To restore or not to restore

[Spin Drift]

Picked this up in Lost Wages from my Ivory Bead good buddies last January. I inquired of Mr. Gournet for a quote to redo the engraving. It was not inconsequential but excellent work will always command a premium. I've amassed the funds but am still not sure on (pardon the pun) pulling the trigger.

It seems that a previous custodian ( and that's all we are to these fine guns) had it redone and the engraving was scrubbed off. Now I have two more Gr4's with identical floor plate engraving and know what it should look like. The thing is with the redo cost added to the acquisition cost I will most likely be a little underwater on this. I'm on the fence on going forward. Who has an argument one way or the other.

One thing is according to researching the SN book it is the 5th Titanic barrelled Gr4 and could be the earliest still known.

[Reggie B]

I am sure you will get lots of opinions. For me personally once a gun has been restored, the question of doing it again would be based solely on whether I would rather have the cash in hand or have a nice pretty Parker. That is why I tend to gravitate toward original guns in fairly high condition. But that is just personal preference and not any real logic. That is a nice Parker though!

[Mills]

Personally, I would probably do it, but then I just enjoy having guns restored.

[Opening Day]

It's a great gun, but you will be totally upsidedown in the gun if you restore it unless you got it for a couple of hundred bucks which I doubt. Keep it as is and enjoy it as is.

[Kensal Rise]

My two centavos: Leave it alone. It's a nice old Parker. It has cachet as it is.

The resto path is fine for flogged out guns. This one isn't. But I would be concerned about the odd fit of the bottom plate doll's head. Or... maybe it's just shadow?

A Parker is only new once. If cared fore and used, it's art and human history.

[Mills]

I will add to my previous post that you should not expect to recoup your investment. All you will get is satisfaction from having it done

[Dean Romig]

Originally Posted by John Campbell

I would be concerned about the odd fit of the bottom plate doll's head. Or... maybe it's just shadow?

There should be nothing there to cast a shadow. My guess it that if you remove the barrels and look down in the recess past the bolt trip you'll see the last three digits of a different Parker C-Grade.





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[Researcher]

In that some previous caretaker has already messed with it, I'd favor getting a total proper restoration. Don't think I could live with the fit of that trigger plate as it is.

[B. Dudley]

Yeah, it looks to me like the front of the trigger plate has been messed with so much that it has been rounded over all the way around. There is no point in restoring the gun without doing it right which means correcting that issue. Either by replacing the plate and engraving to match or repairing that one which would be a LOT of delicate work in itself.

It my opinion, any grade 4 or higher Parker should be made to be as right as possible, but you have to weigh cost and effort against reward for yourself.

[edgarspencer]

I had a nearly identical, and equally early CH, but had to give it up in a trade. Jeez I miss than gun. Seems i went through the serialization book and it was also one of the first 10 Titanic Grade 4s. Belonged to Canadian trap shooter, Robert Montgomery, who took the Silver Medal in the 1923 Paris Olympics. I was never able to confirm whether he did it with that gun though.