Mystery Ithaca
 

Just picked up an unusual Ithaca flues 16 on GB. Straight stock with replacement, uncheckered wood, but with original looking long tang. (Tang same shape as my Ithaca 12 with a straight stock). The engraving looks grade 1, but rhe table is labeled S with 16 under it. Wonder if it might be a skeet model?

28” tubes, fluid....GB #26522880 if you want to see pics.....didnt pay much for it, and im a sucker for any small bore that is shootable...might make a good marsh snipe gun on rainy days!

Let me know if you know what an S grade means!

I had a similar Ithaca Flues model years ago, and was told that the "S" indicated " Special " grade which I think is a grade 1 1/2.

Thanks.....might send this gun out to get checkered in the ithaca style, flat i believe, the wood looks okay, and appropriate to grade.

Ithaca made a #1 and a #1 Special according to the 1915 catalog. The #1 Special was slightly less money than the #1 so I don't know why it was "Special".

PML

I have a 1940 Ithaca Grade II NID 12 Gauge two barrel factory set, 26" Skeet/Skeet Barrels and 30" F/F trap barrels with the same "S" Stamped on it. I asked Walt what it meant and he did not know.

Originally the entry-level Ithaca Gun Co. Flues Model doubles used essentially the same receiver with the roll-stamped dog and company address on the sides for the Field Grade, No. 1, No. 1 Special and the No. 1 1/2. The Field Grade had SMOKELESS POWDER STEEL barrels and a half-pistol grip. The No. 1 had Twist Steel barrels and a capped pistol grip. The No. 1 Special had Cockerill Steel barrels and a capped pistol grip. The No. 1 1/2 had Damascus barrels and a capped pistol grip. At least by 1912 they added a bit of zig-zag border engraving to the No. 1 1/2 frame. In mid-1915 Ithaca introduced the bold floral engraving to the frame of the No. 1 ½ and added the option of Krupp Fluid Steel barrels. From then through the end of 1919 there were changes to these entry-level Ithaca doubles in virtually every Ithaca catalog as they phased out composite iron and steel barrels (Twist & Damascus). Briefly the No. 1 got the zig-zag border engraving with steel barrels and the No. 1 Special disappeared. It culminated in late 1919 with the combination of the No. 1 and No. 1 1/2 as the new No. 1.

Also in this December 1919 catalog the Field Grade got a capped pistol grip. For a number of years we find guns with either the Field Grade configuration or the No. 1 Special configuration with the S stamp on the watertable. Eventually the Field Grades were stamped with an F.

Great research!