As documented by the serial number in "The Parker Story" on pages 145-146, this is the first ever .410 bore double barrel shotgun Parker Brothers built. The .410 shotgun debuted in the 1926 Parker Bros. catalog, and Charlie Parker, son of Parker Brothers executive Wilbur Parker, Jr., played a significant role in the .410 bore introduction to the Parker line. In fact, this historic shotgun was built by Charlie Parker while he was apprenticing in the Gun Works in 1924. Charlie was a 1923 Yale graduate and spent three years apprenticing in the Parker Company's factories. The shotgun was built using a 28 gauge size Parker Bros. frame with lightening cutouts and is marked with the serial number and the grade designation "8" for an A-1 Special on the action flats, as well as a "000" marking on the inside of the action. The .410 barrels were Ithaca made. For the stock Charlie used A-1 Special grade wood removed from a Parker 28 gauge gun. Eventually the shotgun was viewed by the vice president of International Silver Co. and lieutenant governor of Connecticut, Roy Wilcox, who immediately requested Parker Bros. to make .410 shotguns for himself and his friends. Wilcox's order for six .410 shotguns was put into production in mid-1926, and the rest is Parker Bros. history. The gun stayed in Charlie Parker's collection until the late 1970's when he was apparently offered a large sum of money for the .410 and was later featured as the cover story to Parker Pages: Journal of the Parker Gun Collectors Association, Volume 22, Issue 3, Autumn 2015. The box lock receiver has a light floral engraving and is signed "PARKER BROS." on the sides with sculpted fences. A more extensive floral engraving of an A-1 Special design is found on the upper tang. The action has double triggers, pierced break lever, automatic tang safety, and sculpted trigger guard. With the exception of the serial number and the "XF3" Remington code on the flats, the barrels lack markings. Dual bead sights on a serrated solid rib, extractor, 3 inch chamber and modified/improved modified chokes. The forearm has engraved hardware of an A-1 Special design with the number "191767" (the second "1" possibly a stamping error) and near full coverage checkering. The buttstock has fancy fleur-de-lis checkering, hard rubber grip cap with blank brass oval and smooth bare butt with skeletonized buttplate. Stock measurements: drop at comb 1 7/16 inches, drop at heel 3 inches, length of pull 14 1/4 inches, weight

Very good as a historically significant piece of Parker Bros. history. The barrels retain 95% plus high quality Remington factory blue with thinning on the balance. Traces of original case colors remain in the protected areas. The wood is very good with a couple missing small chips, a number of dings and scratches and some blemishes and wear in the checkering. Mechanically excellent. Do not miss your opportunity to acquire Parker Brothers' inaugural .410 bore shotgun, a grand piece of history to the Parker story. Provenance: Robert E. Petersen Collection