Wm. H. Gough - Parker Chief Engraver 1899 - 1911

[mobirdhunter]

Originally Posted by Craig Larter

Jim DeMunck is a very talented engraver I know who lives in Rochester and shoots with our gang a few times per year. Jim has done many of the high grade CSMC Fox guns and many others for Tony. I asked Jim if he used a pattern to cut his scroll and he said no, he lays it out in his head and just starts cutting metal!!! His statement blew me away. These are one off guns and Jim is a master. Jim told me my Philadelphia XE Fox guns were made using a inked pattern. I asked him how he could determine that. He said they had one layout pattern, used it on the first side and then flipped it over for the second side, the engraving will be a perfect mirror image.

Interesting, Craig. I can believe the prep issue for a modern one off gun. Coincidentally, I have a CSMC Fox XE engraved by DeMunck. I had Tony supply me with the names of every person who worked on the gun. Maybe some day when one our member’s great-great granddaughters is writing the book on this era, it will come in handy.

I have a GH Damascus 20 that I can see the ghost image of part of the transferred drawing and where the engraver badly missed a line. It’s quite funny.

[Craig Larter]

I would love to own a 12ga 30 inch BH or AH from the 1916 to 1920 time period. There have been a few offered for sale but either the dimensions or condition were not a fit.

[Dean Romig]

That’s very, very informative Bill. Thanks so much for sharing.






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[mobirdhunter]

Thanks, Bill — and thanks to Jim for taking the time to describe his process. There’s so much history to gun engraving, and having accounts of an individual engraver’s process is amazing. A time lapse record of this needs to be made.

I’m honored to have one of Jim’s works.

[mobirdhunter]

Here’s the gun Jim engraved. It has my best bird dog, Prairie Trace, engraved on the bottom of the frame. That’s a Montana blue grouse it took.

[Randy Roberts]

A 1902 DH 16 0 Frame followed by a 1900 DH 12 3 Frame.

[Bill Jolliff]

Originally Posted by Garry L Gordon

Here’s the gun Jim engraved. It has my best bird dog, Prairie Trace, engraved on the bottom of the frame. That’s a Montana blue grouse it took.

Garry,

Do you have a couple closeups of the receiver? It sure looks nice.

Bill

[mobirdhunter]

Originally Posted by Bill Jolliff

Garry,

Do you have a couple closeups of the receiver? It sure looks nice.

Bill

Bill, we are on the road at present. When we get home, I’ll see what I can do. The engraving is within the traditional XE style with our dog engraved based on a photo I supplied to Tony. I have always liked the XE oak leaf motif.

[PML]

The father(Henry) was no slouch. I think his dogs show intensity and how often do you see a FOX on a Parker?

PML

[Dean Romig]

Pat, In my opinion Henry (“Harry”) Gough was one of Parker’s very vest engravers ever!





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