Album: Parker Lifter Barrel Examples

Parkers Lifters with serial numbers lower than approximately 4500 were not marked as to grade and are referred to as "Dollar Grade" guns. About 1875, Parker Bros. began assigning a grade number; 0 being the lowest and 6 the highest, but the guns were not always stamped as to grade. Letter grades were assigned in the 1882 catalog: Quality T=0, Quality G=2, to Quality A=6. c. 1866, Parker offered 'Plain Finish-Iron' Barrel for $50, 'Superior Finish-Iron' Barrel for $75, and 'Laminated Steel' barrel for $100. Some c. 1870s Parker Hammer Lifter guns are marked "Twist" on the rib, but are clearly laminated steel. THE 1872 CATALOG introduced the "Improved Solid Breech Guns": $75/later Grade 0 (Back Action 12g with Decarbonized barrels), $85 (>8# in 10, 11, 12), $100/ later Grade 1 (Front Action with English Twist), $110 (Same in 10g), $135/ Grade 2/ later G Grade (Laminated or 3 Iron "Horse-shoe" or "Oxford" Damascus), $150/ Grade 3 (Laminated or 3 Iron "Oxford" with sculpted breech), $200 (Laminated or "Oxford" with 'Teardrop' bolsters and 'gold mount'), $250 ("Finest Damascus" barrels-both 3 Iron "Oxford" and 4 Iron "Turkish" Damascus have been identified) The "Oxford" Damascus pattern was also referred to as Damas Crolle', Hufnagel, and rarely London. Dr Oscar Gaddy discovered Lifter SN 2859 with lockplates made from damascus sheet stock.

There was a transition in the damascus pattern from the higher grade Lifters to the Top Action Hammerguns introduced in 1882. The c. mid-1870s $135 through $200 grade Lifters had, for the most part, the same 3 Iron 'Oxford' barrel, likely of British origin. The later Top Action Grade 3 and up were given a much finer 'Turkish' crolle from Belgium. The last Lifter was made in 1910; D grade 8g SN 151742.