Original British 13 Gauge Double Barrel Hammer Shotgun by W. Parkhurst for U.S. Market Serial 16845 – circa 1890 Original Items

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.