Pheasants on hammergun

[Brent Francis]

Thanks I hadnt noticed the brass it also looks like the serial numbers on the barrel dont match the frame. Must be an assembled gun. Ive got a couple of early parkers from the 1890s and 1900s and no pheasants just things that look like prairie chickens and ducks. My G from the 1920s has pheasants so it caught my attention when I saw these nice looking pheasants on such an old gun.

[Autumn Daze]

Brent, The number visible on the barrel flats is the order number. These are commonly found on early guns.

[Jeff Mayhew]

The last three digits of the serial number (257) are stamped into the rear of the barrel lug. You can just barely make it out in picture 20. Note also what appear to be the initials "J.S."

[Bill Murphy]

The gun is not an assembled gun. However, back to the original question; Judge Denny brought the first birds over in 1881, the second batch in 1882. The first batch was observed with young the first year. The gun was apparently built in 1882. I have a feeling that the pheasant importation was pretty big news in the hunting press of the day. I have some mention of Judge Denny in sporting papers of the 1880s. I think he was pretty well known. Is the 1882 Parker the first engraving of a pheasant on an American shotgun? I don't know, but it's something to investigate. There couldn't have been more than a few hundred pheasants in this country when that gun was made.