20 ga damascus DH Parker update!

double barrel · 10-04-2010, 11:20 PM

I want to thank Mark Conrad for his fine research on my Parker.

Parker serial number 77292 was ordered by Simmons Hardware Company in St Louis MO. on February 20, 1895 and shipped on March 4th 1895 to A.G. Spalding in Chicago, IL. it was a DH hammerless, 16 gauge. It featured Damascus steel barrels with a length of 28 inches. Its stock configuration was a half pistol grip. The chokes were patterned RH full and LH full. According to Parker Bros. stock book no. 27, its specifications were; Length of pull:14 1/4", drop at heel: 2 7/8", Weight: 5 pounds and 14 ounces. The price was $100.00.

According to Order Book no. 47, the gun was returned on September 28, 1899 by A.G Spalding Bro and Company to reduce swell in Barrels. There was no charge. According to Order Book no. 75, the gun was returned on December 7, 1907 by C.F. Craig in Chicago, IL. to fit new 20 gauge barrels same as old. The price was $32.00. The old barrels were returned.

I would most definitely like to find those original 16 gauge barrels, does anyone know anything about the previous owners? any help would greatly be appreciated.

Ken Descovich

Bill Murphy · 10-05-2010, 09:16 AM

Simmons and Spalding were both very large sporting goods dealers. My three barrel set Damascus GHE 16 gauge came from Spalding.

double barrel · 10-05-2010, 03:20 PM

Bill,
What year was your 3 barrel set bought by A.G. Spalding Bros.?

I do not understand if they (A.G. Spalding Bros.) purchased firearms for resale why would they be buying them thru Simmons Hardware plus paying retail price. Could it be possible that this gun was for A. G. Spalding himself? The key is probably who is C. F. Craig.

Thanks for your response.

Ken

Bill Murphy · 10-05-2010, 08:23 PM

I can't explain the incestuous relationship between distributors and dealers in the early days. Somehow they all made a few bucks. My GHE (originally a GH) is a 98,000 series gun. Parker probably received an order from Spalding for a gun like they had already put away for Simmons. Simmons wouldn't have missed a gun or two from their large orders. I doubt that the gun was ordered for Mr. Spalding himself.

Mike McKinney · 10-05-2010, 10:35 PM

E. C. Simmons Hardware was a very successful hardware distributor, commonly called a jobber. They were in business in the same era as our Parker Company, Mr. Simmons entry into hardware ownership began as a junior partner in the firm he worked with, Wilson, Leavering & Waters in 1862 within 6 months one of the partners died and the firm name was changed to Waters, Simmons & Co. and continued as such until 1872 when it became E.C. Simmons & Company. A corporation was formed in about 1874 and called itself Simmons Hardware Company which absorbed the previous company. They were located in St. Louis.

The first jobbers catalog in 1881 used a slogan, "A jobbers first duty is to help his customers to prosper". Keen Kutter had been chosen as the brand name label of the company. The motto throughout their life was, "The recollection of quality remains long after the price is forgotten".

In 1922 Winchester and Simmons joined forces as Wincheser was a hardware jobber as well, they were called Winchester-Simmons. That arrangement did not work out so successfully and in 1929 the assets were divided and Simmons Hardware reverted back to the original status.

Shapleigh Hardware Company was a competitor and bought or merged Simmons into their company about 1940, they maintained the Keen Kutter logo on varios lines of their products. As with our guns the depression and the war had a very negative effect on business and the way business was done.

The time line for the hardware business glory days mirrored Parker, and as the need for hardware including axes, woodworking tools, etc. waned with our country's flourish, the hardware distributors became less successful, they just couldn't figure how to change their market strategy to the masses. I have an original 1930 Simmons Hardware Co. catalog and they sold everything you can imagine. The catalog was 2090 pages.

My understanding is that Parker sold jobbers their products at about 1/2 of list and the retailer had adequate mark-up left to retail, to the point that some retailers sold below list.

Probably more than you wanted to know.

Mike

double barrel · 10-05-2010, 11:30 PM

Mike,
Thanks for the Simmons Hardware history!

In my Parker Research letter there is a clear distinction between who the shotgun was shipped to and who sent it back for service. in this case the gun was ordered by Simmons Hardware Company and shipped to A. G. Spalding in Chicago, IL. (it does not say A. G. Spalding Bros Company) but 4 years down later it is shipped from the A. G. Spalding Bros Company for service, which would be understandable since Mr. Spalding owned the company. If the letter stated that the gun was sent to the A. G. Spalding Bros Company then anyone could have purchased it from there store. Of course I would like to prove the A. G. Spalding was the actual owner, but because he is associated with the company it is assumed it went there instead. I am only looking for the truth!

Ken