1881 12G - Need help w grade & value

[DennisZolotor]

My uncle passed on to me a Parker 12G SxS hammer gun. I was able to identify this about the gun, but the grading is too confusing. Can anyone help by providing more information, especially about the grade and possible value?
• Serial #24296.
• Date of Manufacture: 1881 (serial number range 20289 through 24304).
• Top Lever Shotgun.
• Stamped Genuine Laminated Steel on barrel rib (estimated production of 2,682).
• Frame size stamped on barrel lug is 3 (10,12,16 frames).
• Barrel weight is not stamped on the flat.
• Left barrel is stamped 'CHOKE BORED'.

[B. Dudley]

This is not a Parker Brothers (of Meriden, CT) shotgun. It is a imported “knockoff” as they call them.

Looks like a T Parker on the plate?

It is not worth much. Maybe $100-200

These are generally considered as wall hangers due to their relatively poor quality of manufacture. Most are real rattle traps today.

[OH Osthaus]

Brian is correct
I can only see one in the posted picture, but if you look at the proof marks on the under side of the barrel and google “Belgium proof marks”. I think you will find they match

[Drew Hause]

Dennis: It is a Crescent Model 2 made about 1898 and sold by Sears.
The barrels are Twist.
https://docs.google.com/document/pub...iu5JGIhfguSXXQ

Sears sold other Parker knock-off variants; some by Crescent and some from Belgium



The gun was not of high quality when new 120 years ago, and I would suggest cleaning the external surfaces and hanging it in a place of honor in your home.

[Researcher]

T PARKER NEW YORK is not a Parker Bros. shotgun, the subject of this organization.

At first glance I thought the gun was one of the cheap Belgian guns that flooded the world from the 1880s to WW-I. But with no proof marks on the barrel flats and watertable it may be a cheap North American made gun built to compete with the cheap Belgian imports after the McKinley tariffs were in place.

I have no pictures in my files of a Crescent Fire Arms Co. hammer gun with that style top-lever and the Purdey-style double underbolts of the gun in question.

[Bruce Day]

Parker G 1881, 12 ga 1 frame , 28”. 7 lbs, open choked

[DennisZolotor]

Thank you all for the quick response and information. Much appreciated.

[Drew Hause]

Hard to read, but I have this listed as T. Barker New York and it appears to be the same gun



The OP's gun looks to have a J spring 'pull off' FE rather than the later Crescent "Deeley & Edge" FE attachment

Crescent "American Gun Co. New York" and I believe the same gun

[Drew Hause]

Even more confusion. This is the T. Barker listing in the 1902 Sears catalog, but the engraving is clearly T. Parker.



"Royal Damascus Finish" would be Faux Damascus.

Again, the OPs gun has no proof marks so is not Belgian.