What's on your plate?

[Bruce Day]

Originally Posted by Bill Murphy

OK, Dean, since we as an organization have decided not to drag our collection around as we did in the past.......

Well, we displayed the Browning gun at Pheasant Fests for at least the last three years in Minneapolis, Des Moines and Kansas City, and at the 2012 NRA Conventions in St Louis where over 200,000 people have seen it. I have no plans to show it in Milwaukee this year but I'm sure people will again have an opportunity to see John Browning's Parker that he ordered to shoot with his gunning friend Charles Parker.

Its been popular with Browning Arms representatives at these shows.

[Dean Romig]

Bill, I don't have that information at my fingertips and hope that someone who does will post available provenance on that gun here.

[Ray Masciarella]

The serial number of the first photo posted, ie song birds, etc., is the serial number just before the Browning gun. I believe there were 3 AHs all in a row and I guess built at the same time. Wonder where the other gun is?

[Harry Reed]

Ray, on the photo you posted with the three cranes and fish, do you know anything about the original purchaser of that Parker? That is a very interesting gun.

[Bindlestiff]

Information on Mr. Browning's gun was taken from the article in the Jan/Feb 2002 issue of Parker Pages.

[Ray Masciarella]

Harry, it is one of the guns Charles E Parker ordered in 1890 for show purposes. It traveled to many shows throughout the 1890s and remained in Parkers inventory til around 1900 or so when it was sold for $100-a $200 discount! I have seen one other AH with the same engraving.

PS-I think they are actually great blue herons.

[Harry Reed]

Thanks Ray, I had not seen that until you posted it. I think it shows off the talents of the engraver. As for the 66% discount, I guess if it was a show gun it probably had some handling marks, therefore, the discount. But it cost less then my CH from the factory.