Parker GH, 12 ga, Damascus barrels, 1927 production

[MrBojangles]

Originally Posted by Dean Romig

It looks entirely original from where I sit, including that darker spot in the case color on the right side of the frame.
I think it is a desirable gun, being such a late Damascus gun.(It is a rare gun as it stands on its own merit.) If the bores are as nice as the rest of the gun and the chokes and chambers have not been altered, it is in my opinion at least as valuable as a comparable GHE of the same YOM with Parker Special Steel barrels and perhaps more so.

I recently sold a GH (No E) in the very same condition, with PSS barrels for over $4700.

Well, THAT is full retail and then some! I do not have a chamber gauge but would guess it chambers at 2 1/2". How do I tell if the chokes have been altered?

[MrBojangles]

Originally Posted by Brian Dudley

It is a very nice gun. GH 12g Parkers are pretty common. But when they are condition like that or better, they are ones to be had.
Based on the photos and assuming the bores are as nice as the outside, I would say that $1,500-$2,000 is a good price where everyone wins.

My gut instinct is that it's a $1250 to $1750 gun, $2000 if one wanted it badly enough. Another poster stated $1600. That seems about right, fair to buyer and seller.

The gun was inherited, might have been purchased new by the current owner's father in 1927.

I wanted to get other opinions and to be able to show the owner what others think as well. I think once I offered him $1800 and he declined. I think he was at 3k on it several years ago and inflation makes him think it is worth 4k, but he is a reasonable man and might take all opinions and reason that a certain value is what current market conditions can bear. I think at the height of the market this very well might have been a 3k gun and had there not have been a downturn in Parker interest and prices, 4k would not have been unreasonable to expect. So $1500 to $1600 seems fair in today's market, at least to me.

[Don Strelioff]

$1500-$1600 is at the low end I don’t think anyone who commented on its value if owned by them would sell for that price I know I would not if as stated the bores are good i don’t think the owner of that gun would have any trouble getting $2500.00 for it .

[Richard Flanders]

It has ejectors, which no one has mentioned - oops, looks like Dean did. I have a similar condition 1-frame 6#10oz 26" damascus GHE 12ga that I gladly paid $2800 for some years back. It's pretty much my go to 12ga gun for upland birds over pointing dogs. I don't think $2500 would be out of bounds for this gun, especially given the condition. I would consider $2000 a very fair price were I buying it.

[todd allen]

I would agree with Richard that this gun should be worth at least 2,000.00. And that is considering the 12 gauge market is pretty soft.
Damascus and ejectors being a big plus.
That said, what I have learned is that if I want something it is rare and desirable. Maybe even priceless.
If I'm selling, it is an unwanted boat-anchor, and I need to pay someone to remove it.

[MrBojangles]

I feel like that being 12 gauge this is very detrimental right now so easy to buy at $2000 and more difficult to sell someday at $1700. Why are Damascus barrels more desirable than steel?

[Dean Romig]

They're only desirable to some of us who really appreciate the beauty of pattern welded barrels and who love to shoot them. They're not for everybody... there are still a lot of folks who just don't trust Damascus barrels though it has been proven time and time again that they're perfectly safe if they are still in excellent condition and are unaltered as far as wall thickness and chambers go.

Yours is desirable because it is such a late Damascus gun and it has ejectors.

I like it and would shoot it often with appropriate loads (same as with any gun almost 100 years old).





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[MrBojangles]

I like the Damascus pattern as I find it attractive. I didn't think others did.

[Kirk Potter]

I love Damascus ejector guns.. That being said I feel like 2 frame 30” 12 gauges are a dime a dozen.

[Bill Murphy]

Where are the hammers the "gunsmith" mentioned? These descriptions are hardly ever true. In this case, hardly ever true. A #2 frame 26" gun is a bit suspicious, although rare if not chopped off. I can't remember, after all this discussion, whether anyone ever said what the barrel length was.