J.P Dean's Parker

[Bill Murphy]

Canada is a big place. I wonder how they found it.

[Frank Good]

Originally Posted by Bill Murphy

Canada is a big place. I wonder how they found it.

And I've met the guy that owns and runs the auction it is listed in. He runs the auction out of his garage basically. Retired oilfield guy.

[Researcher]

Originally Posted by Bill Murphy

I didn't find it on page 141 of TPS. Anyone have any more information?

Fig. 4.25 -- BH gun number 79051 (made in 1893) has a single trigger of unknown origin. A picture of the gun from 1900 shows the trigger on it......

[Craig Larter]

Page 140 under The Single Trigger also has a few more details about 79051

[Bill Murphy]

OK, found it. I was looking for a full view of the gun.

[Bill Murphy]

Frank, I would keep bidding. It's a pretty interesting gun.

[Researcher]

A thought has come to my fevered mind! J.P. Dean was in the Twin Cities and probably the most notable gunsmith there in the 1890s to WW-I time frame was Frank Novotny --

Frank Novotny 01.jpg

Frank Novotny 03.jpg

Frank might be a good candidate for 79051's ejectors and single trigger.

I have a vague memory of some mention in Parker Pages about Parker Bros. guns being shipped to Novotny for custom work. Anyone recall the issue or am I dreaming.

Our Home Page shows there is surviving material for a letter on 79051.

[Craig Larter]

Historical Profile: Frank Novotny
Active Period: Late 1870s to the 1930s. Records from FamilySearch indicate he was born in Bohemia in 1852 and established his gunsmithing business in St. Paul following his marriage there in 1877.

Reputation: He was arguably the most notable gunsmith in the Twin Cities during the 1890s and was known for high-quality custom work.

Innovations: Novotny is specifically recognized for his work on single triggers and ejector systems.

Connection to Parker Shotguns
Collectors on the PGCA Forums have highlighted Novotny's role in customizing high-grade Parker guns.

Gun #79051: A notable BH-Grade Parker (made in 1893) features a single trigger and ejectors of "unknown origin." Forum experts suggest that Novotny is a strong candidate for this custom work, as the gun’s owner at the time, J.P. Dean, lived in the Twin Cities.

Custom Shop: There are historical mentions of Parker Bros. shipping guns directly to Novotny for custom modifications, suggesting he held a specialized status that the factory respected.

Novotny's Patent: Some guns modified by him carry markings or patents associated with his specific single trigger design, which was a sought-after upgrade before such features became standard factory options.

Business Location
In the 1900 Federal Census, he was listed as a "gunsmith and proprietor of guns" in St. Paul, Ramsey County. His shop served the affluent sportsmen of the era who desired European-style refinements on American-made shotguns.

Would you like me to see if I can find the specific patent details for his single trigger or any additional information on J.P. Dean?
Frank Novotny held a specific patent for his single trigger mechanism, which was a notable advancement in shotgun technology during the early 20th century.

Patent Details
Patent Number: 1,268,760.

Issue Date: June 4, 1918.

Function: This patent covered a specific single trigger design for double-barreled shotguns.

Context: In the timeline of single-trigger development, Novotny’s design followed other major innovations like those by J.A.R. Elliott (1902) and Fulford (1902, 1904), but preceded factory-standard options like the Parker Single Trigger, which wasn't cataloged until 1923.

Historical Significance
Novotny’s work is particularly prized by collectors of high-grade American firearms because he was one of the few master gunsmiths trusted to perform these complex conversions on premium guns like Parkers. His shop in St. Paul served as a regional hub for custom modifications that often exceeded factory standards of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

About J.P. Dean
The original owner of the famous BH-Grade Parker (#79051) associated with Novotny’s work was J.P. Dean of the Twin Cities.

The Gun: Built in 1893, this shotgun is a key example of early custom work, featuring a single trigger and ejectors of "unknown origin" that experts believe are the work of Novotny.

Local Ties: Because Dean was a prominent resident of the Twin Cities, it is highly probable he utilized the most notable local master gunsmith, Novotny, for these high-end modifications.

Would you like me to see if I can find more biographical details on J.P. Dean’s status in St. Paul or additional information on other gunsmiths in the Novotny family?

All courtsey of Google Gemini AI Amazing new tool for doing resaeach. Craig

[Bill Murphy]

A person that worked in my dad's US Government agency wrote me a letter when I became interested in Parker guns at a tender age. He mentioned that he owned an A1 Special Parker and if I remember correctly, may have sent a picture. He also mentioned Frank Novotny and proclaimed him to be a very skilled gunsmith. In going through the Parker records, I found evidence that Novotny had ordered Parker parts making me suspect that he was building Parkers, or maybe upgrading them. My dad's friend lived near Novotny and probably knew him. I suspect that my dad's friend did not really have a Parker A1 Special, but an upgrade built by Novotny. I have never been able to locate the correspondence from that person. However, I think I have the Novotny information that I copied from the Parker records when I was in the Remington Archives at Ilion.

[Bill Murphy]

I found my post about Novotny. It may be one of the posts that Dave Noreen mentions earlier. Search "novotny", go on the thread titled "One owner Parker". The post I am mentioning is dated 9-19-2011. It is a rehash of my experience with my dad's friend and Novotny, and the A1 Special.