Parker damascus demo

[Richard Flanders]

There was a most interesting piece at the Anchorage RGS banquet last night. It was on display with some incredible damascus guns such as an EM Reilly damascus 28ga hammer gun. Stunning little thing! From the residue on the muzzles I'd say he shoots it too. The damascus piece was a Parker demo example showing the stages of damascus production, starting with 3 square bars that were twisted then twisted around each other then wrapped around a mandrel and ending with finished damascus hammer welded together. This is from when Parker was making their own damascus and came from an elderly Parker factory worker of some kind. He also had other pieces of damascus barrels sample pieces. What a great item. The guns on display were all absolutely stunning examples. The owner stood there all night and never wandered. Think his name was Stevens. He also had damascus knives and a hatchet of some sort. I got the idea somehow that the damascus demo piece is shown in the Parker story or maybe in some other book on damascus.

One of his guns was a percussion dbl hammer gun with 'etched damascus' that gave the pattern relief.... that was very cool and something I had not seen.

[Drew Hause]

This image was in the July 24, 1886 'Scientific American' and Parker catalogs showing 6 Iron Crolle production



Several damascus demonstration rods, including Dr Gaddy's are here
http://www.picturetrail.com/sfx/album/view/20091342

Letters in The Chicago Field in 1878 state that a barrel forger named John Blaze of Birmingham, England had immigrated to America to make Wesson's barrels. He was listed in the 1865 Worchester, Mass. City Directory as a 'Gunsmith', and 1878-1881 as a 'Blacksmith.' Whether he left Wesson for Parker's employ after Dan Wesson shut down his shotgun production in December 1870 is uncertain. He MAY have produced a Crolle Pattern Damascus barrel for Wesson, and Twist and Laminated steel barrels for Parker Bros. c. 1877-1880



MUCH more here including John Davis' article
http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dfg2hmx7_1742r4n6vcz

[Bruce Day]

Its shown in TPS, a Parker catalog and in Parker Pages.

A friend owns one that was bought from the Oscar Gaddy estate and which has been shown at PGCA meetings and Pheasant Fest.

There are a few known and in private hands today. They are believed to have been made by damascus barrel suppliers as salesmen's teaching tools.

[Richard Flanders]

That's what it is Bruce. Quite a nice acquisition for a collector and I'm sure not inexpensive. This guy here had some very nice things on display. The Reilly 28ga was to die for.... There's also a Jeffries hammerless 8-bore shot/ball S/S for sale here at the skeet range we shot at yesterday. $24K. Redone by G&Howe some time back. Gorgeous piece and ready to go. Quite the cannon.

And Drew, that pic you posted is exactly what was on the table. Very cool.