doublegunshop.com - home Forums Thread Like Summary - A.J. Aubrey/Parker Bros.

Just read about early (1890--1920) era economy grade doubles that retailed for under $25.00 (a week's wages for many men back then) in recent edition of Sporting Classics magazine. Sears Roebuck apparently owned a gun manufactory in Meriden Ct. and produced the A.J. Aubrey line up under that name-and apparently sold quite a few of them-- Just co-incidence that the Aubrey guns were built in the very same town as "Parker-America's Finest Double"?? Or was there some tie-in, as there was with Hunter Arms and the Fulton operation that built their economy box-lock series>> I recently bought a used A.J. Aubrey sidelock 12 gauge sn 60878- 30" Damascus barrels DT, EXT-- marked on the top rib "MFG By The Meriden Firearms Co. Meriden CT. Pat'd July 9, 1907--both barrels rang like chimes, positive safety, good trigger pulls, and apparently, as I patterned it at 35 yds. with RST 1 oz. No. 8-- full choke in each tube. No dents, bores are like mirrors- amazingly good over-all condition.

Can anyone shed some light on the A.J.Aubrey shotguns, over and above that contained in the SC article?? RWTF

Sears was a business man first. Sears owned Meriden F.A. Company. Aubrey designed the gun and ran the plant. With Parker established and close by, skilled day laborers could find work at either plant. The Meriden F.A. Co., guns can also be found stamped with trade names, the most common being BERKSHIRE.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1BnNidc_mnzJg-CJ9wCVZDqwNbi5gojDx4rpXs9wQ_Cc/edit



The A.J. Aubrey, The Meriden Gun, and the Meriden Firearms Co. guns were made in the same factory



As Dean said, another line of much higher grade guns were manufactured
The 1910 Meriden Firearms Co. catalog shows the following grades:
A with Whitworth, Krupp, or 6-blade damascus for $250 with AE;
B with Krupp or 6-blade for $185 with AE;
C with Krupp or 4-blade for $110 with AE;
D “Trap Gun” with Krupp or 3-blade for $90 with AE;
E “Quail Gun” with Krupp and ONLY 16G for $60 (no AE offered);
F with Krupp or 3-blade for $60 with AE;
G with Krupp for $40.

Production of these guns was apparently quite limited as very few are found today. It is not known if the intended market for these more expensive models may have been Fred Biffar's company or other national dealers.

A 1910 “The Meriden Gun” ad is in Forest & Stream
https://books.google.com/books?id=mEkcAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA392

Pete Mikalajunas had an article in the DGJ Vol. 21, Issue 1, 2010

William H. Gough was in Meriden, engraved for Parker Bros., was later head of the engraving department at the A.H. Fox Gun Co., and also did contract work for Hollenbeck Gun Co., Meriden Fire Arms, Colt and Winchester.

I have a pretty high grade Aubrey. The birds engraved on the locks look just like those on my GH Parker.