ah | Dogs and Doubles

See this week’s 5 doubles you don’t want to miss …

August 1, 2021 by Gregg

The finest Parker Bros. AH 10ga extant! Near mint all original lightweight gun made on a #2 Frame with orig 30″ barrels – appears test fired only: One of just 14 made in this configuration – this rare early gun made on a #2 frame (very rare in 10ga) with 30″ Finest Damascus barrels. This gun, made in 1890, was the highest grade gun made at the time and was made with original splinter forend, double triggers, extractors, and beautifully engraved skeleton buttplate. This gun is absolutely 100% full coverage engraved, most certainly by W.H. Gough, and perhaps a detailed inspection will unveil his occasionally found and very elusive signature. The gun is engraved with no less than 3 dogs on the bottom of the frame and 4 birds in a scene on the trigger plate, two more towards forend, two dogs on trigger guard bow with full scroll engraving, double dogs on right side with serpentine “PARKER BROS.” surrounded by full scroll, dog scenes on each of the breech balls, and double dogs on left, again with serpentine makers name surrounded by full scroll engraving. The gun has its original engraved and blued skeleton buttplate. Stocked with incredible straight grained European Walnut stocks which are beautifully checkered as seen in the photos. All stampings are factory correct and original in every respect. This gun remains in spectacular original condition- nearly unheard of for one of these early guns. The gun retains more than 95% bold vivid original case color throughout. Stocks are excellent and sound with virtually all of their original hand rubbed finish with only minor handling marks throughout. Trigger guard retains more than 80% original blue. The buttplate retains more than 60% of its original high luster blue. The breechface shows almost no signs of a shell ring from firing. The barrels retain about 95% of their dark bold original pattern with only minor spotting towards the right breech as seen in the photos. Bores are brilliant and shiny and the mechanics are crisp. This gun matches it’s PGCA letter as seen in the photos. This exceptional “Best in Class” Parker is priced at $47,500 and can be shipped directly to your door as an antique. If you desire the very best – look no further – this is it. This gun is as fresh as a spring daisy having never been offered for sale publicly.
Price: $47,500

Parker Brothers BH 12g SxS Shotgun: 1898 BH 12 ga. with Fine DD Damascus barrels…may have been redone because the pattern is fantastic.Double triggers, Straight stock with gold oval, good checkering. does have some handling marks…scratches dents etc. nothing major. bores are great chambers are 2 5/8″. lockes up tight as a drum. Have Parker letter for it. Mathces except for weight …letters at 8 lbs even…scales 7lbs 14 1/2oz…pretty close. Ready to hit the field. Antique: Yes, Shotgun Gauge: 12 Gauge, Model: BH, Serial Number: 88661 Barrel Length: 30″, Chambers: 2 5/8″, Condition: Original, Metal Condition: Good, Wood Condition: a few handling marks, Bore Condition: clean, Barrel Type: Fine Damascus, Action: Hammerless Top Lever, Triggers: Double Stock: English, Stock Drop: 2 1/2″ at heel, Fore End: Splinter, Butt Pad: Skeleton, LOP: 14 1/4″, Weight: 7lbs 14.5oz, Sights: Single steel, Manufacture Date: 1898, Choke Left: Full, Choke Right: Full Engraving: Excellent. Price: $9500

ORVIS CUSTOM UPLANDER 28G SIDELOCK SPANISH-MADE SXS: Clean gun with some very light handlng marks. Model: Orvis Uplander, Caliber Info: 28 Gauge, Ejectors: Yes Condition: Preowned, Metal Condition: Very Good, Barrels: 28″ Action: Sidelock, Triggers: Double, Gauge: 28 Gauge, Stock Comb: 1 1/4″ Stock Heel: 2″ Stock Cast: Off Fore End: Checkered LOP: 14 1/2 Rib: Flat File Cut Weight: 6.000000 Chokes: IC/M Case: No Price: $3,500

JP SAUER BLE 16G SxS GERMAN SHOTGUN: Solid gun with some loss of blue on the barrels. Model: Boxlock Ejector, Caliber Info: 16 Gauge, Ejectors: Yes, Condition: Preowned Metal Condition: Good, Barrels: 28″, Action: Boxlock, Triggers: Double, Gauge: 16 Gauge, Stock Comb: 1 1/2″, Stock Heel: 2 3/4″, Stock Cast: Off, Fore End: Checkered, LOP: 14 1/8″, Rib: Concave, Weight: 6.600000. Chokes: IM/IM. Price: $3,500

Francotte 18E Straight Grip Boxlock Ejector 12 gauge Grouse gun: This is a beautifully engraved, light and lively Francotte bird gun with 26″ barrels that are choked IC/Light Mod with 2-3/4″ chambers. It is light enough that it can be carried all day at just 6 ounds 4 ounces. This is a great woodcock, quail, grouse and skeet gun with handling that will allow you to be successful on any outing that you choose. The radial matting on the barrels is quite attractive and provides a glare free sighting plane to a period ivory end bead. It is in good cosmetic and mechanical condition with ejectors that kick the empties well out of the way for quick reloading. It is a pre-war gun and exhibits the quality of items made when craftsmen were truly capable of fine work. The checkered side panels must be 35 lines per inch or more and the stock and forend checkering is very fine as well. The drop at the comb is 1-5/8″ and the drop at the heel is a mere 2″ and the length of pull is 14-1/4″ to a factory black plastic butt plate. Price: $2395

An awesome 12g Parker Bros AHE-grade SxS shotgun …

October 8, 2020 by Gregg

VERY RARE AH GRADE PARKER 12 GAUGE SIDE-BY-SIDE SHOTGUN AT MERZANTIQUES.COM

The side-by-side, double-barrel shotgun you see here is one of the icons of American gunmaking.

It’s a Parker Bros A.H.-quality with ejectors (which makes it an A.H.E.) and ACME fluid steel barrels. Back when it was built in 1917, it was Parker’s third-best gun, two down from the top-of-the-line A1 Special and a single step below the company’s famous AAH-quality shotguns.

Parker AH Grade Shotgun, page from a Parker catalog, from parkerguns.org

As you can imagine, it was expensive in its day. It cost more than most guys took home in six months, and that’s one big reason why Parker only built a total of 306 AH-grade shotguns. They were just too expensive for most folks.

But if you had the money ($250 in the 1920s), you could buy yourself a great looking gun.

VERY RARE AH GRADE PARKER 12 GAUGE SIDE-BY-SIDE SHOTGUN: Gun features a 30 inch barrel with an unusual 2 Ivory beads on it. Choked improved cylinder and modified. AH stamp on the water table as well as a number 6. 175k serial range. Original straight grip stock measuring 14-5/8 inches to the end of the Josten pad. Excellent condition with most original varnish. Sharp checkering. It has a gold inlaid unused inscription plate in the stock. This Parker is in beautiful shape with 85-90% bright case colors on the frame. Bottom of the receiver retains just traces of case color. The trigger guard is nicely engraved with a dog and has traces of blue remaining. Bottom of the receiver has a beautifully done dog with a bird in it’s mouth and a running deer. Both sides of the receiver are game scene engraved. Quite delicately done. Gun has the correct splinter forearm as well automatic ejectors. Also has the correct barrel markings “Acme Steel” on top of the rib. Overall this just a great gun. This is the 3rd A grade I have bought this week. This one came from an estate out of Fargo North Dakota. It has been identified in the Parker gun identification and serialization book having all the mentioned features. Has never been on the market before. Gun weighs 7pounds 5 ounces. Price: $ 41,500.

See this week’s 5 doubles you don’t want to miss…

September 27, 2020 by Gregg

David McKay Brown Trio of 16g Side by Side Game Guns: Consecutively numbered, true trio of 16g round action trigger plate self-opening Side by Side game guns by Scottish maker, David McKay Brown. Each gun is built on the classic Scottish trigger plate action with its rounded bar. Each gun features two triggers, auto-safeties, color case hardening and wonderfully executed small English scroll by renowned engraver Dave Tallett. Each gun features the Maker’s name inlayed in gold on the bottom the actions. Finally, each gun is appropriately numbered “1, 2, or 3” in gold and and the word “SAFE” is also inlayed in gold. All three guns feature 29” chopper lump barrels with 2 ¾” chambers and 2002 London proof marks. All three sets of barrels are bored and choked the same at: 3/8 (.015″) and 1/2 (.020″) with smooth concave game ribs. The guns are stocked in a lovely set of well matched stock blanks with straight hand grips and splinter forend. There is a 15″ LOP over checkered butts and the guns are cast off 1/8″. The guns weigh a lively 6 lbs. 2 oz. and are complete in the Maker’s three gun motor case. The guns show some signs of use, but are overall in excellent condition, tight on face, and the barrels and stocks free from any dents, bulges or cracks. Each gun is a superb example of the classic Scottish round action game gun. According to Donald Dallas’ book, David McKay Brown, Scotland’s Gun & Rifle Maker, The definitive history authorized by David McKay Brown, (2011 Quiller Press), the three guns were finished in 2003 and are the only trio of 16g Side by Side Game Guns shown in the ledgers when the book was published. Price: $95,000

VERY RARE AH GRADE PARKER 12 GAUGE SxS SHOTGUN: Gun features a 30 inch barrel with an unusual 2 Ivory beads on it. Choked improved cylinder and modified. AH stamp on the water table as well as a number 6. 175k serial range. Original straight grip stock measuring 14-5/8 inches to the end of the Josten pad. Excellent condition with most original varnish. Sharp checkering. It has a gold inlaid unused inscription plate in the stock. This Parker is in beautiful shape with 85-90% bright case colors on the frame. Bottom of the receiver retains just traces of case color. The trigger guard is nicely engraved with a dog and has traces of blue remaining. Bottom of the receiver has a beautifully done dog with a bird in it’s mouth and a running deer. Both sides of the receiver are game scene engraved. Quite delicately done. Gun has the correct splinter forearm as well automatic ejectors. Also has the correct barrel markings “Acme Steel” on top of the rib. Overall this just a great gun. This is the 3rd A grade I have bought this week. This one came from an estate out of Fargo North Dakota. It has been identified in the Parker gun identification and serialization book having all the mentioned features. Has never been on the market before. Gun weighs 7pounds 5 ounces. Price: $41,500

Gorgeous early CSMC Fox XE-grade 20ga two-barrel set with case: Made in 1995, this fantastic early CSMC XE Fox has it all – and remains in exceptionally nice original condition to boot. The gun is engraved in factory XE Grade pattern, signed by Leopold Schickl. Made originally with two sets of barrels and two forends – one in 27″ and one 26″, this would be the one gun any man would need for all seasons. The gun was made with straight grip, double triggers, and splinter forends with Schnabel tips. The gun is beautifully engraved with quail on left, woodcock on right, and standing Fox on the bottom all surrounded by well executed factory oak leaf pattern. This gun was made with exceptionally nice highly figured dark wood, as per the original order. The stock terminates with the original checkered butt, and the grip is diamond shaped which is smooth and delicate. Initials “E.H.” in gold stock shield near toe. Each barrel with single ivory bead. The gun is housed in its original two barrel set case with all accessories. Overall, the gun remains in near mint original condition retaining nearly all of its original finish to both wood and metal. Mechanics are crisp and bores are brilliant and shiny. Price: $17,000

BERETTA – RARE – European Market – S57E – 20ga – English Stock Double Triggers Ejectors – Like New! Very Very few Beretta shotguns were imported to the U.S. with English Stocks. 1963 – Beretta – S57E – – 20ga, 2-3/4″, 26-3/4″ M / F (.014 / .024) Vent Rib, Mid Rib Bead, Ejectors, Double Triggers – Front Articulated, Completely Hand Engraved, Long Trigger Guard Tang, English Stock, Game Forearm, LOP 14-1/4″, Drop 1-5/16″ to 2-1/8″, Very Slight Cast Off, Weight 5 lbs 14 oz. Very tight gun. Still doesn’t fall open. Perfect Bores. Shot very little. Metal is 99+%. Wood about 97%. Shipping to CONUS included in price. Price: $2850

AYA sidelock SxS shotgun, No.1 20ga: This AYA is a 20GA with double triggers and a 26″ barrel. Both barrels are set in improved cylinder for the chokes. It comes with a hard case. This Shotgun is in very nice condition with little to no use wear. 20 Gauge. Metal Condition: Very good, Minor to no use wear. Wood Condition: Very good, Minor to no use wear. Barrels: 26″ Triggers: Double triggers Stock Dimensions: LOP 13 1/4″. Weight: 6 lb. 8 oz. Sights: Front metal bead. Chokes: IC/IC. Price: $2,499.99