Interesting and gorgeous Ithaca Flues
 

Found this 1918 grade 4 Flues on the WLM site for sale. Just thought folks might like to see what Ithaca was capable of back then. This gun is gorgeous! I've never seen a nicer Flues and had no idea they ever made guns this nice. How did they get the case colors on this gun to look like sunlight????

A few pics of my 1909 McGraw engraved 4E Flues. Same checkering and with gold triggers as above. Truly beautiful art/wormanship.

The graded Ithaca guns had some of the best engraving of the times

The guns themselves are IMHO greatly under appreciated. I grew up near there and they were often in the used racks at bargain prices

I have had a few, still have a Super 10 and just finished redoing a grade 1 Flues 20 which I shot for the first time a couple days ago. It handled very nicely

Both wonderful examples of Ithaca's work. I'd say the second gun looks much more Ed Laytham to me. William McGraw would have been 16 at the time that gun was made. He first came to work at Ithaca Gun Co. at age 14 and became a full time employee at age 17. I really like the engraving on the pre-1915 Ithacas, but I don't find their profile/style particularly pleasing.

Gorgeous gun Mark! I did see one gorgeous leather-cased damascus Ithaca 2-bbl set S/S some yrs ago that a friend in Missoula had inherited from his father. It was absolutely stunning. He ended up auctioning it off for small money. I was very tempted and should have bought it from him.

Mark - What is the Damascus style? Beautiful guns both

John
The Barrels have been called Amercan Flag bunting and Etoli by those much more knowledgeable than myself. There is further discussion on this gun and its history on the below thread for those interested.

http://parkerguns.org/forums/showthread.php?t=21127

I cam across it quite by accident with the purchase of a 28 ga DH (with bent barrels) The DH is long gone but I have not let go of this one.

Ithaca wood often seems to be a notch higher per grade than its competitors, and the early engraving was exceptional. I have always appreciated the thin frame on those early Flues models -- nice, lightweight guns.

Ithaca called the pattern "American Flag" (no bunting)

http://pic20.picturetrail.com:80/VOL.../409894739.jpg

Walt Snyder's Crass 4E

http://pic20.picturetrail.com:80/VOL.../342319658.jpg

Remington's "Etoile 3 B.P." had finer "stars"

http://pic20.picturetrail.com:80/VOL.../303255759.jpg

Mark's Flues however has a "Washington" pattern - note within the 'scrolls' are not crosses/stars but small rectangles

This is a Parker

http://pic20.picturetrail.com:80/VOL.../317324708.jpg

Remington called the pattern Washington N 3 B.P.

The lopins; the bottom row No. 1 is American Flag and No. 3 is Washington

http://pic20.picturetrail.com:80/VOL.../412652502.jpg