You read the headline right: The Thomas Hirchak Company in Williston, VT, is auctioning off this 12 gauge Parker AAH Pigeon Gun on Thursday, April 04, 2013. The action starts 10:00am Eastern, and I bet this Parker will be sold to the highest bidder by 11:30am.
This shotgun looks like the real deal: One of America’s finest shotguns in excellent condition. Here’s more info on the gun from the auctioneer:
Lot #99: a 12 gauge Parker AAH Pigeon Gun: # 81026 (1895), 30″ bbl, Highly figured Stock, Single Trigger, highly & extensively engraved.
The finish on this AAH it looks pretty original. It was made in 1895, so the single trigger is a replacement. But it does look like it could be a Parker single trigger. The barrels may be replacements. In 1895, AAH Parkers came with fine Damascus steel or Whitworth fluid steel barrels. So this side-by-side may have been made with damascus barrels and then had them changed to fluid steel bbls at a later date – maybe when the single trigger was added. If you really want to know, I would reach out to the folks at the The Parker Gun Collector’s Association for more information about the shotgun.
Here’s a similar Parker AAHE (a AAH with Ejectors) that sold in Julia’s March 2013 auction:
EXCEPTIONAL PARKER BROS AAHE PIGEON GUN. SN 129747 – $31,625.00
Here’s more about the AAH grade from The Parker Gun Collector’s Association:
The Grade 7 is also called the AA grade. It was intended to appeal to the pigeon shooters. A total of 243 were made. Most were hammerless…Early AAH guns were marked “Pigeon Gun” on the top barrel rib. The first AA was seen about 1895 and at that time, it was Parkers highest grade. It sold for $400 in 1895…
The engraving on early AA guns tended to be deep chisel, but later the engraving became lighter in style…the stocks were made of the finest Circassian walnut…The stocks had a gold shield and gold pistol grip cap, and they were fitted with a skeleton butt plate as standard but recoil pads were an option. The barrels were made of the finest Damascus steel or Whitworth fluid steel…
