Nice!!





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Early on, MSRP for higher grade doubles were similar

c. 1890 Factory Hammerless List Price Comparison

L.C. Smith..........Ithaca..............Parker......... ........Lefever

……….....…………...No. 1 - $50
………….....………...No. 2 - $60…..…….PH/1 - $65….…….G - $65
No. 2 - $80……….No. 3 - $80……..….GH/2 - $80….….….F - $80
No. 3 - $100…....No. 4 - $100……...DH/3 - $100……..E - $100
No. 4 - $150……..No. 5 - $150……...CH/4 - $150……...D - $125
No. 5 - $200……..No. 6 - $200……...BH/5 - $200……...C - $150

$100 in 1890 is worth about $3000 today

Brian is correct that Field grade Ithacas were priced lower than the other top tier makers

Comparative Sears Catalog “Net Selling Price” for Hammerless Non-Ejector Doubles 1897-1908

……………………1897……….1902……....1905…….1908

Smith
No. 00… …………………….….……………..25…...….….25
No. 0……………..31.75…………………….32.90........32
No. 1……………..37.22…………………….42……...…….42
No. 2……………..42……………54……………....………...56
No. 3……………..61.20
Pigeon……………89.75….....84.37

Parker
GH……………….51.20……….58.20
DH……………….64.25
CH……………….96.75

Ithaca
Field…………………………..........…………………………..18
No. 1……………..26……………........………………………24
No. 2……………..37……………37.50

Remington
1894 A grade…33…………………………..30
1894 B grade…………………….45
1900 KO………………..………………………..21.50…….23.50

Baker
Batavia Leader…………………..24……………………….22.50
B grade…………..31.75………..32…………….………..37.50
A grade…………..36.25………..37.50………………….45
Model S……………………………………….......…………..35
Model R……………………………….......…………………..48.75


1912 Schoverling, Daly & Gales Catalogue
Courtesy of David Noreen

L.C. Smith No. 00 - $25
Fox Sterlingworth - $25
DS Grade Lefever - $25
Field Grade Ithaca - $19
Baker Batavia Special - $19


Lots more here
https://docs.google.com/document/u/0...XhewGB03SE/pub

I have owned and now own quite a few Ithacas. I have never seen one with a loose rib but will say that the bane of the Flues gun was a cocking hook that wears out on a regular basis. There used to be aftermarket replacements available, but that is not true at the current time. The most knowledgeable smith to fix these recently passed away and repair is very difficult to obtain. I have three very high grade 16's currently suffering with no real solution. The problem is made worse by the fact that all the years, grades and gauges seem to have very different measurements. I have a box of potential donors which don't fit.

On the upside the NID, in my opinion and the opinion of many experts, is the strongest of all the classic American doubles and included a magnum waterfowl gun that ranks right along with the SuperFox. Also, with the number of Ithaca guns made, the graded guns are quite rare with exceptional engraving and are available at some attractive prices.

Or my 1928 Grade Three NID:)

One needs to be careful comparing prices for guns in those 1890 to WW-I years the way most of the companies played around with a high "List Price" and a much lower "Net Price" that the guns actually sold for retail.

I'm thankful for NIDs as my working-class upbringing would never allow me to spend the price of a .410-bore or 28-gauge Parker on a gun!!

Attachment 127738

Attachment 127739

Attachment 127740

A couple more of my Ithaca Guns. My 1912 16 Gauge Flues, my go to Grouse/Woodcock gun, and was my Dad's Bird Gun. 26" factory choked Cyl/Full, and my 1938 Field NID 20 Gauge which has been my go to clays gun lately. Choked M/F and really smokes clays if you do your part.

3 different Ithaca models, #1 Special Grade 2 barrel set Crass,
#2 Charles Askin's personal 30" 16 gauge Grade 4 Flues,
#3 A very late production NID 7E

The NID was a melding of the best features from other makers, as well as Ithaca. And they advertised it as such when it was introduced.

The owner of the No. 4 Flues was at best a Major and at the time he had the Flues a First Lieut. From the 1925 Ithaca Flues catalog --

Attachment 127754

His son was the Colonel.

The engraving on the pre-1915 Ithaca guns is very nice, but I don't find their frames at all graceful in appearance. The post 1915 McGraw engraving on Ithacas to me is about on par with the Gough engraving on A.H. Fox guns. Both engravers were certainly capable, but their "to a price point" designs don't light me up.

No question, Ithacas, especially the higher grades, are handsome guns, despite my negative experience with a few of them.





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