Need a Little Help
 

Same story as usual - inherited Parker ser # 959** from father and trying to get some info.
Can someone please tell me what these number on the barrel flats mean.

I determined the gun was made in 1900, 3-11 is barrel weight and frame size is 1 1/2 per you technical information page, but there are a "3", a "4", a "D" and a "c" that I can't figure out. May just be meaningless stampings but curious.

3 is the grade of your gun (or a DH grade), Unless its a 4 or C grade; and D is for Damascus bbls. 4 is for how many people will try to buy the gun from you today. Very nice, can you post more pics for us? That 11/2 frame is quite a nice touch too.

Extremely early for a 1 1/2 frame, I think. D is for Damascus. This looks like a really nice light little gun.

The D is for damascud the 3 -11 is the weight of the barrels The grade mark will be on the water table. it will be right above the serial no. and should be a 3 or a D both of witch would be a D grade. The C may be an inspectors mark or a remington repair code. Have no idea what the 4 is.

i think the 4 is the grade of the damascus barrels... charlie

Thanks for the responses.

Bill, total weight is 7lbs 2oz. I thought frame size was 1 but missed the faint 1/2 after it (see photo).

From grandfather, father, to me.

Last fired in 1930's, stored in closet wrapped in blankets, now in friend's gun safe.
As requested some more pictures:

I believe Charlie is correct, D4 is the grade of Damascus. It appears to have a Dogs Head Butt Plate, which may have been a special order. Most D grades had either a skeleton butt plate or a recoil pad.
I love the long scallops on the early frames

I don't understand why people are reluctant to post the entire serial number. With that, members will be able to look it up in the Serialization Book and give you it's configuration as it left the factory.
Nonetheless, consider joining the PGCA and order a letter.

It looks like a fine gun. The misaligned screws in the floorplate are probably a result of them being reinstalled in the wrong holes after disassembly. Try filing a perfect fitting screwdriver and switching them from side to side. They will probably line up perfectly. The alternative is to leave them as is until you can get your gun to a real gunsmith. Your gun has at least two special order features and deserves a PGCA letter to inform you of any information on the original purchaser.

I was told by a retired police detective never to post complete serial number.
If gun is not registered, someone can report gun as stolen using your serial number.

Just checked photos of other Parkers on your website and surprised that all floor-plate screws do line up vertically. Will try switching as suggested (only if not too tight). Thanks.

Yes, butt plate has dog's head. Screws line up 11 o'clock to 5 o'clock :)
I'll try switching those also.

Trying to get an idea of gun's value for posting on Gunbroker.
Blue Book of Gun Values doesn't give table of prices for Damascus barreled guns.
I know it is difficult to price without seeing the gun, but would appreciate an approximate range.

I would leave the screws alone unless you have both a dedicated set of gun screwdrivers and some experience in this area. You may very well bugger them finding out they are too tight.
Join the PGCA, get that letter and find a good gunsmith who works with doubles to check this nice Parker out before you think of shooting it. The minimum barrel thickness and the entire interior of the barrels should be checked. If you do decide to fire it, use light loads, like those made by RST, with the correct length for your shorter chmbers.

Ben: Did your Grandfather have any other grandchildren that would be interested in this gun so you could keep it in the family. If he did the thing to do would be to give it to them. Thomas

The dogs head buttplate is a curiosity since a DH grade gun would be standard with an SSBP unless ordered otherwise specially. Other grade 3 or higher guns have been observed on occation with a DHPB, so it is not an impossibility. One thing I notice about your gun is that the buttplate screw heads are not engraved. Grade 1 and 2 guns of this era would have engraved buttplate screws. So my thought are that if the DHBP was installed factory instead of an. SSBP, then the screws would be engraved.
A PGCA letter on this gun would be a great thing to get. If records exist, that could provide information about the buttplate.

Have no living relatives that are not "afraid" of guns.
Am no longer shooting so it's now just sitting in friend's gun safe.
Changed butt plate screws around and they now line up vertically.
Did not attempt to change the others (as Patrick pointed out - afraid of damaging the heads).

Any ideas on value?

I saw Steven Cobb buy one like that from Asa Kelley for $2500, he being a dealer probably sold again for $ 3000

Thanks Pat.
Just needed an approximate value.

I think that may be a little high, I would be around the $2000 to $2500 from what I saw at Housemans Shoot and the WI shoot the last couple of weekends

And a major determining factor in value is confirming if that buttplate is original. Either with a letter or physical evidence. The underside of it can be a clue. The look of the wood under the plate might hint to it being factory or not. Also, sometimes the last couple numbers of the serial number were written in chalk or wax pencil on both the wood and plate on factory installations.

If the dhbp can be confirmed as original, and being a half pistol grip gun with good bores (by the looks of it) it MAY be worth as much as $3k to the right buyer. But I would not say any more than that.

Ben,

If you find someone with the correct screwdriver bits, for that year the floor plate screws will be two short ones and a long one. One of the short screws will have a slot across the threaded end. This is for the left side, under the left barrel. The long one goes in the back at the trigger guard. That is if nothing has been replaced.

Thanks again for all the help.
Didn't see any chalk or wax markings under buttplate when I reversed the screws.

gunbroker has a reserve auction feature, whereby you can list an item with a low opening bid and a high hidden reserve. say $500 and $2500. let it run for a few weeks and see what bids and questions you get. then relist it in as many venues as you can find, with a fair market retail price and see if it sells. if it does not sell, get back to us.

You could just join the PGCA get a reduced cost on a letter and list it here in the Members Only for sale section of this forum. What better place to sell a Parker than here?

Why not put on Gunbroker and let the market determine
The value, put a $ 500 minimum on it and let the bidding begin
As you said nobody in you family wants it

Damn shame nobody in the family wants it, The old gun is sort of like a red headed stepchild that no one wants, Hope someone will by it and take it to field, come to think about it this would make a good story about the gun nobody wanted, Gary