Unusual engraving
 

I thought this engraving was unusual to be on a single barrel trap gun. Has anyone ever seen a beaver engraved on a shotgun before?

Ithaca?

Yes Brian it is a Ithaca grade 5. It was made in 1915, the second year of the SBT production.

Wayne, do you know who it was made for?





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No I don't know who ordered it. There are British proof marks on it. I guess the owner traveled from here to Europe or it was ordered new and shipped there. I need to get a letter from Walt Snyder to maybe figure it out.

I hope Walt will be able to help you. I know he has some Ithaca information but he told me that he sent the majority of his Ithaca research material to the Buffalo Bill Museum. When I asked him when they would have it all digitalization and ready to produce research letters his reply was "Sometime in the very distant future." But of course, Walt may still have information on your SBT.






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Thanks Dean, I didn't realize he was sending the info to them.

[QUOTE=Dean Romig;183066]Wayne, do you know who it was made for?



I'm guessing Theodore Cleaver. Sorry, could'nt help it.:nono:

no, it was made for Ward. He left it to the Beaver

No, but about 25 years ago I passed up buying an AHE Damascus 12 ga. that had an otter floating on its back in a kelp bed trying to crack open a clam with some sort of rock or stone. A Winchester collector named David Bichrest from Maine had taken it in trade against a scarce lever action, and said he was not having much luck selling it because of the 'dangerous' Damascus barrels. I think the asking price back then was around $2500 (*sob!*).