There are numerous Parker stocks with factory original cheekpieces; not many to be sure but they are out there. Some of the most interesting are made of a cork-composite-like material that is nearly as hard as wood, added at the factory as after-market alterations. The gun in question definitely hallmarks the touch of a rifle stockmaker; observe the rise to the cheekpiece and the double-border scribing of the base of the cheekpiece; very strongly reminiscent of a high-powered rifle stock designed for careful shouldering, as opposed to a true shotgun cheekpiece that can be quick-mounted in the field for birds as well as game. Also observe the grip cap 'double radius' treatment, with the bottom of the cap slightly smaller than the base against the grip. Similarly, the forend exhibits the after-market characteristics of the thicker tip as opposed to the Parker standard taper (wider in the Remington Ilion Parkers as opposed to the Meriden manufacture under either Parker Bros. or Remington post-1934. The style of restocking strongly suggests European craftsmanship (German or Austrian) typical of a drilling or other similar multi-barreled guns. Observe early photographs of Lefever, Hollenbeck, Sauer, and pre-WW II Krieghoff drillings and double rifles for comparison and contrast.
|