Mike -thanks for your suggestions. I am the kind of person that is able to see beyond the immediate situation and analyze things pretty well. Believe me, when I say, I am not being a pollyanna; (A person regarded as being foolishly or blindly optimistic) but there are details about the gun that I researched which substantiate the provenance of the gun and its history. My professional life over the past 35 years has hardened me against accepting anything as fact until I determine for myself what the facts are.
The intimate details of the original owner of the gun, as described to me by the seller, check out completely with research from historic records of the time and region in which the owner lived. The last surviving offspring of the original owner, the seller of the gun to my seller, is still alive in Minnesota.
This is a 1930 gun. Looking at the edge engraving around the receiver with a 8X loupe shows the edges to be sharp with no evidence of rework during a rehab or renovation. The screws are indexed and untouched. The screws and triggers are 100% case colored
There is no oil staining or solvent seepage in the wood or any other evidence that the gun underwent any cleaning in its lifetime. The barrel steel is undinged and there are no burrs or dents in the rib. Looking at the face of the receiver, the factory burnish is still apparent and no evidence of polishing out shell case deposits are evident.
If the gun was renovated by either Larry Del Grego or Remington, their mark would be on the receiver flats. I know that to be the case. Lastly, who in his right mind would go to the trouble of renovating a 1930 VH gun? The expense would exceed any amount one might dream of getting for a 1930 gun. So, in the case of this Parker, I do not believe the mine was salted.
Rather, the history, condition of the gun and intelligence of the seller (duh!!) are all harbingers of support that the gun has been in the closet(s) for 82 years and when it came out, I was there.
Your suggestion is not discarded out of hand, and I thank you for the thought. JF
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