Watkins & Cottrell Richmond Va Parker

[William Davis]

Posted few weeks ago on a rough Parker bought for a project. Ordered a letter and found the Gun was shipped to Watkins & Cottrell Hardware Richmond Va 1905.

Watkins Cottrell was a well known Hardware Store on Hull Street, I remember well 50+ years ago riding by with my Dad and admiring the Double Barrel Shotgun over the door. Did a quick Google search and found the 19 foot long Shotgun was sold at auction with some other memorablia. Drawing was from the orgional Main Street store, sign moved to Hull Street when the Main Street retail store closed and W&C transitioned to wholesale hardware.





Speculation from some of my Richmond shooting freinds the large gun was furnished by Parker, but who knows, Any more info would be intresting.

Bill

[Jack Montgomery]

As a youngster ( late 1950's), I recall Harris Flippen, which I believe was mentioned in Johnson's book, but I do not recall the Watkins store.

Best, Jack

[charlie cleveland]

a neat piece of history..hope you find the big gun s maker...charlie

[Ed Blake]

I believe Harris-Flippen sold quite a few Parkers according to the records. Ivory Beads had a BHE 12 for sale a few years ago that lettered from there. There was a 32" DH that floated around Richmond gun shows for a few years that originated from HF. The building is still at 6th and Main. The Richmond Gun Shop was on the next block. I used to go in there at lunch occasionally and look around. The proprietor was about the most unfriendly old coot I've ever met. The old sporting magazines report on trap and pigeon matches in Richmond. I've always wondered where the matches were held.

[Ed Blake]

I took in an estate sale in early September that had a 10' wooden Winchester M12 for sale. The seller did not know where it came from, but it was Winchester advertising.

[Jack Montgomery]

My father worked at Southern States, which used to be at 7th and Main, I think, and I can recall going into Harris Flippen with him, and I recall the gun rack(s). In those days, the apple of my eye was a Browning humpback Auto 5 in 16 gauge. I carried papers to save to buy one. I would have been far smarter to look for a Parker at that time.

[William Davis]

I rembember Watkins and Cottrell as a Wholesale house. My Uncle was in the Machine Tool Business and able to buy direct, we would go in for home shop supplies. I would guess someone like Harris Flippen bought guns from W&C for re-sale.

When I knew that big shotgun it was over the warehouse door. Cary St under the Rail Road Bridge I think

Bill

[gman]

These old stores had everything. You could spend the day. In Philadelphia growing up it was Goldberg army navy when a/n stores were the real thing. My last time there, and my most vivid memory of the place, they had a number of surplus British rigid frame triumph military motor cycles - new in crates packed in cosmoline. $800! Who had 800 bucks then.

[Mills]

Never know what you find out via research letters

[Researcher]

There is currently a 1906 Harris, Flippen & Co. catalogue up for auction on ebay --