Selling Parker for Grandma

Chip Sutton · 01-06-2011, 08:41 AM

Hello Parker Forum,

My Grandmother recently asked me to sell her late husband's Parker. One of my friends is interested. I need to determine a fair price for the gun but feel overmatched after buying a couple of pricing guides and visiting a couple of local shops that didn't seem to know much about Parker. Can anyone help? Thanks for your time. Here's what I know:

20 ga, serial 157205, 1911, hammerless, VH, Pat'd Mar 26 1878, big 3 & little 1 under barrel, vulcan steel, pictures attached (I hope). Unfortunately was refinished and the stock was replaced years ago.

Thank you for your time. Chip Sutton
P.S. I have no financial interest in this gun.

Bindlestiff · 01-06-2011, 08:47 AM

Chip,

In the past this forum did not allow selling of firearms on this forum but recently a new section was added for just that purpose. To gain access to that forum feature, you will need to become a member of the Parker Gun Collectors Association. Buying and selling here is one of the many benefits of being a PGCA member.

Chip Sutton · 01-06-2011, 11:48 AM

Hi Robin. I wasn't trying to sell here, just looking for price help to do my Grandmother a favor. From reading past posts, it looked like it might be available. I understand if not. I'm not a gun collector. Either way, you all have a great site. Sorry for not quite following procedure. I was trying...

Chip Sutton

TARNATION !!! · 01-06-2011, 12:25 PM

Chip: I have a soft spot in my heart and soul for guns with family provenance. Those I do not sell. But, that's just me. If grandma wants/needs the $$, I would of course help her too. (I think I would give her some cash and keep my grandfather's gun, but that's just me). Anyway, to get an idea of value, check out gunbroker.com and search for Parker 20. Recognize these are asking prices and sales often go for somewhat less. You have a plus in it being a 20 gauge and, for some, a minus because of a replacement stock. If a friend gave my grandma $2000 for the gun, I would be happy. A stranger would have to pay more

Hope this helps you a bit.
Cheers,
Jack

Harry Collins · 01-06-2011, 12:35 PM

Chip,

It is hard to tell from the pictures how good or poorly the Parker was buffed before being blued. It looks like a good job of restocking. If unmolested a 20 gauge VH should fetch about $2,500.00 or better if in good shape. Hard for me to put a price on your grandaddy's Parker. If it had been my grandfathers it would stay in the family.

Kindest, Harry

charlie cleveland · 01-06-2011, 12:44 PM

chip i agree with what jack and harry said about your grand mothers gun.....from 1800.00 to 2500.00 would be a fair price for gun....look on gunbroker and you can get a fair idea of what your gun is worth...beware of high prices for low grade guns...they never get any bids.....myto cents worth.... charlie

George Lander · 01-06-2011, 10:10 PM

Chip: All of the foregoing is good sound advice, especially giving your grandmother the cash and keep the Parker in the family. I've bought & sold a lot of guns over the years but one that I will NEVER sell is my Dad's Fox Sterlingworth. A few years before he passed I had it restored to "like new" and presented it back to him. You should have seen the look on his face! It took him back 40 years.

Best Regards, George

Chip Sutton · 01-07-2011, 10:19 AM

Thanks to all who have responded and kindly offered advice. It has been very helpful and added some needed perspective.

Best wishes,

Chip Sutton

C.O.B. · 01-07-2011, 04:13 PM

Chip if you have no interest in the shooting sports or any sentimental attachment to the gun then by all means sell it. If you do enjoy the shooting sports then follow the advice and give Grandma her funds. My road into the world of Parkers was inherited by a man I never met, my Grandfather. He was a trap shooter and a bird hunter. He came home one day with a Parker A1 special (my mom remembers the argument with her parents to this day over this purchase) but he died and Grandma GAVE the gun to one of his friends per his request. I wish I had Grandpa's Parker or any other shotgun he had.

It can always be sold...once gone it's probably gone forever.

TARNATION !!! · 01-07-2011, 07:19 PM

Another thought on this. Even if you have no interest and even if there is no one else "yet" in the family with any interest, there will be future kids who may have the interest and would be ecstatic to have a great-grandfather's gun. I'm actually in that boat right now. I will retain family guns for the estate and if at that time there is still no interest, the executor can dispose as seen fit. Like I said, I have a soft spot for family guns.
Cheers,
Jack