Value of my Parkers

[Big Friend Ten (BFT)]

Carolyn,
I recently purchased (at auction) a Grade 3 two-barrel (2 seperate barrel sets and 2 foreends) 10 gauge Parker in very good condition. That transaction gave me a little knowledge of the market price for such guns. I agree with Dean that if all your late husband's Parker is in good to very good condition that it should bring $3k. At least that would be a good asking price. The gun market is like the stock market and for many brands of guns it is very low. Parkers have held much of their value but they can take much longer to sell. Also any flaws such as the name in the stock will lower the value. That stated if the name is of the original owner as documented by a research letter from the Parker Gun Collectors Association (PGCA which runs this site) then it MAY not lower the value. Collectors like "Provenance" of which the root word is PROVEN. A research letter will prove what we think or someone claims. It an owner of the gun was famous that bit of provenance may add value. Certainly Teddy Roosevelt's AH Fox is worth many times more a similar gun because it was Teddy's!

To purchase off the Internet I would need to see MUCH better photos. Those should be easy to obtain. When you have high resolution photos please post them to this site for pricing opinions. Remember one cannot sell a gun on this site. Once you have a good idea of it's worth post those photos and a good description of your gun you may post it for sale on the For Sale forum of the BBS (bulliten board) on doublegunshop.com A guy named Dave runs that site and ask for $10 per gun sale via the honor system.

Alternatively and probably a better idea would be to send it to George Lander (or a reputable and NATIONALLY Known gun dealer) and let him sell it for you. George will make a commision of perhaps 15% which is reasonable and you will receive as much as you would have if you sold it yourself. Why? Because if it is a nice and rare gun George may have collectors like me waiting for such a gun and ready to pay top dollar. Now it doesn't have to be George but he is a regular contributor to this forum (and this thread) and although I do not know him I always read his posts. It is my impression that he is fair and honest in his business dealings. Also, Kirby Hoyt of vintagedoubles.com has always treated me fairly. There is also Steve Barnett who my very "Shrewd" Parker collector friends have bought from and they say the same of him. So take your pick of reputable and NATIONALLY known gun dealers. Whatever you do DO NOT sell a highly collectable Parker via the local gun shop!!! Most are honest but some are not. Even with an honset local dealer chances are that a collectable gun will not sell for as much locally as it would fetch in a nation-wide Internet sale such as Steve, Kirby, or George would provide to you.

If I inherited a very collectable car I would serach for a Collector Car dealer of the reputation as George or Kirby have selling guns. What would I know of selling a 1953 Rolls Royce?

I hope this helps.
Mark

Not that Mark needs my endorsement, both as a person of integrity as well as a brother Marine- but I'll do it anyway. Mark knows fine double guns, but he also donates his time and considerable talent as a photographer- many of our side-by-side SC events are captured on film or CD thanks to him, he does this gratis and deserves our thanks-

I spent last Saturday (17 July) with Mark and other brother PGCA members at the Lapeer shootfest- Mark does indeed have a fine Grade 3 10 with the matched barrel set- he also had a "special Non-Parker 12" bore I would love to own- if only there weren't a 10 Lindner Daly with Krupp barrels also waiting my bankroll-

One area where Mark and I may differ- I do NOT buy guns on any BBS or website- I may buy gun parts, books, shell boxes- I want to see the gun and shoot it- and the site Mark mentioned is a good site, thanks to owner Dave Weber- but you will get more of the "tire kicker" element- and you have to ship the gun (FFL) and offer an inspection period, plus your personal privacy could be compromised-

I recommended to you my personal friend George Lander, I have done business with him- he, like the other gentlemen Mark mentioned, is honest as the day is long- Have him consign your Parker(s) and be patient- One of many reasons I recommend George is that he is already a successful and well established realtor in SC- so there is no "panic button" if he doesn't sell a gun in order to make a bank payment-

We use this same principle in finding a guide in the West- if he has a good off-season job (carpentry, welding, auto mechanic, etc) he most likely won't be under financial pressure for his guiding income and will do a better job and be better company at eveningtide "Sundowners" time as well-

I think I may have met Mark's friend Kirby Hoyt at the MI Yooper shoot- he was handing a fine Churchill 12 bore XXV to Stephen Cobb while I watched- he offered the gun (broken open of course) to me- a fine gesture both in gun manners and as a dealer- I am about as likely to own a Churchill or a Purdey as I am to drive the 1953 Rolls-Royce Shadow Mark mentioned, but I still go to handle a "London Best"-- I tried very hard not to drool all over it- a true "Steinway of Shotguns" in my hands- Wow!!

I can't speak for the fotos, others here know that area better, nor can I for the PGCA Board of Directors, who have wisely ruled we should NOT sell our Parkers here- My guess, and mine ONLY, is that they wish to avoid the acrimony I have read on the For Sale posts at times on other sites that deal in gun sales-

[Bill Murphy]

If you could post some clearer and closer up pictures of the receiver area, top, bottom, sides, we could give you a better idea of the value of the hammer gun. It looks like an exceptional example. The stamped letters on the stock are not of any consequence unless you try to remove them. It is hard to take pictures of the bores, but maybe someone could evaluate the bores for you.

[Carolyn Kluttz]

Receiver area? Meaning where the bullets go in?

[John D.]

Many thanks to all who have tried to assist Carolyn..!! As well - I'm posting these for her.. Many thanks!

John