Research letter on 36"Parker V Grade

[Pa SxS]

I wanted to review the records again since there is so much discussion about this gun just in case I missed anything, and I did! I don't usually post pictures from the order book but in this case, and to show how difficult it is to interpret the writing, I'll show the information found in Order Book #90. The first problem is reading this person's name. It's written in pencil not ink and the pencil point was not sharp but the last name can be made out to be Wallace. Now the first name is an abbreviation which could either be "Theo" for Theodore, or "Thos" for Thomas. I chose Theo but it could be Thos. Jeff, you may want to check for Thomas Wallace in you investigation.

As you can see, the order requests to use barrels from S/N 133140. The Order Book for this gun clearly shows it as a VH with 32" Vulcan barrels so that statement in the letter is correct. Where I made the big mistake is when I went to the stock book for 171866, the barrel length is listed as 36". Why I missed this, I don't know but I'm blaming it on the Wuhan Virus! The Order Book for 133140 shows it as 32". I guess the entry in the Order Book could be a mistake or those original barrels were replaced at some time with 36" barrels. We'll never know.

So Jeff, let me know what first name you want used in the letter. I'll also put the length of 36" barrels in the paragraph for the stock book entry.

[Kevin McCormack]

This is very interesting to me - when we copied the Order Books and other Parker bibliographical materials at Remington in Ilion, the pace of work in trying to get everything done was a real crunch. Folding pages over, turning and twisting the books to get a good copy of each page was demanding. Every once in a while, a notation would catch somebody's eye and we would linger a few seconds trying to interpret exactly what it said. Trying to decipher these entries done in the old "Coca Cola" script type of the day essentially amounts to forensic calligraphy interpretation. Great job, Chuck!

[Randy Roberts]

Thanks Chuck. I don't know how you read these darned records in the first place. If you were not telling me what they said I would be unable to read 2/3 of the writing.

[Dean Romig]

Bill, rather than set this thread off on another tangent, will you please start a new thread on your Curtiss try-gun so we can learn why the Curtiss gun differs from others?

I remember your try-gun on your table at the Baltimore show several years ago. I took several pictures of it with my cell phone but they didn’t come out as well as I had hoped but I’ll be happy to post some pics on your new thread.




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[Dean Romig]

BTW, it sure looks like Thos to me.





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[Dakota Jeff]

Hello Chuck, I have found Henry Wallace had 5 sons one of who's name was Thomas H.That must be the name on the register you have?I'm amazed at the info you are able to figure out from the records you have available to you.Im not sure I understand why you want me to pick a name to put on the letter.When I requested this letter I didn't expect it to be this puzzling.I really appreciate what you have been able to find out.I thought it really odd that a gun like this would end up in S.D.If not for this coronavirus I would run to the Canton Court House and stop in the register of deeds.I have lots of friends and several relatives that live in Canton and am sure in a matter of time I will find out more about this gun.Il do some checking about a Thomas Wallace and see what I can find out.When I walked into the gun show where I bought this I scanned the room and noticed a set of barrels sticking up taller than anything else in the rack and walked directly too it.With all the issues I noticed it had I put it back and went on my way.It didn't take long and I wandered back to see if it was still there.The price was quite high I thought.I must have went back half a dozen times,called a friend of mine Tom Armbrust for advice wondering if I should try to get it bought.Tom happened to be in town visiting and would stop by to help me look the gun over better.I couldn't wait,thinking this might be really rare and struck a deal with the owner.Im glad I did.Ill have to check into getting some work done to it ,maybe some restoration.In the meantime its not going anywhere.

[Dakota Jeff]

Being new here I'm not familiar will most of you, or your names.Im sure I met a few of you at Pheasant Fest,but am terrible with names.I have been reading articles on this site since I bought my first Parker a few years ago and is a wealth of information to a Parker owner.I hope no one has taken any offense thinking I thought the letter didn't tell me everything about the gun.Im gratefull for getting any info about it and want to thank those of you involved in researching this gun for me.If and when we get this virus under control and any of you get out this way and want to do a little skeet or trap shooting,i have a pallet of targets,plenty of ammo,and if you don't have your gun along I bet I can find one that fits you.

[Matt Buckley]

Jeff,
I think Chuck is going to issues a new letter with the 36" barrels updated in the new letter so that is why he is asking if you want him to change the name to Thomas instead of Theo. It almost has to be Thomas with what information you have found out about the family.

[Dakota Jeff]

Matt, I made contact finally with the guy I bought it from but he was cautious about giving me the name and number of the guy he bought it from.He did tell me he was from Yankton which is only 50 miles from me,so the gun didn't venture too far from home.I gave the guy my name and number and he was going to contact a mutual friend of ours to see if he had a number for this other guy.So I just have to wait and see.Confusing still.I have to go along with the name Thomas also.The Thomas Wallace name was found in an old book from 1897 that my grandparents had and was kept in the family.

[MarketHunter]

If you want that gun put back somewhat right I'd send it off to Brian Dudley, he's the only human being on the planet I'd trust with that sort of work.