1900 Parker sxs AAHE grade 7 rare find

[Bradley Roberson]

Hey parker brothers, I hope to turn this into a great story for the history books. My name is Bradley I live in central ga area in a small farm town. I am a antique hobbyist. I've refinished old furniture, farm equipment, build farm style furniture, collect antiques things for myself to enjoy and I really get into sometimes. I like to find the history of it all. Even where I chose to live surrounds the history of my state and my wife and I designed and built our house the old way with some new touches ourselves. I live in a small community where the general Sherman marched through ga burning down town after town and on our land is one of the last standing homes left not burned down because him and his army decide to take camp on it to reap some of the benefits offered by the family's farm offerings. So when I have time we walk and we look for signs of the remains to feel the history of this awesome land. We as a family enjoy going to look at local sales wether it's a yard sale, local auction, old town pawn shop, flea market or antique store we make weekends of this with our kids to show them a diff side of our life and show them it's not always about all of the nice new things. So here we are shopping around one sat going from flea market to antique shops and small town pawn shops... sometimes I would just run in take a look and walk out thanking the owners for their time. So on this day I walk into a small town pawn shop specifically looking for antique hunting and fishing gear.... I was talking to the owner explaining what I was looking for when it happened. This parker basically fell into my hands. This owner didnt normally buy old guns he was saying because of the risk involved and he just didnt have the knowledge so it would take lots of time to even sit down and try and make a deal with anyone coming in to pawn or sell anything like that to him and he just wasnt interested. But that day thats exactly what I was looking for and he basically took it in from the guy and turned it right around to me since I had just asked about looking for an old gun for display mainly. He said the gun is in decent shape it seems and its clearly been repaired by someone themselves by his opinion. So he didnt think it was worth anything but exactly what I was asking for. So you could only imagine what he offer it to me for.... very little...about like the old fishing reels I had purchased also. I had no idea what had just been placed into my hands but to my eyes it was exactly what I was describing to him that I wanted to display in my game room. So here I am.... I am looking at this gun and I'm pretty knowledgeable about guns so I give it a good look over and it operated like as you would expect something of its nature. Tight but smooth actions closes like an old safe locking system I was amazed at the engraving and I said this one isnt like the others I had purchased... at this point my curiosity has taken over and I'm looking for details and go to the web searching for some history. That is what brought me here... and man I was amazed when I saw the pictures of some the restored and remakes even. As you known from my original post that's where the fun began. Getting the knowledge and the history behind this gun is still amazing. I am really wanting to know who owned it and where it lived most of its life. This was not just some rich fancy pants that showed it off to his buddies. This one was used for his enjoyment...you can just feel it on the grip and see it from the wear by the ejectors on the barrel. He obviously had to have had it maintenanced and upgraded for hunting purposes. Cant wait to find out the actual history!! I attached some photos for your curiosity bones also. Let's talk!!!

[John Knobelsdorf II]

As described in Price & Fjestad.

[Bradley Roberson]

John not sure what your getting at but we have already went through the books and did a good bit of digging on it. If I'm correct the d6 is the grade of steel used for the barrels. On the water table it has a DD the c 3" and on the other side an A and the frame identifier is a #1 I may have left that pic out.

[Bradley Roberson]

Here is a picture with all of the identifiers. This is where it threw me off.

[Bradley Roberson]

The barrels have been nickle plated... but that's why I'm waiting on the research to make sure it wasnt done by the original owner for personal preference. If not it will be removed and restored.

[Mike Poindexter]

Certainly worth restoring. Too bad about the barrels, but the receiver is magnificent. Make sure you get the right man for the job.

[Gerald McPherson]

Is the receiver and butt plate plated also? Don't see any color.

[Bradley Roberson]

No only the barrels are.

[Eric Eis]

The barrels have been nickle plated... but that's why I'm waiting on the research to make sure it wasnt done by the original owner for personal preference. If not it will be removed and restored.

Barrels nickeled plated what are you talking about?

[John Campbell]

This Parker is/was a magnificent example of the marque. And certainly deserves sympathetic restoration. Del Grego would be a perfect choice for that. And, the potential history of this gun and its original owner makes it all the more monumental. Good luck in the trace!

[Harry Collins]

Bradley,

D6 is for Damascus Steel barrels. Restoring your gun will cost thousands of dollars. We don't know what you paid, but from your story it t sounds as if you took it home for near nothing. I do not have my fingers on the plus of Parker values though my guess is a restored AAHE should fetch over $10,000. If you decide to restore we have a number of top notch people we can recommend. And again this is not a job for the chap that works on everyday guns.

Kindest, Harry

[Alfred Greeson]

It is a really nice find. Please plan for a first class restoration or if you do not want to invest in it, offering it to someone on this site would be greatly appreciated.

[Bradley Roberson]

YES..... barrels for some reason are nickle plated. I dont know why or when. Because they are in great shape. So now we are in process to getting it removed

[Bradley Roberson]

Yes.... barrels for some reason were nickle plated...

[Bradley Roberson]

Opening day.... yes someone nickle plated the barrels.... I know it's sad but now it's time to get it back to it's like original state and enjoy it.

[Eric Eis]

Opening day.... yes someone nickle plated the barrels.... I know it's sad but now it's time to get it back to it's like original state and enjoy it.

Just why would someone do that! We will never know :crying:

[David Noble]

Bradley, please slow down. You have come across a Parker of significance. Do yourself and all Parker aficionados a favor and do your research and planning carefully or you could do more harm than good to this firearm. Stripping the nickle from the barrels and refinishing them is a very delicate process that MUST be done correctly. Most of the patrons on this board would take months if not years to start a restoration on a gun of this quality. It takes great skill to properly restore a gun like this one and there are probably less than thirty people or companies in the U.S. that are qualified (some may say ten or less). It will cost several thousand dollars to do it right and likely take several years. I do not know you or your financial situation but I would like to offer you this advice regardless. If you are not interested in spending the time to research the people that are qualified to do a proper restoration, spending the money to do it right, being patient for a few years to have it finished, then please sell it as is to someone who is willing to do all this. You and the gun will likely both be better off for doing this. You will profit considerably, and at a much faster rate of time. You could likely buy two or three nice but lesser quality guns to display for the money this gun is worth as is.
Please consider the old adage: Haste makes waste.
I am thrilled for you that you came across this fabulous Parker shotgun. Just enjoy it as it came to you for a time while you are considering how to proceed.
This is just my humble opinion, do not take offense as absolutely none is intended.

[Bradley Roberson]

David Noble, I agree I have done alot of research on these guns in the past few months and i have read the process of the restoration on just the barrels and it is a long process I have learned. I have learned also this parker is very rare and unheard of find or even to see it available for purchase. You are not the first one to ask me to slow down and I appreciate it all. I am constantly amazed as I learn more and more. I have met with a renowned gun builder who builds antique custom guns like this one. He said exactly the same thing to me... he said slow down let's make a plan for this rare opportunity so this thread is to keep the story going for the guts and the history of this opportunity for it to be brought back to life. Some have the opinion I just want money for it. If that was the case my first offer was 5 grand and that is alot more than I paid for it so I would have taken it on the spot. I hesitated for a reason. I want to see the history of this myself. If it takes a few months or years that's fine with me. That's why I have not just jumped on offers. I was offered 2 remake parkers with a market value of 17grand. I'm still working with the gunsmith on more data and waiting on the research letter now. I started this journey as you prob know months ago I have surely did my research. And I appreciate all of the help all of the interest and even all of the criticism. This is a great story piece!! Thank you for your input!!

[Dean H Hanson]

Bradley, Awesome find! I hope you are able to bring this amazing Parker back to its glory. Thank you for sharing.

[todd allen]

This could morph into a very interesting Parker Pages article.

[Harry Collins]

Bradley,

You have our full attention. Please share the letter when you receive it as there are several members that will most likely be able to tell you all about the owner. Thanks again for telling us about your Parker find.

Kindest, Harry

[Mark Britton]

Thats what I was going too ask ? Haven't read ( or maybe I missed it )anything about getting a letter ?

[Mark Conrad]

Bradley, congrats on a great find. Could you post a picture of the rib inscription. Thanks

[Bill Murphy]

Yup, Bradley is waiting for the letter.

[Kevin McCormack]

Sounds like things have reached the "Panic At the Disco" stage!

[Bradley Roberson]

Waiting on the letter and I will be doing some more research on the original owner when I get it back.

[Mike Franzen]

Looks like a damn good nickel plating job.

[Gary Carmichael Sr]

Bradley, The gun as I see it is a AAH, My gun ser#92791 was made in 1899 and it has just one A stamped on the water table and the #7, my letter says it is a AA pigeon grade hammer gun and is so stamped on the 32" Whitworth barrels, so the early AA's had only an A stamped on the water table as I see it, good find my friend, I would send it to Brian Dudley just my two cents, Gary

[Gary Carmichael Sr]

photo of letter not very good

[Gary Carmichael Sr]

Photo of the letter from chuck

[Bradley Roberson]

Thanks!! I am waiting on the letter and hope to get some really good history in it. Mine is hammerless it is an AAHE it was sent back for the auto ejectors upgrade so someone really wanted them done. Hope to dig up some good history about its life!!

[Bradley Roberson]

Got my Parker Bros membership package in yaay!! The research letter didnt get mailed until after the holidays since I live in a very small farm town the mail lady was on vacation and the new guy didnt know where our house was....

[Dean Romig]

Congratulations and Welcome!





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[Randy G Roberts]

Got my Parker Bros membership package in yaay!! The research letter didnt get mailed until after the holidays since I live in a very small farm town the mail lady was on vacation and the new guy didnt know where our house was....

I feel your pain. Waiting for a Parker that was to be delivered yesterday, no show. Today was another no show. Tis the holiday season right:cuss:

[Bradley Roberson]

The letter is in!! I have enjoyed reading the history. This gun was surely a very loved piece. The original owner was a very well known man in NC. The history is all there. His main hobbies were, golfing, motoring and like I guessed hunting. He was one of most wealthy cotton manufactures in NC and had specific orders for this parker to fit his likings. It wasnt hard to find out who he was. This parker was clearly modded for his own personal likings and I believe he may have had it nickle plated as a show piece at some point later in life. There isnt any proof other than some very faded notes that were not legible... so the mystery still stands but I am going a bit further in my own research to find out more. So here it is....