An old Parker friend

Tom Flanigan · 08-21-2018, 12:51 PM

I just ran into an old friend at the local gun shop, Jerry Smith. No doubt many of you know him. He used to be called Mr. Damascus since he had an incredible collection of damascus guns, many of which are pictured in the Parker Story. He sold many of his guns but still has a good number of great early guns. I'm going to stop by his house and see if there is anything I need. He said everything is for sale. I'm sure I'll find something I need.

William Davis · 08-21-2018, 12:55 PM

I bought two Parker’s from Jerry. Nice fellow to deal with honestly presented Guns at fair prices.

William

Mills · 08-21-2018, 01:24 PM

I have not bought anything from Jerry, but have been tempted by several of his guns. He had a great early Damascus AH a few years ago that I really wanted, but was outside of my price range

Bruce Day · 08-21-2018, 02:38 PM

Tom, my C 20 that you admire came from Jerry Smith, maybe 15-20 years ago now. Jerry had an eye for quality and was collecting Damascus guns at a time when the popular wisdom was contrary.

Tom Flanigan · 08-21-2018, 03:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bruce Day

Tom, my C 20 that you admire came from Jerry Smith, maybe 15-20 years ago now. Jerry had an eye for quality and was collecting Damascus guns at a time when the popular wisdom was contrary.

Wow! I didn't know the wood duck gun came from Jerry. He had some incredible guns including the AH 28 bore Damascus pictured in the Parker Story. We just talked about that gun this morning. He is a great guy and honest as the day is long. I'm really looking forward to looking over the guns he still has which is many. I expect my retirement funding will take a hit. He has a couple of D grade lifter guns that I'm dying to see.

Tom Flanigan · 08-21-2018, 03:26 PM

I forgot to mention that I have been buying Damascus for years. Back when I started the going price for a nice GH was $75. I remember a nice GH 20 bore Damascus with a Red Head case that the owner of the Pawling gun shop got in. It was $150 but I didn't have the money for it at the time since I was only 15 years old. Larry Paugh, the owner of the shop, didn't put it on the rack but kept it in the back waiting for me to come in. When I walked in, he said I have something in the back for you that you are going to love. I really wanted the gun but told Larry that I couldn't afford it. He said "take it and you can pay me a bit at a time when you have money". I got a job putting Sunday papers together at a local store and paid for the gun. Larry Paugh was one of the great old people in Pawling. He really wanted me to have that gun because he knew how much I would appreciate it. I still have it and will never sell it. It gets passed down in the family some day.

Researcher · 08-21-2018, 05:04 PM

Jerry told me of a gun he had while we were at a Louisville show some 16 years ago. After we got home I went to his house to look at it and came away with two!! Dangerous place!!

Mills · 08-21-2018, 05:05 PM

Hopefully, he will be one of the vendors at the Vintagers this year.

C.O.B. · 08-21-2018, 06:23 PM

I bought a GHE (Damascuss) 16 from him several years ago at the Southern. It was a nice gun but on a one frame and I sold it for an O frame.

Bill Murphy · 08-22-2018, 09:18 AM

For decades, I lived across a mile of corn from Jerry. Even though I was as interested in Damascus as much as he was, Jerry and I never did any serious business, mostly because I was raising five kids and didn't have any money. I also thought he was doing a lot of buying and very little selling. Jerry and I lived in a little Maryland town named "Damascus" until both of us relocated fairly recently. We are still located very close to each other, but I try to avoid his dangerous gun room. A few years ago, I did find a gem of a custom rifle in his rack and bit the bullet. I still live just a few miles across the corn from Tom Flanigan. This is one hotbed of activity in the Parker world.