doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Appraiser for Parker bros shotgun

Thanks for the advise and horror stories.

Not being a collector or have any "trusted" friends that are I'm in the dark so to speak as to it's worth.The estimates vary widely.My search for an appraiser is to get a professional opinion as to it's condition % before I put the gun up for sale.

I'm located in MA.

Call Dave Dave Trevallion in Cape Neddick maine

You'll have a hard time believing anyone who is in the business. Similarly, anyone who collects Parkers and 'might be interested' will also be hard to believe.

Also, anyone who has collected Parkers for more than 20 years will be likely inaccurate as their opinion of worth is based on what guns were worth 40 years ago. Kinda like how your Grandpa gets outraged at the price of a soda and reminds you it only cost a nickel when he was a kid.

The best thing you could do is look through recent high-quality gun auctions and see what comparable guns sold for.

Check Gunbroker.com., join the site and search Parker Shotguns. Find some guns similar in grade and condition to your own. Follow the For Sale auctions for a month and you'll know more than we do about the current market on Parkers. Low bid on the ones you are interested in so you can view the bids placed, and copy the auction ad and bids. Voila, you have your own free up to date appraisel, and it will probably be better than what you'd pay for.

Sure, an expert might point out some rare priceless feature of you particular Parker, but that ain't going to happen, and you know it. All you need to know is the current market, which is down, by the way...Geo

p.s. Free tip! You've held on to that Parker for 39 years and we're in the middle of a recession, if not the beginning of a depression. You're not selling off your deflated stock portfolio; don't dump your Parker. In two years it'll be worth a lot more, I'll bet. Take Last Dollar up on his offer, sort of, and Rent it to him for two years. If he puts up a 20grand deposit, maybe he'll break it!

Look, let's be honest here. We know you came here trolling for some prices. That's ok, because I've been guilty of the same thing. These appraisal "experts" will have you so confused when you're done with them that you will be afraid to sell the thing for worry of not getting the very last dime out of your gun. Always ask them if they will buy it for what they say it should bring; if they don't offer, ask them what they WOULD give for it. If they still don't answer, you know they aren't worth listening to.

Call Steve Barnett in West Point, MS. He's a good guy and as honest as they come in a somewhat dishonest business. Tell him what you have. He will tell you what it might bring and what he would give you for it on a straight buy. He may ask for pictures. Steve is one of the most active people in the trade these days, and also has his "go to" list of people for all types of guns, so he can give more than a lot of dealers will. Or, you can let him consign it for you. There's always the risk of someone screwing with your gun while they have it out on approval with that scenario.

Otherwise, you can advertise it yourself and put up with all the tire-kickers and pseudo-buyers, or drag it around all over the place to shows and events hoping you find the greater fool.

But you already know what your gun is worth, roughly. You need to decide what you will take for it and go from there. It's a desirable piece, which you already know, and there are people out there who will try to buy it from you; the process is full of pitfalls. Good luck.
JR

Call Julia Auctions in Fairfield Maine. You may be able to get it in his spring gun auction. They're one of the top gun auctioneers in North American, especially for shotguns.

Julia's will tell you what they can sell the gun for. Everyone else will tell you what they want to buy it for.

With Julia, remember: commissions are negotiable.

OWD

Thanks for the input.

As a bowyer I can evaluate a bow in a minute and if not sure of it's history I know where to find it.I do not have that knowledge when it comes to firearms.
Hence

This is the beginning of a process that I expect will take some time and would like a "professional" % to work with.

PGV,

What some of the guys are saying is that almost all the Parker experts are either Parker collectors or are on the look out for a nice Parker for a customer. So unfortunately they are biased.

Take a look through the on-line gun sales sites and average the prices depending on your gun's condition.

The best advice is to keep the gun for several years to wait out the current market drop if you can.

If you must sell, Steve Barnett and Doug Turnbull are good places to start.

Best,

Quailnut

PGV,
1 - To register on the PGCA BB you must use your real name...hiding behind Internet anonymity with a "handle" or initials isn't proper etiquette on their site. PGCA members like to know who they're talking to and everyone who can't accommodate that one rule will receive no help.

2 - Valuation is obviously subjective, and on the Internet it's a spectator sport where anyone can claim to be an "expert".

3 - First choice might be the high end auction houses if you're close enough to one to let them do an appraisal with gun in hand. Any good auction house should demand a hands-on examination. They'll establish high/low estimates based on precedents set at previous auctions. Not always accurate, but it's a start.

4 - Second choice is actually best...go to the Southern! As stated earlier some of the biggest collectors (and experts) will be there. Not all will want to buy your gun, but even those that do will be quoting you "fair market" dollars...not the "pie in the sky" funny money prices you see on the Internet or from some dealers. If one of those collectors quotes you a price, chances are they'll also be willing to pay those prices...so if "money talks and bullshit walks", these are the best people you can ever hope to work with.

5 - A Dealer is your worst source of helpful information. For what it's worth, my personal experience as a buyer with Barnett Fine Guns has left a lot to be desired. He may be honest, but he's in business to help himself...not you. That's a truth you apply to all Dealers.

6 - Obviously a Parker .410 is a rare bird. Grade and condition may make it extremely valuable, which you already know. If it has problems, you need one of the "experts" at the Southern to point them out...something many auction houses may not have the expertise to do, or won't do if they want the consignment.

7 - How its finally priced is up to you. How it's sold is also up to you. Obviously an auction house and a dealer gets their percentage off the top. A private sale requires meeting the high end collector, so again go to the Southern SxS this spring.

8 - An extremely rare Parker can command astronomical dollars, but realize the pool of real buyers is small for such high end guns. On the other hand, if condition or rarity doesn't justify the price asked, you'll simply own it a while longer...or maybe for ever.

At least you have a very interesting problem on your hands.

Post deleted by Run With The Fox