One owner Parker

[todd allen]

Sitting in my office last night reflecting on the history, miles in the field, and many owners hands that these guns have passed thru, it got me thinking. How many of us, if any, have ever acquired a Parker from the original owner. Finding one still owned by the original family would, more than likely be as close as you can get these days.
I may have come as close as you can get to a one owner Parker back in 1996 with the acquisition of Parker number 242122, from the widow of Dr. Bruce Stephens.
Since ownership had not been transferred to anyone else since the passing of the doctor, could this gun be considered a one owner?
This is the little DHE two-bbl 20 gauge I have posted about here in the past, btw.

[Wild Skies]

I would say it definitely was a one-owner Parker---right up to the time you acquired it.

[Bindlestiff]

Todd, I have a 16 GHE that was owned by my dearest friend in my life, he was the original owner and when he passed he left that Parker to me. That was the first Parker I had ever seen and the seed for the Parker passion that I can't seem to shake.

[Richard Flanders]

I inherited my mothers VHE20. My grandfather bought it new for her when she was barely a teenager.

[Bill Murphy]

You never told us about that before, Richard. You win.

[Richard Flanders]

Bill: I have actually related this story here, in my very first introductory post in, I think, the summer of 2006. I think it was my first post anyway, if my memory serves me right, which it doesn't do much lately.... The best part of the story is worth repeating. My mother was ill with cancer for 2.5 yrs before she passed on at only 37yrs old. The last person to see her was her mother and the very last thing she said before she rolled over and expired was, "make sure Richard gets the Parker".... True story. My grandmother told me that. I doubt my mother had seen that gun in at least 15 yrs. I never had a clue she wanted me to have it but I was the only avid hunter of us 4 boys so it made sense. I waited 6 yrs to finally claim it from it's place in the closet gun cabinet at my grandmothers lake house. My uncle did NOT want me to have it; I had to literally pull it from his greedy alcoholic hands. No way I was leaving without it. He would have sold it for alcohol funds at some point. I've never owned anything as precious to me as that gun. I have one niece(of 5)who loves to shoot... pistols, shotguns, rifles... anything, and she has a Rem 870 that she loves... She has shooting parties with her friends in the pasture and has completely cleaned the house out of every type of ammunition that was there, which was a lot. I plan to change her gun preference at some point. Hopefully she'll never look back and will take good care of it. I never thought I'd feel it, but I'm actually looking forward to the parting. She's had a rough go of life in some ways. I think this will be a definite turning point for her that I'm happy to facilitate. I've had it for 38yrs; it's getting close to someone elses turn.

[todd allen]

Richard, the bottom line is, we're all just taking turns. Soon it will be someone else's. I'm hoping my Grandson will be the one.
Part of our stewardship, is to guide these things into the right hands.

[Holeshot]

well choose your next guardian carefully. A DH, vent rib 12 came my way when a 21 year old great grandson decided it was worth to much cash to keep.

[Austin W Hogan]

The Czar gun was owned by a single family until auctioned. We made a remark in Parker Pages that it was the only one owner A1S publically sold this century.

Best, Austin

[ch]

Richard that is really a neet story. Now where's my hankey. Robin you have a very neet story as well. Bet you take it hunting for your buddy.