Friend has one he wants to sell. Knows nothing about them. Me either,but I know a lot more than I did 24 hours ago. He's looking for a fair market price. Here's what I've gleaned from the internet:

Manufactured 1891
Serial # 69092
10 guage
BBL weight 5lbs 9oz
Frame size 2
Dog head buttplate
Grade PH with auto ejectors (PHE),marked "N". Also known as a number 1 or model 1
BBL marked "Twist"

The finish appears original to me. A slight crack in the wrist. Wood has a few dings,but nothing bad. BBLs are pretty much patina. Bores are very good. No case coloring left on the sideplates,or anywhere else for that matter. It is a hammerless gun with double triggers. All appears to function fine. Anybody got a ballpark figure as to value? Any guidance is appreciated.
f.t.

__________________
South Carolina-God's country

Sounds like a damascus gun. If so, it isn't safe to shoot with modern shells. The % finish for grading is determined not by the bluing left on the barrels but by the amount of case hardening. SOunds like this one is in fair at best condition. The Parkers really get pricey in the higher grades and smaller gauges. Your friend's sounds like a nice wall hanger.

__________________
Forum consigliere

The ejectors add considerably to the gun. More often than not, plain extractors are found on them in the lower grades.

#2 frame is a common 10ga frame size.
A Damascus barreled 'P' grade should have the barrels marked 'Twist Steel' in the barrel address on top IIRC.
A plain steel barreled gun was marked 'Vulcan' or sometimes 'Parker Special Steel'

The No 1 was marked on the action along with the P or PH marking,,sometimes it was deleted. The number coincided with the grade, so I don't know quite why they did it. 'G' grades had a 2, 'D' /3, 'C' /4, etc.

The lack of finish both on the barrels and the frame devalues it as a collectors gun. But many buy these as shooters yet. And yes many of us still shoot damascus guns,, even with BP equivelent smokless loads.
But that's a discussion best left to another time.
This one may have a better market in that arena than as a collectors gun.
The 10ga 2 7/8" was at one time 'the' field gun and load for upland birds in a shotgun built of proper proportions and weight.


Serial numbers should match on the frame, barrels, forend iron, trigger guard tang,,,and if you took the gun apart,,on the forend wood, buttstock wood in the trigger guard tang cut(along with the grade) and also the forend metal tip. The trigger plate is also numbered and IIRC can be seen at least in part from above thru the action. Top lever numbered underneath and you can see at least some of it when the lever is opened. Collectors check all the numbers they can.

Dogs head BP was the standard issue on these, though pads were available. No cracks, chips or repairs is how they like to see them,,and original. There are repros available as many originals are damaged. Wear to the face is normal but less is obviously better.

Check the fit of any butt plate on it now and see if it looks like it's been there since forever,,originality is everything on a Parker.

Are the barrels original length,,un cut? 30",,32" even 34" on a 10ga. Should be a very small space of unmatted rib at the very tip of the top rib. Only a 1/16" to maybe 1/8" . A cut barrel will have the wavey matting go right to end of the top rib.
Some restorers are good enough to reproduce that feature after cutting though so very careful inspection is needed.

Barrels are often said to 'touch' when viewed at the muzzle,,and in 99+% of the times they will on a factory original set,,but there are a few instances where they won't and still be factory. A fresh cut or rework signs are a better indication if you suspect something.

Check for loose ribs,,,they will dramaticly reduce value as repair costs are high. Even collector guns that won't be shot are devalued by them.
Barrel dents are also downers but they can be repaired much more inexpensively than rib work can.

The stock crack is not uncommon through the wrist but does figure in the value. Checkering wear does also.
If a pistol grip (assuming it is) the cap should be a hard rubber material w/ 'Parker Bros/ New Haven Conn' on it w/a single screw through it. They are commonly chipped and/or cracked from over tightening.

Does the safety work properly? Is it an autoset safety? and does it work correctly. Many had it, some have it disabled(simple to do by removing a short steel rod captured in the butt stock head. It takes removal of the stock from the action to do that and signs of the take-apart may be present (twisted screw heads, ect.) that collectors again shy away from.

One somewhat oddity sometimes found on these is a top lever called a fishtail top lever. The lever instead of being straight has a distinct curve to it in it's namesake style placing the thumb piece over to the side. Sometimes collectors pay a slight premium for these,,others not.

Chambers were probably 2 7/8" originally. Any rework to the chambers, forcingcones, chokes etc reduces value.

I'd hazzard a guess that a matching PHE 10ga w/a slight crack at the wrist but otherwise solid mechanicly w/ no alterations, damascus barrel gun, standard features (stock, butt plate, barrel length, engraving) would sell for around 1500 to$2000 +/-.

The big plus is the ejectors. 10ga is a plus (anything other than a 12ga is in a Parker) as is the Grade P. Not a 'High Grage' but certainly a step up from the more common 'V' that seems to be everywhere. The 'P' grade wasn't in the line up for all that long either,,probably less than 9K made in all gauges.

Just my .02

Wow! That response was sure worth the price of admission. Great information; thanks for sharing. -S2

I know that they are quality shotguns and pretty expensive. The only one I own is a 10 ga model 1875. It was shipped the first year, 11-17-1875.
It was sent back to the Parker Factory in 1881 to get 18" fluid steel barrels installed.
The man who sent it back was a T.J. Mumford of Clarksville Tenn who was in the 4th Infantry of Montogomery County Tenn. A Confederate.
Mr. Mumford may have taken a job as a stage coach guard. Some how the gun ended up in the "tellers cage" at a bank in Lapeer Michigan from around 1906 when it opened and did duty until 1950 when it was replaced by a more up to date Winchester model 12 in 12ga.
The bank president was given this gun when he retired and I bought it from his son several years ago.

Attached Images

	Parker Coach Gun 008.jpg (93.8 KB, 101 views)
	Parker Coach Gun 002.jpg (84.7 KB, 132 views)

Thanks a bunch 2152hq. All numbers match. Buttplate is original,uncracked and not worn too much at all. The bbls are 32" and uncut as the space you mention is there. There are a few dents on one of the bbls close to the breech. It is a pistol grip and the cap is as it should be. The safety works but do not know if it's an auto set that has been disabled. At any rate,it does not auto set. The fishtail top lever is present. As near as I have been able to determine,there were approximately 5,122 manufactured. Also,the bbl rib is marked "TWIST",NOT "TWIST STEEL". I am aware that the presence of the ejectors add substantially to the value. Would you think that $1600 would be a fair price to ask (given that my information is accurate,you not having seen the gun) or should he ask more?
f.t.

__________________
South Carolina-God's country

Sounds like a fair price given the description and condition.
The barrel address should read just 'twist' and not 'twist steel' as I posted. Working from memory is not always the best way!,,I went and pulled a couple of books and they both confirm the single word ID.

The gun would need some work to put it put into shooting condition,,fix the stock crack and the barrel dents removed. Beyond that, nothing further is needed for a shooter looking for a graded ejector 10ga Parker upland gun to take out and use.
The 10ga 2 7/8" carried 1 1/4oz of shot and was a great all around load.

Much obliged!
f.t.

__________________
South Carolina-God's country