doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Opinions on WHO made this gun?

This is a beautiful gun. To me it looks more Lefever than Parker, except for the 'trident' behind the breech balls, which certainly 'suggests'early Parker.

http://jamesdjulia.com/item/1429-396/

Thoughts on this gun?

- Nudge

very interesting...does look parkerish...also looks suhlish and wc scottish...wonder if there are any tell tale hidden barrel stamps...

German and scottish???? What the heck?

Neat gun. Any guess on the DAH? Looks like around 4" to me

It's more than a little surprising that the guys at Julia's can't figure out who made it. Clearly they have some good guys on staff, plus my guess is they consult people outside. So what gives?

I really want to say Lefever, because it has more of those attributes than Parker. But I still can't, because:

1. Those breech balls don't look like Lefever relief engraving.
2. The bottom of the frame bears no resemblance to Lefever.
3. Uncle Dan knew that the proper place for the rifle barrel on a drilling was THE TOP, so you could aim the damn thing.

Also, I am not aware of any Uncle Dan guns which bear NO attribution whatsoever. No grade marking or serial number yes, but never NO maker attribution.

I don't know Parkers well enough. Dis Parker ever produce any guns with more than two barrels?

Very strange.

-- Nudge

Nudge --- never "no marking"? Old LACA newsletters show a few with no names at all and a few have turned up clearly Lefever with other non-Lefever or partner names (J. Pretchel??)
Now as to who made it? When I saw it hit Guns International a few years ago I pined over it as a Lefever -- I don't see that anymore and say all Parker. But hey, that's just my 2 cents.

Mechanically it is lefever. But the sculpting, engraving and finishing is all Parker.

agreed, the receiver engraving does look parkerish...and the apparent absence of proof or makers marks, suggests it is of american or german origin...38-55 says american...in any event, it is a rare and beautiful thang...

To the best of my recollection Westley Richards patented "The Doll's Head", I believe it may date back into the 1860's..
Daniel Lefever did not patent "The Doll's Head". US Patent #205,193 was issued to D M Lefever of Syracuse NY on June 25, 1878. This patent included, among other features, Square Shoulders to the Doll's Head.
Barber & Lefever were in partnership from 1871 - 1874. Nichols & Lefever were in partnership from 1876 - 1879 so this patent was issued during the partnership with Nichols.
I cannot say if upon dissolving this partnership if John Nichols retained any rights to this patent or not. The rib extension on the gun in question does look virtually identical to Lefever's extension from that point on.
Some Parker's did use a square shoulder doll's head but it had a different configuration to Lefever's. I have read in the past they had to pay Lefever royalty for its use. This would seem highly unlikely if they had purchased the patent from John Nichols.

also, do not get the purpose of the bullet starter for a breech loading hunting rifle...anyone care to explain this feature...