doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com The Czar's Parker at Julia's - BS or real?

So what? There is special department today at any presidental group that recieve gifts from any people from any countries, but I'm very doubt, that you could send the gift to UK queen. I guess this gift will be sent back to you. Thou who knows what happens today!
Yesterday it was impossible.

It might have been a great gift for some colonel to give a Czar....I suppose butt-kissing took place back then as well. The whole story has lots of holes in it but without knowing more about the Russian aristocracy of 100 years ago I can't doubt that a colonel would have had access to the Czar. Hell, not too long ago a lowly, slatternly intern had full access to our President.

I guess I ought to clarify Geno's point. Presents from commoners to the Tsar on special occasions were not unheard of, but there was a strict, if unwritten, etiquette as to who can give what. For example, craftsmen could give a sample of their craft, but nothing else, and the production and presenting of the gift would be carried out under supervision of the relevant Ministry or the Governor of the province. Officers in a regiment directly under the Tsar's command could give him a present, but under the assumption that they're congratulating not a Tsar but their beloved commander, and the present would have to be connected with the military service (e.g. a saber). To cut a long story short, I can't think of a context under which such a gift could be given. The whole story would have been much more plausible if the gun was ordered by an American citizen.

P.S. I'm asamed to admit I haven't read the letter mentioned. Being a linguist and ESL teacher by profession, I could probably tell if it was likely to have been written by a Russian. But, unfortunatly, I'm limited in on-line time. So, if anyone here will be so interested in the matter and so very kind to send that letter to my mailbox kafeen@mail.ru as an attached file, I'll be happy to see what I can do

And a few others have had access to that President. I'm surprised the dress hasn't gone to eBay.

So Geno knows who Colonel Tarnovski probably is but now he leaves us hanging. OK, Geno, I just looked at the order and his name is Colonel George V. Tarnovski. Can you give us any further information? Thanks for your interest.

History is very interesting and solving a mystery is exciting! However the price of the gun in this case should stand on its own. Provenence is interesting but at some point it becomes of second importance to a knowledgeable persons appraisal of the gun itself. I can't wait to hear from those who are going to examime it!! David

David, you are so off base, you are not even on our planet. A common A-1 Special 12 gauge in field used, well preserved condition will (maybe) sell for $50,000 to $65,000 if the stars are in the right position and everything is in order. There are A-1s out there right now going unsold at this price range and less. We will wait and see what the Czar's gun sells for or fails to sell for. It won't be anywhere in the distant neighborhood of $50,000. Provenance is the future in bird guns, especially Parkers. OK, so I may be wrong, but, for the present, I will stick with my opinion.

Humpty, the letter is actually one written by Wilbur Parker to the bloke who bought the gun after the Czar's minions welched on their obligation. It's just the type of letter I would want if I were trying to verify the lineage of a gun prior to buying it. It's also just the type of letter I would fake if I were trying to puff up my gun.

That's my biggest problem with the letter - it sounds more like it was written to entice a buyer in 2006 than what would have been written to a buyer in 1915.


But I dunno.

I think it depends on the provenance.

We'll have to see about this one. Because the Czar never ordered this gun, and because this gun never left the US, it will be interesting to see how much of a premium buyers will pay for it.

My guess....$157,500.

BTW - 8bore, did my PM go through?


Thanks

OWD

I'll make my final guess once I get my catalog and can look at it more closely, but I will guess for now....$110K (hammer price).

Then again, all it takes is two people who really want it...

Even at $150K it is still a steal compared to what Colts are bringing.