that had factory Silvers pad but the pads were to deteriorated to tell if they were ever leather faced. The leather faced Silvers was standard procedure for Fox and many original examples exist. The leather face is a very nice touch that keeps the rubber from hanging up when mounting the gun. I believe Fox used goat skin.