Item Description
Original Item: Only One Available. Here we have a very upmarket British-made Double Barreled "Side Lever" Hammer shotgun, intended for the large U.S. import market. It is marked on both lock plates with W. PARKHURST, for "William Parkhurst". Also seen are "WM PARKHURST" and "WG PARKHURST, all of which were actually trade names used by Schoverling, Daly & Gales of New York City. They were an outfitter specializing in guns, fishing equipment, and other outdoor pursuits, and they imported guns from both England and Belgium for the "Parkhurst" line.
We believe that this somewhat upmarket example from this company was probably made around 1890, after Joseph Gales had joined the firm in 1887. The barrel strap still has a clear marking near the breech:
LONDON FINE TWIST
It indicates that the barrel is "Damascus" forged, resulting in a lovely pattern due to the laminated nature of the steel, which also adds strength. The finish on the barrels is faded to a plum patina, but the spiral forging lines are still readily apparent when the fore stock and barrel are removed.
The bottoms of each barrel bear the correct Birmingham proof marks, including the CROWN / CROSSED SCEPTERS / BPC "proof" and CROWN / CROSSED SCEPTERS / V "viewed" marks. There is also the CROWN / BP definitive proof, and a 13 marking, indicating "13 bore" or about .710". This is a rarely seen cartridge today, but at the time it was relatively popular, and we have seen other period examples in the same chambering. There are additional markings, including several sets of initials, as well as some other markings that may indicate the choke specifications of the barrels. The shotgun is also marked with 16845 on the bottom of the barrel assembly, on the fore stock fitting, and on the "table" by the breech, so this is a matched example with no parts swapped out.
This lovely DOUBLE BARREL 13 gauge Hammer Shotgun presents very nicely, with a lovely patina of age, showing moderate handling and use. It is all iron mounted, and features lovely engraving on almost all of the hardware, particularly the frame and side action locks. It has a great checkered wrist on the butt stock, and the fore stock is checkered as well, though it is a bit worn. Originally intended for hunting and home defense these saw a lot of use on the Frontier and were supplied to both Stage Coach Lines and Railroads.
The action still functions correctly, with the breech opening and the ejector presenting, and both firing pin springs are working correctly. The back action locks have very strong main springs, and no provision for a half cock position. The right lock holds at cock, but the left seems to have a worn tumbler or sear, and will not hold. The breech is a later "top lever" design, very common around the world in the late 19th century, replacing earlier side and under lever types. We checked the bores of the barrels, and they are clean and shiny, but they do show signs of past cleaning and removed oxidation and fouling.
The "pistol grip" rear stock has some lovely curl, and has a very wooden butt pad as well as a small escutcheon on the lower side. It is in very good shape, showing only light wear to the checkering, and no cracking or other damage. The fore stock shows a bit more wear, but also no cracking, and definitely is a bit darker in color. It removes easily using the lever on the bottom.
A very nice antique British hammer shotgun, made for a very nice New York City outfitter! Ready to research and display!
Specifications-
Year of Manufacture: c.1890
Caliber: about .710" 13 gauge / bore - 3 inch chambers
Cartridge Type: Centerfire Cartridge
Barrel Length: 30 Inches
Overall Length: 46 5/8 Inches
Action type: Side Action Locks with External Hammers
Feed System: Top Break with Top Lever
NOTE: International orders of antique firearms MUST be shipped using UPS WW Services (courier). USPS Priority Mail international will not accept these. International customers should always consult their country's antique gun laws prior to ordering.
- This product is available for international shipping.
IMA considers all of our antique guns as non-firing, inoperable and/or inert. Title 18, U.S. Code, Section 921(a)(16) defines antique firearms as all guns made prior to 1899. This law exempts antique firearms from any form of gun control or special engineering because they are not legally considered firearms. No FFL, C&R or any license is required to possess, transport, sell or trade Antique guns. All rifles and muskets sold by IMA that were manufactured prior to 1899 are considered Antiques by the US BATF (United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms). Therefore, all of IMA's Antique guns may be shipped to all US States and most nations around the world.
These antique guns are not sold in "live" condition, and are not tested for the the ability to feed or load any type of cartridge. They are sold as collector's items or as "wall hangers" not for use, and we make no guarantees regarding functionality aside from what is stated in the description. Any attempt at restoring an antique gun to be operational is strongly discouraged and is done so at the risk of the customer. By purchasing an antique gun from IMA you thereby release IMA, its employees and corporate officers from any and all liability associated with use of our Antique guns.
Pre-1899 Manufacture, no licenses required, allowed to ship to almost any deliverable address across the globe. Please note that for international shipping, these MUST be shipped using UPS WW Services. International customers should always consult their country's antique gun laws prior to ordering.
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