16 gauge Baker

[SPE33]

Got this earlier this year.I’m double checking the increased picture posting capabilities.Betting we will see ALOT more of our members treasures!

[Jeff S]

I don’t know a thing about Bakers, but that is a really nice looking gun. Thanks for posting.

[SPE33]

Jeff, I’ve seen some articles on what some consider the ‘Top 5’double gun makers of the earlier part of the 20th century.In no particular order they were AH Fox,Lefever,Parker,LC Smith and Baker.The last two were true sidelocks.I’ve been on a quest to include at least one of each in my collection.Was lucky to find this 16 gauge Baker A grade last spring.First graded 16 I’ve encountered,most of the ones I’ve seen were their Batavia model which was their entry level gun similar to the Sterlingworth.All I need to find now is a nice Parker,preferably a 16.

[Jeff S]

SPE33, I have a Parker 16 ga. DH that is just a delight to carry . I once read in Parker Pages that Parker always engraved a Setter on the right and a Pointer on the left (SRPL). The author referred to this as "Sir Pull". Unless my dog identification is incorrect, it appears that Baker chose the opposite scenario for their dogs, Setter on the left and Pointer on the right.

[Fin2Feather]

Pretty gun!

[Jim Cloninger]

I would think Ithaca would be ahead of Baker.
Jim

[OH Osthaus]

I would think Ithaca would be ahead of Baker.
Jim

i would agree with you Jim at least as a volume maker

Baker made some beautiful guns - with great engraving on the graded guns - this one is a good example - very nice find

of course WH Baker was involved in the founding of Ithaca, before ending up in Batavia -

Ithaca certainly made more guns - and Ithaca's graded guns have some ( IMHO ) of the best engraving, but for some reason they fall off many folk's radar

[SPE33]

Googled ‘Top 5 American double gun makers’ just for fun.They listed 6.....All of the above and Ithaca too! Thanks a lot Jim,now I need to buy another gun!

[Researcher]

Baker didn't make the cut for Mike McIntosh's The Best Shotguns Ever Made in America. He included Parker, A.H. Fox, L.C. Smith, Lefever, Ithaca, Remington Model 32 and Winchester Model 21. The same seven carried through in his later book Best Guns.

[SPE33]

Guess it all depends where you look .

[OH Osthaus]

Guess it all depends where you look .

everyone can make up their own list, there is no real doubt that Baker was a player in the American double world

its a nice gun from a good maker - like I said - always like his engravers work -
and have wondered if (with his connection, although he passed in 1889 ) if Baker used the same outside artists that Ithaca did

scroll down to the graded guns here - look a the 4th one down in the grade B side plate pics

http://www.bakercollectors.com/index.php?p=1_10_Photos

[Jeff S]

Wow! That's great reference material for a guy like me, who knows nothing about Bakers. Thanks for sharing it. Jeff

[Researcher]

I wasn't bad mouthing Bakers. I own a couple.

10-gauge Pigeon Gun

[Mike of the Mountain]

Baker made some beautiful guns, however,no great American doubles maker list would be complete without the ever so classic Crescent Arms Mfg Co !!!