Invincibles

[Pa SxS]

I don't know if it's permissible to have copies of these articles sent to me for the archives. They wouldn't be published just kept for the records. If it's OK, can you guys that have these articles, copy them and send them to me?

[Jean Swanson]

I do not recall exactly, but Sheldon Gitman of Pottsville, PA had something to do with the Invincibles. I also recall that he may have owned at least two of them . My friend Rich Frutchy photographed them ,I do not recall the reason

[Dean Romig]

The three known Invincibles at the 2014 PGCA Annual Meeting at the National Firearms Museum in Fairfax, VA.




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[Alfred Greeson]

I will see what I can find. I have the Shooting Sportsman issue and I will give them a call and see if we can get a back issue, if not I will make copies. A copy would be good because there was also a page on other Parkers to be in the same auction with 233565: A prototype A-1 Special called a Cornucopia Parker, The Green Guns - a set of BHE guns in 12 and 28 gauge with a set of interchangeable barrels in 20 and .410 gauge and an AHE presented by Parker Bros. as first prize at the Meriden Club Shoot in 1913.
The article itself describes in detail all the changes that were built into the Invincible, really interesting. Also, there is a neat article entitled "The Parker Market: What's Hot, What's Not.
Most of this may be common info. to many of you but I grew up in the second largest county in Tennessee, there were three Parkers known in the county. The county judge owned one, the local hardware store owner had a V grade and an old man had a long barrel hammer, muzzle loader, mention of a Parker was big stuff. So, as a late in life first time owner, I have read everything Parker I could find before ever owning one.
You guys in the North are super blessed with access so when I returned to active duty in 2000 in the D.C. area, I worked extra, hit the Dulles show and finally acquired my first Parker. So, needless to say I really enjoy this forum and hearing of your guns and exploits.

[charlie cleveland]

sounds like your county in tennesse had about as many parkers in it as was mycounty itawambia miss...i never seen a parker till i was 45 years old...i seen lc smith and fox and ithaca seven in my early years...i figure that people on cotton farms just did not have the money to buy parkers i bet your county was in the same shape...charlie

[Alfred Greeson]

Yea, owning a high dollar shotgun was not way up on the list of priorities but everyone in the family hunted and we had mothers and granmothers who could make a rabbit or a squirrel taste better than steak, especially when you layered on the biscuits and gravy. We may have been poor but no one knew it. Just like coming in out of the snow after cutting firewood all day and sitting down to a plate of white beans, corn bread and buttermilk. You thought you were rich if no one told you any different. And when you counted up what really mattered at the time, we were rich.

[Alfred Greeson]

Charlie, One other thing I finally found from your part of the country was a high grade Greener that was given to an old gentleman's grandfather who had worked on a plantation. He worked on a garbage truck in Memphis and it took me 3 years to finally find him. It was for real a high grade Greener in pretty good shape except that the old man had cut about 15 inches off the barrels, said he couldn't hit a rabbit with it to save himself, so, he fixed it!

[Dean Romig]

I wish, in so many ways, that we could go back.

[Alfred Greeson]

I know what you mean, but those times taught us to work hard and appreciate today. We will live and die with those good times memories and work to create the good days for our families today. I miss the pop of my Grandads little .410 bolt action. Always one pop and you knew another swamp rabbit was in the bag and away the beagles would go again. They made it through the depression and taught us well. The hardest lick I can remember as a child was from that same Grandfather. I was about 8 and carrying a quart jar of green beans and dropped it. I felt that backhand and it almost knocked me off my feet. No one said a word until we were on the way home and my Father said, "Son, do you know why he hit you?" and I said no. Daddy said, because you wasted food. Well, it was a tough love but I darn sure didn't drop food again. Good times!

[Alfred Greeson]

Once all the information is gathered, it would be great to see the story of all three Invincibles in the Parker Pages. I have read that one of them was offered on a trade in California years ago but the person wasn't interested. Just like the Czar Parker, the rumors and stories are numerous. I also read that one of them was owned by a wealthy gentleman in the Northeast who put it on a closet shelf in a bedroom. He passed away and later his wife sold the mansion and the new owner found the gun, in the case, still lying on the upper shelf. Got to be some great stories from these three guns. I still wonder about the guy who advertised in Double Gun Journal wanting to buy a 20 gauge Invincible for some time??? Was he just fishing or smoking some bad stuff or did he know something we didn't. Good chance he is reading this, Ha! Could there be a fourth one out there?