This is sounding very similar to a gun at RHO, where the same supposition was made. I was told about it well before Christmas, but haven't been there since Thanksgiving week.
Seems to me the logical thing to do would be to order a letter. If the gun was made for someone associated with Parker Bros, such as DuBray, it would certainly be in the books.
Personally it just sounds like a mistake gun. If I were a salesman trying to drum up some business, I'd feel better showing them a grade 5 gun, not a grade 2 gun.
I'd also be hard pressed to come up with a premium value. If it's priced as a grade 2, plus some little bit of 'Aunt Mary' money, and you want it, just buy it.

List it and what is paid is what it's worth. I wouldn't pay much for it, but others might empty a wallet.

I can't find it. There is a "completed items" tab, but that shows auctions that have ended

Ron,

Keep scrolling through them. Some ended and others sold.

Best,
Brett

Got it -- didn't realize you need to click on the item. Nice GHs selling for $2000. Interesting! Thanks

Ron, “nice” can be a relative term. The more you see, handle and learn from, the more weight the term carries. (BTW, good to see Fred Bear quoted. He’s a long time hero of mine.)

As a general rule, where there are numerous bidders, I agree. But, that can't be said as a blanket statement, IMO. We all know of instances where something slipped under the wire at auction and was bought for a song. I've been fortunate enough to do so on more than one occasion.

Thanks -- just fyi, I have been actively around guns for 50 years. I know a nice gun when I see and handle it. Good quality workmanship is unmistakable. Nicely figured walnut is far superior to straight grain crap. So when I say "nice" I mean it's a gun I would be happy to own today (which a lot nicer than the guns I owned growing up). I have a matched pair of Dickson Round Actions for example -- I wouldn't part with them. I also know what they are worth. I'm just surprised at the vague answers you get from people about gun values. Stuff like: "It's worth what you are willing to pay for it." duhh

Not many smart people -- especially smart people with money will just pay ridiculous prices for guns. No one wants to be taken advantage of. We want to pay a fair price. Guns will come and go -- there will always be another gun to buy.

What's a "nice" (good condition, shiney bores, etc -- you know what I mean) standard 12 gauge Parker GH worth in today's market? That should be a fairly easy question for a collector to answer. $2000? $5000? $7500?

Now add on the unique factor (the mistake of making a set of barrels with two different styles of damascus, and then actually finish the gun and sell it) -- now what's it worth? It's not $20,000 ... is it $10,000? $5000 -- someone on this forum should be able to answer that question -- at least be able to give a range: "It's probably worth between $5 - 6,000." Whatever... I know if I had been collecting Parkers for 20 years I'd be able to give a better answer than: It's worth whatever you want to pay for it.

I did get a few very helpful answers and I appreciate them and I do not mean to offend anyone. Sorry if I did. Happy New Year and Cheers!

Ron, thanks for the background. It helps in understanding what your “nice” might mean. There are so few mismatched barrel Parkers, I doubt anyone could place a value with any authority of knowledge. I don’t know of any collector intense interest, at least among those i know (which is pretty limited). Frankly, I’d view the gun as a collectible aberration, but I would think you could get it for what the going rate was for a “nice” gun in that configuration.

I know what you mean about the Dickson RA, as I, too, have (alas, only) one. They are in a class unto themselves. One our members has a RA 20 bore that I hope to handle some day.

So buy that Parker! Join our Association, meet us at the Southern in April and bring it along for folks to take a gander at.

They had already invested hours into producing the gun so why would they scrap those barrels and start all over again? Parker Bros. was a very cost conscious company so they cut their losses and sold it at a discount. As you say, it is a perfectly functioning gun…

Buyers weren’t collectors back then, they just wanted a decent Parker that they could shoot.





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