Agents for Parker

[Trap3]

Page from 1878 Simmons Hardware Company...

Trap3

[Mike Poindexter]

Interesting. They say "The barrels are manufactured by themselves", but don't list Laminated Steel as an option. We have seen rib-marked "Laminated Steel" barrels in a herringbone pattern from 1878 to 1881 stamped P on the flat, which Rev Doc Drew identifies as Lutticher (Liege) "Toncin" damascus, and many believe to be the only barrels actually manufactured from scratch by PB. Wonder what the buyers thought when instead of getting damascus they got a gun marked Laminated?

[Dean Romig]

Originally Posted by Mike Poindexter

Interesting. They say "The barrels are manufactured by themselves", but don't list Laminated Steel as an option. We have seen rib-marked "Laminated Steel" barrels in a herringbone pattern from 1878 to 1881 stamped P on the flat, which Rev Doc Drew identifies as Lutticher (Liege) "Toncin" damascus, and many believe to be the only barrels actually manufactured from scratch by PB. Wonder what the buyers thought when instead of getting damascus they got a gun marked Laminated?

It's true - according to testimony given by Charles A. King before a Senate Inquiry, Parker Bros. produced their own barrels in 1877, 1878, and 1879. They were made in segments and hammer-welded together to form the full-length tube.
We find guns made with these P marked Laminated Steel barrels into the early 1880's. I have a Grade 3 made in 1881 with these Parker-made barrels.

There should have been no disappointment in receiving a Parker with Laminated barrels instead of Damascus barrels. Laminated Steel is a more resilient composition and is as strong as the best Damascus.





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[Mike Franzen]

Originally Posted by Dean Romig

It's true - according to testimony given by Charles A. King before a Senate Inquiry, Parker Bros. produced their own barrels in 1877, 1878, and 1879.

I have an 1878 Gun. Does that mean the Damascus barrels were made by Parker?

BTW ... She just turned 140 this year. Doesn’t look a day over 125 :-)

[Southpaw]

I liked the last part. We will mail you a gun COD to try out and if you don't like it you can return it. I guess nothing has really changed in the mail order business in last 100 plus years either.

[Dean Romig]

Savvy folks are quick to learn, no matter how much they want to be liked by everybody.
"Fool me once, shame on you - Fool me twice, shame on me."
Or more to the point... "In God we trust - All others pay cash."





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[Southpaw]

I guess Simmons was the one that risked shipping it out to begin with but I don't know if that was customary for the time, or a gun marketing differentiator tactic. Marketing and service after the fact was obviously different than it was today, to some extent.

Passing thought looking at the price list from Simmons that was the retailer, what do you think the markup on these guns were. I mean what was the price that Parker was selling these guns or as an agent what was the commission or handling fee of the gun sale.

[Dean Romig]

From what I've seen on discounts given by Parker Bros on new guns the retailer could realize anywhere from 25% to 40% or better, of the retail price, often depending on the individual gun, the volume of the order, and even the dealer.





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[Bill Murphy]

In my opinion, the extreme markups at the distributor and dealer levels were the financial downfall of Parker Brothers. Obviously, the other products manufactured by Parker held up the gun side of the business.

[Dean Romig]

Originally Posted by Bill Murphy

Obviously, the other products manufactured by Parker held up the gun side of the business.

The manufacture of shotguns was only a small fraction of the Parker manufacturing empire.





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