FAQ: Engraving and Engravers Forum

[John D.]

Welcome to the Parker Engraving and Engravers Forum!

This area is a bit different than many of the other Parker Forums in that it is a place to share pictures, research and discussions regarding the engraving, and those who executed the engraving of Parker shotguns. At the same time – it is not a forum to critique the Parker, as we do not care if the gun has been restored or not, as long as the engraving is the original design and execution.

A couple of guidelines…

Posting Topic Titles: It would be really helpful if your topic format followed as such: “Parker GH (Your title)” for example: (Parker GH: Receiver and Floorplate). As well, PLEASE START YOUR OWN THREAD if you are showing A DIFFERENT PARKER THAN HAS BEEN POSTED. It would be helpful to describe the Parker overall (hammer, Damascus, serial number, unique features, etc.) so we can determine the era of manufacture and thus the engraving and possibly the engraver(s).

Photos: Folks have various skills with a camera and computer, so please don’t hesitate to ask for help in making your pictures better. As well – please do not take offense if someone asks for better pictures of certain aspects of your Parker – we are just trying to see the details of the engraving that you see “first hand”!

Anonymous Contributions: Occasionally, I or others will post pictures of Parkers for owners who wish to remain anonymous. That is fine, and if you are asked to do so, please post in your thread that you are posting for another person. Also – if you recognize that Parker - PLEASE DO NOT MENTION WHO THE PREVIOUS OR CURRENT OWNER IS – as they wanted to contribute to our knowledge anonymously, and I take their privacy seriously.

I’ll add to this FAQ as more folks have ideas and suggestions…

My Best Always,

John

[Brad Boyer]

John...have a question about engravers and if they always signed their work...I own Parker BH serial #74756 ordered on Dec 21, 1892 and delivered April 5, 1893 and have not been able to find an engravers name anywhere on the gun...Did the engravers routinely sign their works?? Thanks in advance for any insight!! Regards, Brad Boyer

[Bindlestiff]

No. Signed engraving on a Parker is very rare.

[Brad Boyer]

Thanks Robin!!! B

[Dean Romig]

Where, in fact it is so extremely rare to find an engraver's mark or signature on his work, I don't know this to be a fact but, I think it must have been Parker Bros. policy to prohibit this practice.

[Kevin McCormack]

Originally Posted by Dean Romig

Where, in fact it is so extremely rare to find an engraver's mark or signature on his work, I don't know this to be a fact but, I think it must have been Parker Bros. policy to prohibit this practice.

Yes, in fact it was an "official/unofficial" Parker Bros. policy for their engravers to not sign their work. The corporate line so to speak was that the guns were a product of Parker Bros. engravers, not a specific individual. Nonetheless, there are a few examples where the more feisty or individualistic personalities prevailed and they did sign their work as Dean has pointed out.

[Brad Boyer]

Robin...I was intrigued with the articles on Gough engraving and signatures or initials on the high grade guns..esp the signature in the wood was just wondering about the frequency and could this have been more prevalent that we thought?

[JJ Roberts]

I read some were Annie Oakley after picking up Parker at the factory when into the engraving department and had the engraver her sign her Parker before she left. J.J.

[Buddy Marson]

I would sure like to know who engraved Annie's B grade with her likeness on it. My BHE was the next gun built and most likely engraved by the same person.

[JJ Roberts]

This is my latest engraved copper plate. I am now teaching a print class
in my studio here in Manassas, VA.