New to the Parker World and need expert opinion

[Jesse Warren]

Hey guys,
Let me start off by saying this is a really great forum and I enjoy reading the post as each of y'all weigh in. I recently purchased a collection of guns to get a few choice pieces ( I collect 1911's and HAD to have the Singer and Union Switch 1911's in the collection (; ). Anyway there were some nice shotguns in the group including Greeners, L.C. Smiths, Lefevers, and one old Parker. I know absolutely nothing about Parkers and was tempted to immediately trade it away but the more I looked it over the more intrigued I was. My never having owned one was a bit ironic especially considering where I live ( Thomasville, Georgia...the land of quail plantations and site of most of the famous Eisenhower hunting pictures).
Anyway, I would appreciate any opinion or suggestions on this particular firearm. I do know that the bores are mostly (95%) shiny with a few small area of pitting just proximal to the receiver, the barrels measure 28 inches, the wood is nice with no cracks but covered in some type of varnish, the checkering is worn to the touch but still visible throughout and the metal has turned a nice plum color. Overall its a beautiful firearm. I would be interested in your thoughts on collectibility, value and if any type of preservation/restoration is warranted.
Thank you in advance,
Jesse28279

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[Jesse Warren]

more picture

[Jesse Warren]

more pictures

[Harry Collins]

Looks like a nice GH from 1901. It is not in the book. On the top rib there is a description of the type of steel. Please tell us what it is.

Harry

[Harry Collins]

Oops, a PH with Twist Steel barrels. A lower grade Parker that I would shoot,

Harry

[Jesse Warren]

I guess being a lower grade Parker, not much desire for, value, or collectibility? I was thinking about keeping it but depending on some of y'alls responses may just trade it away.
I dont have much in it especially when the total sum is divided among all the guns of the collection but was still curious of value.
Thanks for your input
Jesse

[Harry Collins]

Jesse,

Your Parker looks to have been well cared for and used as there is little checkering left. With that in mind doing anything to the gun other than cleaning will detract from the value rather than increase it. I have one that the barrels were cut and blued and messed up screws that I paid $350 for. Depending on how the floor plate screws look I would think the value would be between $700 and $1,000. I do not have my ear to the ground on current values however and some others will surly correct me. I do shoot mine.

Harry

[Eldon Goddard]

Parkers, L.C. Smiths, Lefevers, Greeners, and a Singer 1911. That is quite a collection. I think a lot of people enjoy P grades and since it is a 1 1/2 frame 12 it is more desirable. Tell us about your Singer 1911 and show some pictures if possible, I always thought it would be funny to get my sister one she hates guns but collects singer featherweights. Would be a pretty expensive joke though.

[Ray Masciarella]

I think it is a PH, Not GH, and looks like a nice gun if the barrels are safe to shoot.

[David Noble]

1 1/2 frame? Appears so.

[Jesse Warren]

Hey guys,
Thanks for all the comments. The collection I purchased was quite impressive. I am a physician down here and was able to purchase another retired physicians( whom I already knew) collection from his estate after he recently died. I am still going through the collection and so far have a larger stack of firearms I know nothing about than the stack I am familiar with.
Would any of you attempt to have the varnish removed from the wood and replaced with something more correct?
Thanks
Jesse

[Brian Dudley]

Nice barrel finish and very crisp engraving! And nice colors in protected areas.

[wayne goerres]

Value depends a lot om the gauge. You need better pics of the wood. Are there any cracks in it.

[Jesse Warren]

The wood is in great shape. No cracks, gouges, or splits. The checkering is worn down some. It is a 12 gauge.

[todd allen]

Looks like it has decent dimensions. Nice gun!

[George Lander]

Jesse: I believe that Harry Collins estimate is right on. The Mod. 1911 Singer, however, would be north of 5 Grand IMHO.

Best Regards, George

[Jesse Warren]

Thanks for all the great replys. I am learning a lot about these shotguns.
Jesse
P.S. George, it took me so long to find a nice and complete example of a Singer that I would not take 5k for it(:

[ed good]

I would think cleaning the wood and revarnishing, if necessary, would not hurt its value. and if you could have the checkering recut for around a $100, that would be a good investment on your part...even though it is a low grade parker, it is still a parker!

[Bruce Day]

Jesse, saw your post. Parker made the D grade which was commonly called the Doctor's grade. It was the medium grade, usually ordered with skeleton butt plate, had European walnut and was nicely engraved.

Here are a couple D 20ga specimens to lead you astray. By the way, we were hunting last week with an ex ER doc from NYC who couldn't take any more mayhem after 10 years, picked up accreditation in cosmetic surgery, moved to Miami where there is an enlarging market and now has time and ability to hunt anywhere he wants and buy any gun he wants.

[edgarspencer]

One of the big auction places sold a Singer 1911 in the past year or two, and I'm pretty certain it sold in the $30K region.

[Richard Flanders]

Your P grade looks in pretty good shape to me. I just got home from grouse hunting in Minnesota with a 24" PHE16. I think that just about any of us would make sure that your P is safe to shoot and shoot the bejeezus out of it as is. The bbls sound ok from your description. Check the trigger pulls to make sure there isn't a worn sear/hair trigger issue. It always helps to have someone knowledgeable with Parkers take the floor plate off to check for worn sears, corrosion, bugs, sticks, rocks, etc, which most all Parkers have if they haven't been apart for a long time, which most haven't. They can be nice on the outside and a train wreck inside and still work just fine.

[wayne goerres]

I would agree with the value given previously. from the looks of the photos you supplyed about 900.00 to 1000.00.

[ed good]

best advise given to me long ago:

don't pay too much, but also don't pay too little...

and like the old Russian said: $5000 a dallas! its only a gon!