LL Bean's Parker

[Dean Romig]

The Parker is LL Bean’s own personal CHE 16 gauge with the “sinestral” stock because of the vision impairment of his right eye.

Several years ago I contacted the gun department manager - very nice accomodating guy - explaining that I was editor of the Journal of the Parker Gun Collectors Association, about my examining that gun on a padded table in the back of the department and take it down into its three major parts and to publish a piece in Parker Pages. We set a date and a time for my visit.

When I arrived at the prescribed time and date the manager was out…
The man in charge refused to open the case and said the manager wiuld have never had made such ridiculous arrangements and woukd not discuss it further.

That was the end of any dealings with the LL Bean CORPORATION as I had had previous inexcusable experiences when soliciting donations for our Silent Auction where they refused to donate to any organization associated with shooting or hunting. I contacted Bill Gorman, host of the TV hunting and fishing show and great grandson of LL Bean and explained my plight and that I couldn’t imagine that stance from a company that was founded on hunting and fishing.
Bill was shocked and very pissed off. He said “We’ll see about that!!!”

Three days later I received about $500 worth of items for the silent auction with a very “sincere” (spelled ‘tail between their legs’) letter of apology.

I have never sought ANYTHING from that comoany since that episode with LL’s Parker CHE.


I will add that I’m not certain it was a 16 gauge but I know it’s a CHE.
One of his Parkers auctioned at Julia’s about 10 years ago and it was a 16 so maybe the one in the glass case in Freeport is a 12… or maybe it’s a 16, I’m just not certain.


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