Yup--know of a dealer (un-named for now) who "conned" a widow on some Parkers-- not AAHE or anything in that upper atmosphere of doublegundom-- but still, at the time he bought them, he paid her about 15% of what they would have fetched about 12 years ago.. I'll wager it would be easier to sell a 90% Trojan grade today at a fair market price, than to unload a BHE in the same condition.
I have bought good double guns (mainly Smiths) to use afield and shoot, not to re-sell later- One exception, I bought a 12 3E Smith, fully optioned, because it was cased with an extra set of 28" London steel ejector barrels and splinter forearm-- which Buck Hamlin fitted to a Grade 4E 12 that was missing barrels and FE. When I sold the gun, about a year ago to a forum member here, it had the later set of 32" barrels, BT forearm, and the factory ventilated rib Simmonds developed in about 1926== I have a Ideal Grade Long Range ejector dt Smith- 32" barrels, and as I am not a fan of ventilated ribs on side-by-side guns, it was an easy call.
My trusted huntong and shooting son-in-law, who lives nearby, has a copy of my entire gun inventory, and will handle with power of attorney, disposition of same, after I shuffle off this earth-hopefully, some time from now. He is a "south-paw" so my BA rifles might find new owners, but not today. RWT
