Upgraded Parkers, Lesson 1

[edgarspencer]

There's a notable difference between an upgrade and a fake being peddled as an original. A fake would certainly not be signed by a contemporary engraver, even if he was talented enough to replicate original engraving exactly. That Parker clearly doesn't resemble any original Parker, doesn't match 'the book' unaltered barrel marking of a grade 0 gun, and signed. What does smack of a poor attempt to fake is the remarking of the water table.

My other gun love are special order lever guns by Winchester. I have studied them for 50 years and the enjoyment is based on the huge numbers out there, and the seeming endless varieties, especially in the 1894.
This gun was upgraded, and being sold as such, by an incredibly talented engraver who works for Tiffany. His workmanship exhibited on this gun is as close to original Winchester work as I have ever seen. Neither he, nor the man who contracted the work, smacks of fake, as he signed his work, and dated it.
I spent a lot of time examining this gun, and when I saw the signature, I asked him who J. Lowe was, and he replied "Me". Up until that point, I never detected anything that said 'not Winchester'. Even the finish is what one would expect to see on a 110 year old rifle.
http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/Vie...Item=328762667
Subsequently, I saw an Ithica Flues, done by Lowe for his wife, who soon after passed away from cancer. That gun, too, was beautiful.

[B. Dudley]

I contacted the seller on this one about a week ago. I sent him a photo of the serial number book page showing the factory data on the gun. Also I pointed out the things about the gun that tell it is not a genuine AH as here are a few glaring features. He appreciated the info and mentioned that he was passing the info on to the owner since it was a consignment gun.

A nice looking custom gun, but I don know about $25k nice.

[George M. Purtill Member #28]

OK an upgrade is an upgrade, not something I would ever buy.
BUT when you change grade markings on a gun that is involved in interstate commerce- to me that is fraud. Thats my opinion.

[C.O.B.]

It looks like a Pachmyer upgrade. I have seen this somewhere befor. I don't know about the price if its out of line or not. Seems to me there was a 16ga upgrade listed in the for sale section for $20K

[paul stafford jr]

when i here of things like this it makes me sick. these fakes make all of us who want to sell a real high grade gun looked bad. the gun should have been listed as a custom. perhaps the seller was taken and is trying to re-coup his loss. i'm with george on this one. a old friend told me years ago , "before you buy a gun buy a book"

[paul stafford jr]

the few pachmyer customs i have seen all had there name engraved and gold filled.

[James Palmer]

Looked at this one today....any thoughts. It started as a VH 16 I think.

[Big Friend Ten (BFT)]

James,

I would need better photos to give an opinion.

Any upgrade would have an artistic value but little to no collector value. How much is the artistic value worth? That is up to you and whoever else appreciates the beauty of it.

If the subject gun of this thread is indeed an Angelo Bee engraved Parker then it has extra value because of that. The same goes for the Pachmyer upgraded Parkers.

Back to #204212, that engraving and stock work would cost more than $12000 plus the cost of the gun. Lets say at $15000 to have a gun like that done but add a little more because it is an Angelo Bee gun.

The gun you posted is a maybe $2500 (more if its a 0 frame) VH 16 with $xxxx worth of engraving. If you love the engraving then it is worth the total cost to you. It is probably not worth that too someone who does not love the engraving. Why? Because the next guy could get the same gun with same engraving for the same cost. Or, for that same cost could have something special engraved for them.

Mark

[C.O.B.]

Mark the gun you showed is engraved by Angelo Bee weather this adds any value or not is debatable.

I have a couple of upgrade/custom Parkers the first and formost is Gunner's Parker a custom gun I did for me and me alone. If I needed to sell this tomorrow (oh the horror!) would I get my money out of it...probably not. The Hollywood gun is't factory either but it follows Parker lines as does the recent AAHE 28.

IMHO IF your going to buy/build a non factory Parker or any other gun for that matter the first person it must satisfy is the one shelling out the cash, resale is not something to be considered. I believe I can get my money back and maybe some more from either the Hollywood gun or the AAHE 28. Gunner's PArker is special to me and me alone and I'm fine with that.

Don't let the beauty of an upgraded gun cloud you sense of value. Each gun should be based on the merits of the base gun then consider the nice engraveing and pretty wood.

[Paul Harm]

I wonder if the selling post has been changed since Mark has shown the gentleman the errors in his post?