The term may have come from describing their products something like Good, Better, Best. They could have as easily said 1, 2, 3, or V,P,G, etc.
London makers presented themselves as though the makers in other large cities had lesser skilled workers. Birmingham had a wealth of skilled labor, and a William Ford sidelock, ordered by someone who asked for William Ford's best work, got a gun every bit as nice as a Royal Grade. Polished, gilded and pierced bridles were not limited to any specific geographic area.
I remember many nice English side by sides of my dad's, and my mother's cousins, in Scotland had a half dozen in a rack on the bootroom wall. They were all beautiful, because they were, except for barrel length, and maybe bore, the same. It almost appeared as every gun was engraved by the same hand. Except for guys like Ken Hunt, most of the engravers seems to stick to fine scroll work.
Apart from Parker being made in my Dad's hometown, the endless variety, and relative affordability are only a few of the reasons I love them so much.
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