GUN SPRING 2017
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 4/11/2017
TRULY SPECTACULAR AND INCREDIBLY RARE AMERICAN MADE DRILLING SHOTGUN BELIEVED TO BE A PARKER BROS PROTOTYPE.PARKERPROTOTYPE DRILLINGNSN12GAx38.55CALCal. 12 ga x 12 ga x .38-55. 30" Damascus steel bbls over blued steel rifle bbl. Full length Damascus top rib with high polished Nitre-blued rifle sights and two small orig screws in rib toward breech. Choked Mod/Mod in shotgun bbls. This hammer gun has two triggers with front push cocking lever. Thumb-push opener which looks a lot like those seen on early Nichols and LeFever hammer guns. Capped full pistol grip buttstock with long trigger guard tang checkered in two-point pattern 13-3/4" LOP over unique deer and stag game scene carved and checkered buttplate. Silver shield in toe. Buttstock is of incredibly high quality dense grain beautifully figured French Walnut and is quite striking. Unusual short rounded splinter forearm with Deeley release and horn tip checkered in fancy three-point flat top muller bordered pattern. Receiver is fabulously engraved in a comparable to about a Grade 4 Parker hammer gun pattern with pointing dog in field scene on both sides surrounded by Parker type scroll and flowing wave border pattern. Bottom of action with ducks in marsh scene towards front, flying goose engraved on rear lug all surrounded by well-executed Parker Grade 4 type scroll work. Fences are sculpted like a Grade 5 Parker. Hammers are nicely scroll engraved and tops are fully and finely checkered and knurled. Bbls have doll's head extension - A John Nichols owned patent. Rifle bbl is cocked by pushing the forward lever towards breech and depressing the rear trigger to fire. According to the Parker story Gunther, Mullins et al, pg. 106 Parker Brothers acquired from former Dan LeFever partner, John Nichols, the patents for bbl to frame locking arrangement including the checked hook and pin design, the thumb push button to open action and others. Also obtained in 1881 from John Nichols by Parker was the patent for the doll's head extension which this gun has. Known to this cataloger for many years, this gun has always been a LeFever/Parker enigma and more often that not has been identified as a Barber and LeFever product. It wasn't until recently when rereading "The Parker Story" that this discovery of the gun most likely being a Parker prototype was made. The engraving, the case color, the sculpting all screamed of Parker. Also included is the orig bullet starter which has most of the orig high-polished blue on the front knob. The gun balances in front of the hinge. The quality of the fit and finish cannot be overstated. Weight: 10 lbs. 7 oz. with bullet starter. CONDITION: Extraordinarily fine and near mint. Breech face appears unmarred indicating this as a test fired only gun. Bbls retain nearly all of their bold orig black and white Damascus pattern just starting to tone with a minor area or two of staining. Browned rifle bbl on bottom is excellent and rich in color retaining most of its orig finish with minor handling marks and a scratch or two. Receiver retains virtually all of its dark, bold and orig case color with what appears to be some orig lacquer on top tang near hammers and in other protected areas. Screws are near perfect. Buttstock and forearm are also exceptional and retain nearly all of their orig hand-rubbed finish with a few minor scratches and light rub marks. Bores are bright and shiny. Mechanics are crisp. Gun is tight and functions flawlessly. This is truly one of the finest American made drillings to come to market in many years and the Parker/LeFever connection makes this a most interesting and collectable American sporting gun suitable for the most advanced collector. 51611-3 JSL (20,000-35,000)