DH engraving

[Daniel G Rainey]

I just purchased a DH made in 1902 with Damascus barrels. Good original gun. On the floorplate there 4 flying ducks engraved and not the normal 3 . Are there many DHs around with extra bird on the floorplate? Dan

[Dean Romig]

I just checked all of my Grade 3 Parker hammerless guns and they all have four birds on the floorplate, be they pheasants, ducks, sharptails, or whatever... I can't remember seeing a Grade 3 hammerless with only three birds.

Oddly, the Grade 4's generally have five birds (if they have birds at all - some have deer or elk) and appropriately, the Grade 2's normally have two birds on the floorplate.

I have often wondered why the number of birds on the floorplates weren't representative of the grade of the gun, but if that was ever a consideration at Parker Bros. it never came to fruition to my knowledge.

[Daniel G Rainey]

Thanks. I think I was a three birded D grade some where. Dan

[Dean Romig]

That's entirely possible I'm sure. In the realm of Parkerdom we "never say never."