My first Ithaca
 

I picked up this 12ga Ithaca up over the summer. It seems like a a worthy project, though I haven’t done anything to it yet. It needs stock work, a mechanical cleaning and the left firing pin in not installed though I have it. I believe this is a 1897 gun, it’s cool that it has ejectors, nothing better than a damascus gun with ejectors and the right side dog engraving looks a little like my dog.

It feels and looks like the equivalent of a Parker on a #3 frame. It weighs 8 3/4lbs. Barrels are 30 inches and the bores are mint. I always like a straight stock. I will get it sent out for some much needed attention in 2025. Should be wonderful when it is fixed.

Real pretty Jay - looks like a Grade-3 .





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What great engraving!

I see it is possible to get a research letter on these as well. I will order one after the holidays...

That's a great looking gun Jay. So, are you going to get the original wood repaired and refinished, or have new wood made for it? I would vote for restoration of the original wood.
I'm an ejector guy myself, and agree that damascus guns with ejectors are something special. Good find!

Beautiful example of an early Ithaca, can't wait to see the finished project. Looks to be a grade 4 late Crass or early Lewis model.

Congratulations on your beautiful Crass No. 4E.

There is a similar No. 4E pictured on Pages 288 and 289 of the Second Edition of Walter Snyder's book, with the engraving attributed to Robert Runge Sr. by his son. That gun has, the typical for No. 4s, American Flag Damascus barrels.

Calling Dr. Drew to identify the Damascus on this gun.

Spectacular gun

The Crass & Lewis era catalogs listed the No. 3 as "Fine Damascus" and No. 4 as "Very Fine Damascus"; Crown steel was also listed for both.
I've seen Chain on a Crass & Lewis Gr. 3 and both "Washington" (no stars in the scrolls) and "American Flag" (with stars) on a Lewis Gr. 4, and "American Flag" on this Lewis I believe is a Pigeon No. 2

https://photos.smugmug.com/Damascus/...n%20flag-M.jpg

Jay's gun is a 4 Iron "Oxford" Crolle.
I tried to enhance the image and the arrows indicate the ribband edge where the scrolls were squished (how's that for engineering exactitude? ;) ) when the edges were "jumped". The arrow on the far R shows the straight ribband edge weld rather than the 'zipper' welds between the rods

https://photos.smugmug.com/Damascus/...0Gr.%204-M.jpg

Flues No. 3 were "Chain Damascus" and No. 4 "American Flag"; Krupp was also listed for both at least c. 1915.

Rib extensions
 

Very similar rib extension to the 'enhanced Trojan' discussed in another thread.

Beautiful gun. The engraving is different in some ways than I have seen on some early ithacas.