Special rib inscriptions
 

I posted a photo of the rib inscription on an important AAHE and it prompted an email from Dean about these inscribed guns. In talks with knowledgeable Parker folks these are incredibly rare - perhaps less than 6 or so known. This gun made for William Wagner and given to him by Bros. P.

Anyone else have photos they wish to share?

Josh, as I said in my email to you, I have been working on an article for nearly a decade but keep running into problems with the photos. I went to Texas back at the beginning of this project and handled the gun I told you about, an A-grade T/A hammer 12 ga. pigeon gun and I took a lot of pictures of it. The pictures, however, didn't turn out good enough for publication. In the meantime I have done a lot more research on the original owner and have turned up a lot more information.

I have related before that my aunt, in the Cleveland area was one of the domestic help for the Brown family, specifically the last of the Browns known only to me as "Mrs. Brown".

Harvey Huntington Brown was the man for whom the gun was originally made. He inherited the iron ore freighting business on Lake Eire and others of the Great Lakes from his father, Fayette Brown, and built upon that to finally amass a fortune in the shipping and ore business.

Ed Muderlak wrote about Harvey H. Brown on page 308 of his book "Shooting Flying and the American Experience" of when HHB won the coveted Lorrilard Medal but returned it in a vengeance because he was against the way the pigeon shoots of the day were stacked in favor of the professional shooters.

In any case, a story in Parker Pages or the Double Gun Journal will someday be published.

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Better picture of the rib inscription...


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Kevin McCormack's "Graduation Gun" has a rib inscription. I "Didn't Buy" a C grade ten gauge 34" two barrel set, one Acme, one Bernard Steel, that was rib inscribed, the Bernard set with the father's name, the Acme set with the son's name. OK, slap me with a leather strap loaded with #4 lead. The gun was bought by a good friend after I told him about it. Maybe I'll own it some day.

I've seen rib inscriptions on other guns. A friend had a W.C Scott premier grade (IIRC) that was a pigeon gun inscribed "custom built for Arthur DuBray". I've never seen a Parker with the rib inscribed. Perhaps this was a marketing tool for well known or wealthy shooter of influence.

Rib inscription
 

Mr. Tinkers ( the kick butt gun) #79 in the winter 2018 has a rib inscription that reads Manufactured for E.W. Tinker Providence R.I. .

I've held a M21 which was inscribed "Custom made by Winchester for Lee A. Iacocca"

Hundreds of Custom Grade Model 21s were rib inscribed by name. Parker would probably do it for five bucks, so heavy hitters were not the only ones who could have it done. I have a Prussian Lindner pigeon gun that was inscribed on the rib.

I have a 1916 32” VH marked “Made To Order For L W Cummings Parker Bros Makers, Meridan Conn, Vulcan Steel”. This gun was one of a two gun order; the other gun was a VHE. Mr Cummings was a registered trap shooter from southern Illinois. My attempts to do an article for the Parker Pages yielded interesting information on Mr Cummings. I also found his grandson; however, that’s as far as it got. Mr Cummings disappeared from trap shooting records into be early 1920s.

Because I am the current custodian, I will go out on a limb and say that this is the most important Canadian Parker based on provenance. DHE inscribed rib Sir Frederick Borden. In the fullness of time I hope to complete an article on this gun. I do shoot it because I believe they all need exercise. Cheers Jack
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