doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com When engraving hurts.

A gun was brought over to my house yesterday to see if I wanted to buy this "rare engraved Parker". What it was, was a mess. Starts out as a Trojan 12 ga. which had been restocked with a Weatherby style Monte Carlo stock in Claro walnut, big beaver tail fore end and either home done engraving or the first physical therapy effort by an engraver after a major stroke. Scrolls in different sizes from side to side, different depth and general ugly attempt to engrave a decent gun. Engraving, ugly engraving, made the gun ten times harder to even look at much less think about buying.

I tried to be nice and decline this rare chance to buy an engraved Parker. Seller did not want to hear it. Kept saying make me an offer. I should have offered him the value of he firing pins. I finally explained that I did not have an eye for Parkers and suggested he go to where they understand rare guns. The local Cabellas. They have a Ithaca Long Range .410 for four grand last time I looked. This rare Paker should be worth twice as much.

Now that is a good one!

SRH

As a Lefever guy, I'm sure you'll enjoy this one, even if the Trojan you saw sounds worse:

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=554039572

The best part is the description which says in part,

"I have taken lots of pictures. It appears that the reciver was restored some time before 1970. I belive it was done when it was engraved as I don't think any H's wear factory engraved. It has a name on the bottom I have taken a close up picture of. The color case hardening on the receiver is beautiful. The receiver is in 95% condition since the restoration. The Damascus barrels are untouched original. The restoration on the receive was done amazingly well. The barrels fit perfectly zero slack. Every part of this gun function as if it wear new. If the barrel wear restored this would be a museum piece. It really is now."

Then there is the game scene on the left sideplate which includes either a dog or one of the Budweiser Clydesdales... I'm not sure which.

The strangest part is the selling price of $1075.00 with $40.00 shipping. Don't get mad at me for not posting this before the end of the auction.

Clydesdale.

Looks like Clifford the Big Red Dog to me!
CHAZ

Of course that is much better than I could do with hammer and chisel!

I have to agree with Stan...that IS a good one! Maybe suggest you will take if off his hands if he pays you enough.

And some one actually bought that Lefever or should I say museum quality piece for a mere $1,075.00 bucks.

But that brings up a good point. See how uneducated some of these Gunbroker bidders are? And some people prey upon these people.

So better or worse than your typical Smith?

The ears are too small to be Clifford.

I like Smiths, also Lefevers, Fox, Aubrey/Meridens, Remington 1894 and 1900s, Ithacas, Bakers and even Parkers. Worse there are a few Crescents, Union Arm and other minor makes in my gun room. They all have a few potential problems but I like American doubles as a rule.

What I hate to see are sloppy coats of True oil finish, crappy upgraded guns, any double with a Weatherby style or roll over Monte Carlo stock, fat beaver tail fore ends, Claro walnut or Maple where Black or even English was original, metal that has been buffed until it looks like chrome or torched to look like grapes or blue berries making love on the side of a gun and the hideous White Line Pachmyar recoil pad. Now to my long list I have to add engraving done by a blind man. Can't wait until I find a good pro-ported double. That ought to be real nice.