Vulcan steel was the normal barrel material for the VH-/VHE-Grade Parker Bros. double. See the grades section on the home page. A very few guns of higher grade were made with Vulcan Steel barrels and quite a few guns of all grades were rebarreled with Vulcan Steel barrels. The VH-/VHE-grade was the lowest priced Parker offered from 1898 to 1912, a period of the very highest Parker production, so they are the most common Parker double, and of course 12-gauge is the most common gauge.
Value of these old guns is so highly dependant on condition, that no good evaluation can be made without the gun in hand, snd to even get close we'd need several good pictures and all the specifications -- gauge, barrel length, serial number, grip style, original butt plate or recoil pad, is the gun in sound mechanical condition, any options -- single selective trigger, beavertail forearm, ventilated rib, etc -- percent of original blueing on the barrels and trigger guard, percent of original color case hardening on the receiver, percent of original finish on the wood, on and on.
|