Well we got a letter on the gun and what a story! This is particularly intriguing to me since I primarily collect market guns and this gun appears to have been a truly well used market gun. The gun was shipped to T. B. Davis (T. B. Davis Arms Co.) of Portland, Maine on October 16th, 1891. Davis ran a sporting good store and retailed shotguns. The gun was a top lever hammer gun, 8 Ga, straight grip with 38" Damascus barrels. One week later he returned the gun to Parker for a full credit (apparently someone didn't like it!). Parker held the gun for a year and a half until they sold it to Schoverling Daly & Gales of New York City in March, 1893. They were another sporting goods retailer, who sold the gun to E. G. Elliott of Nantucket Island, Mass. On November 9th, 1894, Elliott returned the gun to have it "restocked 1/2 pistol grip, install Silvers recoil pad, and make shoot as best as can". Two years later in 1896, Elliott returned the gun yet again to "restock, take out dents, and re-blue". Obviously Mr. Elliott was a market hunter who was showing this gun some serious use! He then sold the gun to Frank Meiggs, also of Nantucket, who I have confirmed to have been a market hunter. He returned the gun in 1898 to "tighten the action, clean up locks, clean and rebrown barrels, and solder on ribs". So within just five years the gun was on it's third stock, had to be repaired multiple times, and even have new ribs soldered! Needless to say the barrels were professionally shortened to 34" during the period as well. I can only imagine how many waterfowl this gun must have had to take down to gain so much wear and tear over a short period of time. This also confirms that the gun is the one and only quality 2 toplever hammer 8 Gauge with 38" barrels ever made.
-Dean
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