1895 12 GAUGE PARKER..DO YOU KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT IT? - Page 6

RON SCORES · 10-04-2011, 11:22 AM

BARREL IS MARKED V GRADE VH IS JUST HAMMERLESS CORRECT? SO IT STARTED AS AN EXTRACTOR GUN WAS ALTERED THEN CHANGED BACK?

Bruce Day · 10-04-2011, 11:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bill Murphy

Your repair code stamps indicate your gun was serviced at Remington in January of 1940 if I read the code correctly as BJ3. Hang tight on the advice you are getting about outside appraisers. You are likely to find out more here than anywhere else.

Yes but Bill, he said he wanted a valuation for insurance. Finding out information doesn't equate to a valuation, and an insurer will want an appraisal, which must be a document.

It would be different if the gun could be traced to an extraordinary famous person or event, but the chances of that are slim. To me, it is what we see, and an appraisal deals with that.

RON SCORES · 10-04-2011, 11:34 AM

MAILED MY REQUEST TODAY? I SURE HOPE I CAN FIND OUT WHO HAD THIS WORK DONE WHO OWNED THIS GUN...THEY MUST OF BEEN SOMEONE SPECIAL DO YOU AGREE?

Bruce Day · 10-04-2011, 11:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by edgarspencer

Thanks for the fore-end pics, Ron. It appears that the fore-end was left unaltered from it's G grade configuration. If you look at the hammerless pictures of the various grades you'll see that the tip iron had a raised edge beginning with the D grade, and the fore-end iron, latch and tip iron were engraved, also beginning with the D grade. Seems an odd oversight these weren't also upgraded when the action and stock were.

Edgar, from GHE SN 155, 033, a typical gun of the period.

Bruce Day · 10-04-2011, 12:16 PM

The research letter will most likely tell you that SN 84,025 was ordered in 1896 and was a G grade extractor gun, 30" damascus barrels choked full and full, 14" LOP, and 3" drop at heel. The gun was most likely shipped to a dealer or large hardware distributor and cost $80. If the gun was shipped to New York, maybe Shoverling Daly, or if lucky, the Charles Parker Company showroom in NYC. Some guns show the name of the first purchaser.

There will be no records on the Remington work in 1940. It is a remote possibility that you could take the gun to Babe Del Grego in Ilion, and he might be able to tell you something about what he believes with the gun.

Many Parkers were owned by "somebody special" and still are.

RON SCORES · 10-04-2011, 12:27 PM

YES WHEN I SAID SOMEONE SPECIAL I MEANT... I KNOW THE OWNER NOW DECEASED WAS TIGHT WITH THE ROOSEVELT'S HERE IN HYDE PARK NY THEY RACED ICE YACHTS HERE ON THE HUDSON, AND DID MANY OTHER SPORTING..THINGS

edgarspencer · 10-04-2011, 01:08 PM

That'll teach me to try and keep up with the big dogs. My GHE 16 is 179Kish and it's tip iron is engraved, but no raised edge.
Did you get your Colt spring?

Pa SxS · 10-04-2011, 01:33 PM

Ron,

Could you do us all a favor and turn off the Caps? The first letter of a sentence should be captialized, the rest lower case.

Thanks much.

Bruce Day · 10-04-2011, 01:37 PM

Edgar, small details changed over time. Cost savings measures. Scrollwork engraving became larger, some would say coarser, the small bead was dropped, checkering became coarser, the mullered border was eventually dropped. Still, of any period, you can find outstanding guns.

I'm a long way from being a big dog and am trying to work my way up from apprentice third class to second class.

I gave the Colt to a good local gunsmith for repair. The screws were in very tight, I soaked it in penetrating oil, still tight and I didn't want to bugger screws. I took the gun to the Colt Collectors Asso, which was having their national mtg in town, and they said it was just a good honest old gun that they would do nothing but keep it clean and functional. I see lots of these old Colts get refinished and engraved. The gun seemed to be worth about $2500, which was a surprise to me, particularly since you can buy a brand new one for $1100. If you think valuing Parkers is difficult, with Colts it seemed even more so. I saw guns which looked about alike to me and they were priced from $2500 to $6500 , and some up to $10,000 and I am not able to make reason out of it yet. These guys don't shoot their guns, they just fondle them . Makes a C grade Parker at $10,000 look like an absolute bargain, and you can shoot it on game and targets.

RON SCORES · 10-04-2011, 01:42 PM

Sorry i see it better....didn't think anyone minded....