A Grade Restoration Query

[Corey Barrette]

Originally Posted by Dean Romig

Not to be contradictory to any of my friends but Parker’s senior engraver in 1907 was William H. Gough, Harry’s son... and those look like Gough’s dogs IMHO.





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Let the debate ensue.

[Brett Hoop]

Congratulations on your unearthing of such a wonderful and special Parker. And many thanks for sharing it here with us.

[Setter Man]

Interesting the receiver and trigger guard have a very Art Deco design which seems way ahead of its time given the year of production. Given the uniqueness it’s hard to imagine the style wasn’t requested specifically.

[Bill Mullins]

Please view Figure 8.71, page 318, and Figure 16.65, page 702 of The Parker Story. Check dog on floor plate and ducks engraved on the sides and the distinct similarities of the two guns. This particular gun has a letter from Ron Kirby, Executive Director of the PGCA at that time, that states: “Parker notables, Phenix, Anschutz, Bannister, and Storm, worked on this gun”. Figure 11.2, page
452, (1908 picture) and Figure 11.29, page 479 of The Parker Story, Volume 2, indicates Frederick W. Anschutz, Senior Engraver. Anschutz was of German descent and was the go to engraver for deep relief and semi-deep relief engraving. The authors of The Parker Story were told in an interview with the late Robert P. “Bob” Runge, that his father Robert R. Runge shared a story with him that Parker Brothers thought Anschutz was devoting too much time on deep relief engraving in the 1905 - 1908, etc. time period. They requested him to do
less time consuming engraving. As one would expect deep relief engraving requires more metal to be removed. 😊

[Researcher]

I thought it smacked of Gough when I first saw the pictures.

I take it from the text of the letter there was only Order Book information for this gun. No Stock Book.

[DoubleOframe]

What a great find! The link contains some additional info on Thad S. Sharretts. Says he had nine children. Maybe he bought this Parker for one of them as the engraved initials are not his?

https://books.google.com/books?id=OO...ildren&f=false

[Corey Barrette]

Originally Posted by Channing Will

What a great find! The link contains some additional info on Thad S. Sharretts. Says he had nine children. Maybe he bought this Parker for one of them as the engraved initials are not his?

https://books.google.com/books?id=OO...ildren&f=false

Thanks for the info. From the Parker letter, posted previously, the gun was ordered with a gold plate on the pistol grip. This is the only difference found on the gun (or the leg o mutton case) from the letter. The cotton barrel slip was marked with C R Sharretts; matching the initials on the cap. It seems the gun may have been passed down to a child or other family member who made the switch.

[Hammer Gun]

There are indeed several Parker Gun smiths that can make the repair of the original stock! I have to agree " What a great find" A discovery like this only happens rarely, Congrats, Gary