Parker D Grade Trigger Plate

[Dean Romig]

Could be Heff. They became extinct in 1932 but had been an important game bird in coastal areas of Eastern North America.


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[edgarspencer]

Originally Posted by Russell E. Cleary

Dean:

I know we can’t interview these engravers. But what do you think was the thought-process behind these blueprinted “game-bird” designs?

Deliberate offbeat stylization; an artist’s quip; comic relief within the confines of a strict framework of manufacturing consistency and quality control?

AI seems to be the new buzzword (Artificial Intelligence), but it is, in fact, a term often used in the circles I associate with.
It's meaning, at least to us, is "Alcohol Inspired" I often look at these floorplates and wonder if there wasn't a small amount of that 'inspiration' behind the comical motif.

[Dean Romig]

You may be right Edgar. I have heard such references about certain employees at Parker Bros. but the engraving department being less critical to the function and meticulous machining and fitting of the gun, may have been more prone to such activity… Who knows?





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[Woodcock survey]

Originally Posted by edgarspencer

AI seems to be the new buzzword (Artificial Intelligence), but it is, in fact, a term often used in the circles I associate with.
It's meaning, at least to us, is "Alcohol Inspired" I often look at these floorplates and wonder if there wasn't a small amount of that 'inspiration' behind the comical motif.

I can always depend on you to get to the meat and bones of any subject, cut to the chase as is said, bring it to a definitive conclusion. Could go on but you get the idea. The fact that humor is involved is an added plus.

[mobirdhunter]

I find this topic fascinating, both at the level of the stylized game birds and the engraving process itself. I have a GH Damascus 20 from the early 1920s on which you can see the ghost of the original transferred drawing and how far off the engraver was in following it. The templates were, I assume, done by an engraver of higher rank, but following the transferred outlines onto the gun itself was done by much less skilled engravers on the lower grades. Seeing something of the process left on the gun is a reminder of the human element that is a part of all of these wonderful guns.

If I can get a close-up picture of my GH, I'll post it. The engraver made the bird go from a plump, well fed bird, to a starving, thin one.

[J. A. EARLY]

Originally Posted by Dean Romig

Were guinea fowl ever a wild bird in this country?
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Dean,

No, not that I know of. They are an African bird in the wild and can fly well and domesticated here. But if they escaped and one could not catch them I'm sure more than a few were shot. They are the original alarm system in this country. They'll let you know when someone or something comes around.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TLcafDWO5Rc

[Dean Romig]

I always thought geese were kept as an EWS (Early Warning System)


I did a little research on the origins of guinea fowl in America and learned the early Spanish explorers introduced them to the Americas in the 1500's but only as a domesticated food source.





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[J. A. EARLY]

Originally Posted by Dean Romig

I always thought geese were kept as an EWS (Early Warning System)
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Guineas are very noisy and don't attack like a lot of geese, messy but not as bad as big piles of goose crap everywhere, plus lots of eggs. And you'll never have to worry about ticks and any bug they can catch in your yard. I remember them from my childhood.

[CCefalu]

This tread had me sucked in and I couldn’t wait to get home and pull out both of my DHE’s that I just acquired a few weeks ago. The first is a 1907 DHE and it has flying turnip’s lol. A pointer on the left side and a 4 legged setter on the right side. The second DHE is a 1924 2 barrel set and it has what appears to be flying pheasants, pointer on the left and a 3 legged setter on the right. It’s fascinating how different the same grade Guns can be.

[Dean Romig]

That second setter is in a classic point with her left front leg drawn up but still visible.





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