Parker GH, 12 ga, Damascus barrels, 1927 production

[Ian Civco]

Several months ago, I stated I had a retired gunsmith friend who had an absolutely mint Parker engraved with hammers, 1926 production, Damascus barrels, engraved. Well, funny how you forget these things, but the engraving (GH grade) and the Damascus barrels are the only part that is true. Very good plus condition, but not excellent, a GH (thus no exposed hammers), it is 12 gauge, and 1927 production, which is late for a Damascus barreled Parker. Number 221278. Pictures fairly accurately depict the gun, a small ding in one barrel, hardly noticeable, and the case colouring is fairly accurately depicted, except right side of frame, accurately depicted, has one prominent darker (blued) spot in the case colouring, which probably is factory original, but it appears darker than I would expect given the rest of the case coloring.

Sorry for the delay in photographs, but my gunsmith friend had to locate the gun, which took time.

This gun is for sale, to me, and the big question is, what is fair value amongst friends? To me, that would be auction value (hammer price), no commissions, win-win for both of us. I don't have to pay commission, he doesn't have to bother contacting auction houses, worry about not attaining the minimum bid, etc.

How desireable, or less so, might be a Damascus gun from this era?

[Ian Civco]

As memory did not serve me well, I am glad I did not pay for this one based on what I "recalled"; and so I present the facts. A photograph is worth a thousand words...

[Brian Dudley]

It is a very nice gun. GH 12g Parkers are pretty common. But when they are condition like that or better, they are ones to be had.
Based on the photos and assuming the bores are as nice as the outside, I would say that $1,500-$2,000 is a good price where everyone wins.

[Dean Romig]

It looks entirely original from where I sit, including that darker spot in the case color on the right side of the frame.
I think it is a desirable gun, being such a late Damascus gun.(It is a rare gun as it stands on its own merit.) If the bores are as nice as the rest of the gun and the chokes and chambers have not been altered, it is in my opinion at least as valuable as a comparable GHE of the same YOM with Parker Special Steel barrels and perhaps more so.

I recently sold a GH (No E) in the very same condition, with PSS barrels for over $4700.

My opinion - YMMV





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[Bob Jurewicz]

I'm with Brian. If I were to buy I would want to pay no more than $1600. 12 GA guns are currently an anchor!
Bob Jurewicz

[Dean Romig]

....and my gun was not even for sale. The gentleman to whom I sold it (who’s name most of us old-timers will recognize as a high end collector who drives an extremely hard bargain, INSISTED I sell it to him at HIS price) would not take “No” for an answer. Just sayin...





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[Austin J Hawthorne Jr.]

I think more like $2,500 would be a good deal for both parties ( assuming the bores are good and the chambers and chokes are original ). Even though it is a 12 gauge...it is in very good condition. Most of us would be proud to own a gun like that.

[Jeff Christie]

I think it would be fun to have. How many GHs are out there with proof marks? You may not ever see another.

[Brian Dudley]

How many GHs are out there with proof marks? You may not ever see another.

A lot of them. In fact every single one made after they started marking them.

[Dave Noreen]

I was just looking through my file of barrel flat pictures and it appears the "Parker Bros. Overload Proved" marks start in the 217xxx range. But, there appears to be a break in the 236xxx range where some guns were shipped before they made the "Parker Gun Works Overload Proved" stamp.

[Ian Civco]

It looks entirely original from where I sit, including that darker spot in the case color on the right side of the frame.
I think it is a desirable gun, being such a late Damascus gun.(It is a rare gun as it stands on its own merit.) If the bores are as nice as the rest of the gun and the chokes and chambers have not been altered, it is in my opinion at least as valuable as a comparable GHE of the same YOM with Parker Special Steel barrels and perhaps more so.

I recently sold a GH (No E) in the very same condition, with PSS barrels for over $4700.

Well, THAT is full retail and then some! I do not have a chamber gauge but would guess it chambers at 2 1/2". How do I tell if the chokes have been altered?

[Ian Civco]

It is a very nice gun. GH 12g Parkers are pretty common. But when they are condition like that or better, they are ones to be had.
Based on the photos and assuming the bores are as nice as the outside, I would say that $1,500-$2,000 is a good price where everyone wins.

My gut instinct is that it's a $1250 to $1750 gun, $2000 if one wanted it badly enough. Another poster stated $1600. That seems about right, fair to buyer and seller.

The gun was inherited, might have been purchased new by the current owner's father in 1927.

I wanted to get other opinions and to be able to show the owner what others think as well. I think once I offered him $1800 and he declined. I think he was at 3k on it several years ago and inflation makes him think it is worth 4k, but he is a reasonable man and might take all opinions and reason that a certain value is what current market conditions can bear. I think at the height of the market this very well might have been a 3k gun and had there not have been a downturn in Parker interest and prices, 4k would not have been unreasonable to expect. So $1500 to $1600 seems fair in today's market, at least to me.

[Don Strelioff]

$1500-$1600 is at the low end I don’t think anyone who commented on its value if owned by them would sell for that price I know I would not if as stated the bores are good i don’t think the owner of that gun would have any trouble getting $2500.00 for it .

[Richard Flanders]

It has ejectors, which no one has mentioned - oops, looks like Dean did. I have a similar condition 1-frame 6#10oz 26" damascus GHE 12ga that I gladly paid $2800 for some years back. It's pretty much my go to 12ga gun for upland birds over pointing dogs. I don't think $2500 would be out of bounds for this gun, especially given the condition. I would consider $2000 a very fair price were I buying it.

[todd allen]

I would agree with Richard that this gun should be worth at least 2,000.00. And that is considering the 12 gauge market is pretty soft.
Damascus and ejectors being a big plus.
That said, what I have learned is that if I want something it is rare and desirable. Maybe even priceless.
If I'm selling, it is an unwanted boat-anchor, and I need to pay someone to remove it.

[Ian Civco]

I feel like that being 12 gauge this is very detrimental right now so easy to buy at $2000 and more difficult to sell someday at $1700. Why are Damascus barrels more desirable than steel?

[Dean Romig]

They're only desirable to some of us who really appreciate the beauty of pattern welded barrels and who love to shoot them. They're not for everybody... there are still a lot of folks who just don't trust Damascus barrels though it has been proven time and time again that they're perfectly safe if they are still in excellent condition and are unaltered as far as wall thickness and chambers go.

Yours is desirable because it is such a late Damascus gun and it has ejectors.

I like it and would shoot it often with appropriate loads (same as with any gun almost 100 years old).





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[Ian Civco]

I like the Damascus pattern as I find it attractive. I didn't think others did.

[Kirk Potter]

I love Damascus ejector guns.. That being said I feel like 2 frame 30” 12 gauges are a dime a dozen.

[Bill Murphy]

Where are the hammers the "gunsmith" mentioned? These descriptions are hardly ever true. In this case, hardly ever true. A #2 frame 26" gun is a bit suspicious, although rare if not chopped off. I can't remember, after all this discussion, whether anyone ever said what the barrel length was.

[Steve Huffman]

I love Damascus ejector guns.. That being said I feel like 2 frame 30” 12 gauges are a dime a dozen.

I have a few rolls of dimes show me the guns :corn:

[Hal Sheets]

So what is the barrel length of the subject GHE /2 frame? In the photo the barrels look too short to be 30".

[Ian Civco]

So what is the barrel length of the subject GHE /2 frame? In the photo the barrels look too short to be 30".

If I recall correctly, they are 28".

[Richard Flanders]

Jeez! A 28" gorgeous GHE12 with damascus bbls?? What's not to love?! If I had my way every shotgun I have would be damascus. Damascus is a huge plus for me.

[Bill Murphy]

This gun should sell for more, maybe much more, than a common early Damascus GH. The value is in the late manufacture date, the condition, and the ejectors. These factors could triple or quadruple the value over the just mentioned, common, early, brown, GH 12 gauge. With the condition described, incorrectly by the seller, the gun could be a $4000 or $4500 gun very easily.

[Brian Dudley]

I am not at all familiar with what Parker values have been over the last 20 years back into when Parkers were skyrocketing in value and over where they were at their peak.

And I do not know every single buyer over time.

But I am pretty sure that I can say that your friends gun never would have been able to bring $4,000 or more. Maybe others can correct me if I am wrong.

[Bill Murphy]

His friend's gun was or is lacking in condition, but the time of manufacture and ejectors were positives. Condition is the biggest plus factor in a gun like this, and the gun in question didn't have enough of it.

[Ian Civco]

His friend's gun was or is lacking in condition, but the time of manufacture and ejectors were positives. Condition is the biggest plus factor in a gun like this, and the gun in question didn't have enough of it.

To me, I thought it had decent condition, but now you think it doesn't have condition or enough of it? So I need to look further then for something with condition or negotiate a little harder? I thought the condition of my friend's Parker at least warranted an Honourable Mention???

[Dean Romig]

I think it has desirable condition too. You should offer your friend a fair price - something he will be more happy with than you will be to pay it, but something that won't come between your friendships with each other.






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[Ian Civco]

I think it has desirable condition too. You should offer your friend a fair price - something he will be more happy with than you will be to pay it, but something that won't come between your friendships with each other.

I did already. I think the shock of realizing it never was a 4k gun has to set in first. I would like to have this gun, I don't need to have it.

It IS a bit unsettling perhaps to have a shotgun that might have peaked at 3k several years ago and find that over time, it has gone down a grand, and not up a grand. Not the way things are supposed to work.

I will say my friend is well off enough that he doesn't necessarily need the money. If I were in his situation, given that I've treated to many a meal, drink, and cigar over the years, I'd just do it. But, then again, I'm not over 80 and may feel differently when I reach a ripe old age.



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