20 gauge CHE found in a garden shed

[Bill Murphy]

My "Gold Hearts Parker" was a rusty mess when it came home to my house. The restoration was limited to the two sets of barrels and the skeleton buttplate. The receiver was cleaned with oil and fine steel wool and the wood was left in its original finish. You would be surprised how good a gun can look without trying to make the receiver look brand new, just addressing the worst of the other parts. Attempts to recolor and reengrave a high grade receiver sometimes results in a horrible looking final result. Some of the guns from the late Jim Parker's collection are good examples of guns that should have been left alone rather than fully restored.