Parker History-please participate

[Bruce Day]

We all have a gun that we are fond of, it may not be the best, fanciest, costliest or the like, but I have an old Parker that I always bring when I want to be sure. Its a 1911 GHE 12ga, 2frame 30" damascus, nothing special to many. I've posted photos of it before and some I know may be tired of it, but bear with me.

Here are a few photos of the gun, the order book page and a photo of Charles E Tisdall, the sporting goods company owner who ordered the gun. This gun was part of a large order ranging from V grades to high grades, most all 12ga 30", and most were ejectors ordered at $25 extra.

Charles Tisdall is a North America success story. Born in Birmingham England in 1866 to a family of gunsmiths he came to British Columbia Canada at age 22, established a small gunshop and repair business and then reloacated to Vancouver within a few years. Tisdall Sporting Goods became the largest in western Canada and he placed yearly large orders with Parker Brothers. He was the Grand Master Mason and here is a photo of him in regalia. He became mayor of Vancouver and worked to improve and expand that city's lovely park system.

This gun order shows that the Parker gun shipment was by the Burlington Railroad to Chicago then by the Great Northern RR to Vancouver.

Tisdall Sporting Goods is said to have had three tiers of gun racks and ladders on rails. Tisdall is rumored to have been a major supplier of arms to China during the Boxer Rebellion and Chinese are said to have come in from the remote mines with small ingots of silver in payment. Guns would be shipped from Vancouver to China in crates labeled remains to be buried in China.

So this old G sold for $80 plus $25 for the ejectors, $105, a lot of money in 1911 when you could buy lesser guns for $20. A man had to stretch to buy a Parker, maybe still do. I am the third owner and imported it from British Columbia.

So thats the story of this gun. I know many of you have similar stories. You have a respected old gun, a history that you've researched, a story to tell. We put flesh on these old guns, they become special to us, and maybe to future generations.

So, if you have the inclination, can you post photos, a history, a story?