DelGrego Restoration

[gregg conley]

I know high percentage factory original finish is the most valuable, but where would an unfired Delgrego restoration from the 70's fall in the value scale of small bore Parkers? More than a 0% case color original gun? More than a 30% case gun? Its really hard for me to come up with a value on a gun like this.

[Dean Romig]

Gregg, do you have any pictures you can show us of the frame showing case color and some pics of the rest of the gun?

[B. Dudley]

A Delgrego restored gun should be looked at no different than any other restored gun in respect to value. It is a restored gun.

In my opinion, there is no value "boost" because it was worked on by Delgrego.

Any people also have differing opinions on where a restored gun would fall on a percentage/condition scale. Some say a completely restored gun to like new condition should be looked at as more of an 80% condition gun, and others say 50%. I tend to not agree with the figure of half.

[Bruce Day]

If restored means new case colors, the issue will be whether it was done with the proper technique and looks like an original. Cyanide case colors are often done in gaudy tiger stripes and do not look like originals.

If restored means a new stock, the issue will be whether the new stock is correct in all respects of comb nose angle and fluting, not overly thick, the wood to metal fit is correct, and the finish is right. Some restored stocks are apparent from several feet away. Some are finished with spray can varnish. Some have recut checkering with overruns and different depths.

The more the restoration departs from a high condition original, the less the value in my opinion. Some restorations are so expertly done that they have and continue to pass for high condition originals and have brought top value. Some years back I posted here photos of a restored G 20 that sold for $ 24,000. Many here on this forum claimed that it was the most outstanding Parker they had seen, and it is a gorgeous gun. There are other examples of restored high grade and rare guns that have sold comparable to original guns.

If restored means to return to the way the gun came from the factory, most restorations fall short and are more reconstructions than restorations.

[Dean Romig]

A gun being restored, in my opinion, should be brought back to appearing as 'exactly' as it had originally left the factory. Some shops do not do this. They haven't paid close enough attention to every little nuance of a high condition original of the same grade and time period. Some of these shops don't care enough about this aspect of 'restoration' and figure if it is new looking, nothing else matters very much. They sometimes get the checkering wrong and if a gun is being restocked, the shape and the 'nose of the comb' are often wrong, the case colors, whether cyanide or bone charcoal are often wrong and look nothing like the original of the period.

There's a lot that goes into proper, period correct, restoration and there are scant few shops that can do it right.
For these reasons, it is my opinion that the value of a Parker can be significantly elevated by restoration and, on the other hand, the value of a Parker can be severely diminished by a "restoration".

[Bill Murphy]

If "small bore Parker" means a VH 28, for example, I would think that a minty Del Grego restoration from the seventies would sell for about the same price as a clean, unmolested original with 0% to 10% case colors.

[edgarspencer]

I'm largely in agreement with what Brian and Bruce have said. I have never been a fan of DelGrego's case colors, and wood finishes. However, in fairness to them, they are perhaps closer to what Remington guns from Illion may have looked like when new, but certainly not what guns made in Meriden looked like. Also, I have seen even less appealing work done by others. Bruce's description of tiger stripes, to me is outright garish. As for barrel refinishes, their work is respectable, but then, so is that of many other gunsmiths who do not limit themselves to hammerless guns, or steel barrels.
I have seen many great hammer gun restorations, dozens of beautifully refinished damascus barrels, and beautiful stock work. What's it's true value is, I can't say, but I am in the final lap of a hammer gun remake, which has new wood, new barrel finish, and new case colors. It started down that road simply because it needed new wood. Then it's a question of where do you stop?
Sadly, many "restored guns" owed no one an apology for their condition. I've said it before; It can only be original once, but it can be restored over and over.

[Bruce Day]

I want to be clear that I have not and will not specifically identify with criticism any one gunsmith.

Tiger striped cyanide case colors are not necessarily a result of using the cyanide case hardening process. Rather, it is a result of multiple dipping into the liquid bath which leaves succeeding waves of color.

Ilion made Parkers with cyanide colors are brighter than Meriden charcoal colors but do not have striped waves of color.

A 1939 Ilion gun:

[Fishtail]

I'd place more value on DelGrego's work than an anonymous gunsmith's work.

I've had work done by DelGego at a premium for the simple fact that I was paying for the knowledge they would not screw the gun up worse than when I sent it.

That's not to say they are unsurpassed in quality, but rather they offer a known level of quality that can be counted on.

[James Brown]

Originally Posted by Bill Murphy

If "small bore Parker" means a VH 28, for example, I would think that a minty Del Grego restoration from the seventies would sell for about the same price as a clean, unmolested original with 0% to 10% case colors.

Gunsinternational #100506293 is a current example (though not a Del Grego example) that speaks to the issue discussed herein. I don't know how to post a link and offer the reference as collaborative evidence only not to foster a sale.
James