Very early Parker double

[William Mapoles]

I have a Parker double, serial number 226, with back-action non-rebounding locks, lifter action, decarbonized barrels, 14 ga, Nov 13, 1866 patent date, wedge key forend, 31 3/4 barrel length, NRA fine to excellent condition, 'X' stamped under left barrel, 'F' on bottom of locking lug, 'C' on watertable above serial number, straight checkered stock and forend. Early name on rib: PARKER BROS MAKERS MERIDEN CONN DECARBONIZED STEEL. Anything you could tell me about the gun would be appreciated, as there is not much in Flayderman's or Blue Book concerning value. Thanks in advance for your assistance.

[David Noble]

Pictures will get you better responses. They are indeed worth more than a thousand words.

[Dean Romig]

Yes, please post several pictures of your Parker.





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[William Mapoles]

Sorry, I don't own a digital camera. I am an old gun collector and not very tech savvy. Please use the word picture provided and trust me when I say that it is NRA fine to excellent, more excellent than fine. I would appreciate any information you can provide. I am especially curious about the gauge (14), since my references don't mention 14 in the first year of production. Thank you.

[Dean Romig]

Mr. Mapoles,
May I ask where you live?

Your Parker sounds like an ideal candidate to be featured in an issue of Parker Pages, the journal of the Parker Gun Collectors Association. It is a 48-page color glossy magazine published quarterly. We have 1400 members, both annual as well as lifetime members. Everybody likes to see fine examples of unusual Parkers featured in our journal. Perhaps a friend, neighbor, or family member could photograph your Parker and you could write up a little history on how you found the gun and anything you might know about how your gun has spent the last 150 or so years. If you don't know any details that's fine.

A research letter could be ordered for your Parker's serial number - there could be some important provenance in such a letter, but often there is very little.

I should mention that I am the editor of Parker Pages and you are welcome to email me at dsromig@aol.com

Best Regards,
Dean Romig





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[William Mapoles]

Yes, I am interested, and I will send you an email. Thanks! How do I get a research letter?

[Pa SxS]

Don't bother with a research letter, it's to early for the records. It would be the lowest grade gun Parker made at that time. It sounds like it's chambered for a 14ga. paper shell and a 12b brass shell. Probably has 11ga. bores.

[Mike Franzen]

We still want to see pictures. From your description it sounds amazing.