Parker Bros. Employee Burt Becker??

[Bill Murphy]

Kevin, to clarify, the lightweight Norris Purdey is a "one barrel set" gun. The gun gifted to GBE is a two barrel set gun.

[Sheepherder]

Is "gifted" the right word? I read that under the terms of Dr. Norris's will, that GBE was given the chose of which Purdy he would inherit.

[Dean Romig]

Originally Posted by Hal Sheets

Is "gifted" the right word? I read that under the terms of Dr. Norris's will, that GBE was given the chose of which Purdy he would inherit.

Maybe "bequeathed" would be a better word?





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[John Allen]

To answer the initial question about Burt Becker, he did outwork for most of the big manufacturers of the day. He also did custom barrel work for professional trap and pigeon shooters. I have owned and seen Becker choked model 12 and 21 Winchesters, ithaca single barrel traps,and a few Parkers. Becker had a distinctive makers mark. A capital B and lower case b back to back. He put that mark supposedly on every gun he choked. That was his bread and butter trade along with building custom guns.

[Bill Murphy]

Hal Sheets, GBE was given the choice of Purdeys by Dr. Norris. He picked the heavier gun with two sets of barrels.

[terc]

My memory might be wrong , but I thought he got to choose between "The Little Purdey" and a Churchill gun.

[Dean Romig]

No, it was between the two Purdeys.





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[6pt-Sika]

Originally Posted by Dean Romig

No, it was between the two Purdeys.





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Seems to me at his demise Norris possessed a pair of Purdey guns and a third gun (which I think was an H&H) of which GBE was to choose any of the three . I read this in one of GBE’s books which are no longer in my possession or I would quote it etc .

[Bill Murphy]

I haven't read all of GBE, but don't remember a Holland and Holland. He did own a Fox which he disgraced with a beavertail restock.

[Sheepherder]

To clear up the issue of the gun willed to GBE by Dr. Norris, refer to pages 210 and 278/279 of 'The Upland Shooting Life'. One Purdey Dr. Norris had built in 1929, for himself. The other Purdey and a Churchill box lock, had been "left to" Dr. Norris by his friend Lynford Biddle. It was this (Biddle) Purdey that GBE selected and refers to as the "little" Purdey. It had an extra set of more open 26" barrels. All 3 guns where 12 bore. GBE had his choice of the 3 and chose the "little" Purdey.