BH Again, Help with Value, Restore or not?
 

I have re-newed my PGCA membership so this should not be deleted! I am trying to determine the "as is" value and secondly see if a restoration would be financally a good move or not, to increase its value and desirability.

The Research Letter is attached as well as (hopefully) enough pictures to help the more knowledgable give me an estimate on its value and if restoration would be financially wise. This gun will be for sale at some time in the probable near future.

This was purchased from the family of Mr. Fred Brewester who was a very wealthy business man with interests in Standard Oil and the New Haven and Hartford Railroad Co, The Second National Bank of New Haven, United Illuminating Co as well as Trustee of New Haven Savings Bank. When he married in 1908 in New Haven, Connecticut, he constructed "Edgerton" Mansion and it was called "one of the last great examples of English Manor House in America". He passed away in 1959 and the mansion was demolished after the death of his wife in 1964 and the property donated to New Haven to be used as a park as per Mr. Brewester's wishes.

Any help will be very much appreciated.

Don't mess with it. If you are going to sell it, let the next owner risk a bad restoration. There is one restorer who would do a wonderful job, but since you are selling it, the safe bet is to not. There is a possibility that a first class metal restoration would add more than the cost of the restoration, but you would have a 6-9 month delay and a $1500 to 2000 investment. It is not certain that you would gain, particularly since you have shown photos here and interested purchasers would know that it is restored.

The history is interesting, but all these high grade Parkers have an interesting history. Unless its somebody beyond the normal high end fame and fortune, it won't add value in my opinion. If it were Gen Patton, a president, Hemingway, etc it would make a difference, but if its just another monied banker with a mansion on the hill, well, so what? I can trace back several of my guns to interesting people and it makes a nice story, but it doesn't add to the value.

You can talk up the straight stock, about 20% of B's were straight stock, but those who favor straight stocks were and still are in the clear minority however they talk about how desireable straight stocks are.

Here is the 2012 Fjestad Blue Book page. I'd call it 30%, others will have their own opinions.

PGCA Letter. Also apparently Remington replaced the barrels with 26" steel barrels and upgraded it to ejectors. The double triggers were replaced to a single trigger, unknown who or when it was done.

That gun is just too nice to warrant restoration IMHO. I don't believe it would increase the value enough to offset the expense of doing it, and I don't believe it would increase the desirability any. It's a shame about the replacement barrels, but short of finding the originals, anything else is just going to be a replacement anyway that would need to be divulged at the time of sale. At least they are possible Remington replacements.
The condition and provenance of this gun is enough to justify it's collectability, desirability and value just as it is. The PGCA letter proves it was used as an "exhibition" gun.
I would recommend putting time and effort into documenting Mr. Brewester, his ownership and use of the gun including family or historical pictures of him holding/shooting the gun etc. Possible avenues of information could be garnered from gun clubs and newspaper/magazine articles from the local area. A man of his standing surely would have been noted in local publications if he particpated in shooting events. Usually this kind of provenance will add interest to the gun and make it easier to sell.

Restore it with what? Another set of non original barrels? What's the point? I'd leave it just as it is. I see no reason whatsoever to change a thing.

Why on earth would you restore a gun like that? Once restored it loses all originality and there is a great probability that it loses some value. Let someone else take on that responsibility (IMHO)

Eric, I think your photos are quite good, and perhaps it my aging eyes, but I failed to see anything that would even hint at the thought of doing any restoration, freshening or otherwise. So, I'd have to agree with Mister Day: "Don't mess with it". I thinks it's the rare exception where 'restored' trumps originality in the price realized, but even more rare when it ups the desirability. It's 'original' only once.
It's only my opinion, and I'm sure it doesn't apply to every gun listed in the Blue Book, but I don't put a lot of import on their paint brush valuations. If selling your gun is the plan, trust the better dealers, known for actually selling high grade Parkers, to guide you. An 0 framed B will pretty much sell itself, Remington barrelled or not.
I don't recall the previous thread by you being deleted, but, if a post fails to meet the forum's guidelines, I don't think the moderators differentiate between PGCA members and non PCGA members.

Any history or inherent value in this gun would be totally destroyed by "restoration."

What's more, there is no point in even thinking about it. The gun is beautiful as it is!

I'd keep it just as it is. And encourage the next owner to do likewise.

Best, Kensal

I do not concur. The PGCA restored the John Browning AH . Many, many, high grade guns with history have been restored. Some are publicly known to have been restored, others not known and I'm not saying. I know of museum Parkers that have been restored. Others in the top collections have been touched up or well restored by the one or two good restorers. Some restorations result in increased value, but many many have bad results.

I saw a restored GHE 20ga go for $13,000 then $17,500, then resold for $22,000. Four years ago at Julia's three high grade Parkers were initially determined and cataloged as high condition original. The restorer personally corrected the Julia error. Auction results remained as originally estimated for two of the guns and the other went for above estimate, so for all three value increased over what they had been before restoration .

But, I still wouldn't mess with this one.

Mr Day:
While I respect you views, I must demur. The grounds for "restoring" anything should be the respectful reversal of accidental devastation or gross neglect to the point of harm to the article at hand. This gun exhibits none of that. It is a classic example of gunmaking art that should be left alone... and its history pondered. This gun has provenance.

To me, even the word "restore" is chilling. Restore to what? New? Then what?

Personally, I'd rather have John Browning's personally handled, sweat-stained stock than any restoration by any restorer.

Just my view of things. And I certainly respect yours.

Best, Kensal