W.H. Wolstencroft gets a new Parker

Drew Hause · 02-02-2018, 07:01 PM

Drew Hause · 02-02-2018, 09:10 PM

Dec. 25, 1889 Sporting Life
Two teams will make a tour of the country and now the contracts (with the United States Cartridge Co.) have all been signed and the official list made public. It is as follows:
Eastern team
H. McMurchy, Syracuse, N. Y., Captain (Hunter Arms rep); H.B. Whitney Phelps, N. Y.; W.H. Wolstencroft, Philadelphia; M.E. Perry. Boston; W. S. Perry, Worcester; W. Fred Quimby, substitute.
Western team
C.W. Budd, Des Moines, Ia., Captain; R.O. Heikes, Dayton, O.; J.R. Stice, Jacksonville, Ill.; C.E. Cahoon, Freeport, Ill.; J.A. Ruble, Beloit, Wis.; S.A. Tucker, substitute.

Drew Hause · 02-03-2018, 12:11 PM

Wm. Wolstencroft's Sons & Co.
https://books.google.com/books?id=Kp...J&pg=PA193&lpg

https://books.google.com/books?id=8M...J&pg=PA344&lpg

Bill Murphy · 02-04-2018, 03:16 PM

U.S. Cartridge Company, Eastern Team member W.S. Perry's C Grade 33" top lever Bernard Steel #4 frame pigeon gun is safely stored away in my home. It is pictured twice in one Ed Muderlak's books. It was used for a very short period of time, since Parker Brothers sent hammerless guns to their company shooters in 1889 and didn't want the hammer guns to be shot in competition after the hammerless guns were introduced. The #4 frame C Grade is still in unused condition. I have no idea where this gun spent its time from 1889 until I found it, but it was paired with a similar exposed hammer eight gauge 33" barrel Greener Royal, made the same year as the Parker. Both guns were nearly mint and I assume that both were owned by W.S. Perry and kept in his family for a long time. Perry was a prolific hunter as well as a respected competition shooter for Parker Brothers, so I assume the unused Greener was to be used for his waterfowl expeditions. Neither are "ugly guns".