Good story Brush, and one that all gun collectors can relate to. There are two things that I follow when buying guns. One is knowledge and the other is "hunch". Both of these elements have failed me in the past however.
This site is an excellent example of "knowledge" re Parkers. These guy know what they are talking about and are unlikely to be caught by the pig in a poke. As for hunch? Well, it is more esoteric. You just experienced it with the Lefever. You also mixed in a little horse sense.
Sometimes I recognize a gun as being authentic or not immediately. Then I take a good hard look at it to see if it is an excellent fake. Some are very well done. Then I try to access the seller. While a con man can be a very good con man he is usually not very successful because they develope a rep and the informed will avoid them. However, a sucker is born every day, and while I hate to mention it, I've been that person more that I'd like to admit.
I think your decision about the Lefever was correct. If a gun has wear it has to be even wear and it must show up in the proper places. Almost always at the balance of the piece, where it was carried, on the lower tang, and trigger guard where it was cupped in the hand. Forearm wear tells the age of a gun better than stock wear because the stock is most often refurbished. Butt pads/plates tell a story too. I like old guns with approprate wear as long as they aren't badly cracked or are missing chunks and parts. It takes some experience however to discern old and loved, from junk.
Every now and then I find an old gun at a show or pawn shop that others have not recognized for what it is, and it is those days that we all live for. It has happened to me. I have also missed some that I should have bought (Oh, boy should I have bought!) A painful example? A Winchester model 21, like new for $650 in a local pawn shop. The shop owne who I knew and trusted (a former student) said the gun was brought in by a guy who just wanted what he'd paid for it. I hefted the gun. I wasn't really into double barreled shotguns then and frankly the design and short barrels didn't excite me. I went home, changed my mind, when back and ......well, you know the rest of the story. There are others.
IMO the trick is to jump when the opportunity arrises, and after years of collecting guns of all kinds, I try to not miss an opportunity. Thus the GH that I just bought. (I really can't afford it; retired you see.) People who work in guns shops often don't know a muzzle cap from an ejection port. Those are the stores that I haunt. Every now and then I make a score.
My favorite finds are very dirty guns. Sometimes the seller can't see through the grime and prices them cheap. Old oil and grime and goo in the bore can also be a perservative. I've bought several old filthy guns that cleaned up to be minty.
I'll bet you have done the same. I'd like a nice damascus Lefever too. My $ however gets excited when I find a Parker that's priced right.
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