Ithaca Trap

[jeffery c]

Does anyone here know anything about the history and making of these post 1948 when the Ithaca doubles were discontinued? I remember requesting a catalog from Ithaca when I was a kid in the 70s and the single barrel trap was still a prestige catalog item then. First off, when did they finally end? Second off, it occurs to me that in a sense, these are the final direct legacy of the American double heritage. What are everyone's thoughts in this regard?

[Bob Jurewicz]

Walt Snyder's book indicates final production in 1980 with #240405737.
In 1969 three (3) numbers were added at the beginning of the usual six (6) number sequence.
This reference also indicates a special order Dollar Grade #240405728 was completed on 1987 for sale at the 1987 Grand.
Bob Jurewicz

[jeffery c]

Thanks, Bob. What was annual production like then? Pretty low I imagine.
That catalog I saw would have been in the mid to late 70's. For legacy guns there was also the Winchester 21 which lasted later yet and sort of has never been out of production, although it only goes back to the 30's vs Ithaca goes back to the 1800's.

[Bill Zachow]

My lawyer handled Ithaca’s bankruptcy back in the mid/late 80s. He was paid with the second to last Knick 5E produced. It had hung in the President’s office. He also got one of their special 10 gauge semi autos. Sadly, I sold them both.

[John Davis]

Jeff, are you inquiring about the Ithaca SBT or the side by side?

[jeffery c]

SBT, is what I was wondering about. I have the idea from serial number charts that double barrel guns ended in the late 40's. Although, I saw for sale a year or so ago on GI a seller stating a double he had for sale had been made years after that for a company executive, or something like that.

What I was thinking was the fitting and making of the SBT has a lot in common with the making and fitting of the doubles and in a sense was a continuation of that production.

[Researcher]

The engraving log of Bill Mains and Jacqueline Favre who did the engraving from 1971 to the end (240405496 to 240405739) is reproduced in Frank Conley's book The American Single Barrel Trap Gun. There were 228 guns done by them. About fifteen serial numbers were skipped. Either those guns were not built or shipped to other engravers. No guns were built from December 11, 1973 to May 21, 1975. The last gun on their list is 240405739, shipped back to Ithaca 6-9-82, a No. 5E.

To my eye the Knick is pretty simple and I'd think the parts could be belched out by a CNC machine, and with a little hand work on the sear notch, they could be made pretty cheap. But then Ljutics don't come cheap and they look like they were made in someone's basement to me.

[jeffery c]

Researcher, thanks! So that averages about 20 a year through the 70s. That makes a late gun pretty tough to find. Do you happen to have a price sheet? Was the late engraving in the original Ithaca style? My recollection is the catalog depicted fancy engraved guns only with gold birds and figured wood. Was it 5E only or did they offer other grades?

[Researcher]

The Last No. 4E was 240405695 in late 1976 early 1977. From then to end of production the only offered the No. 5E and the Dollar Grades -- first $5000, the $6500 and finally with the Jimmy Carter inflation just Dollar Grade.

From some of my old catalogs --

1959-60 --

No. 4E $525
No. 5E $675
No. 7E $1750
$2500 Grade

1963 same

1966 --

No. 4E
No. 5E
$3000 Grade
Neither of the price lists with this catalog give Knick prices. My 1967 price list says "Custom Made, write for prices."

1972 Catalog --

No. 4E $1750
No. 5E $2500
$4500 Grade

1974 Catalog --

No. 4E $2250
No. 5E $3000
$5000 Grade

1975 Catalog --

No. 4E $2500
No. 5E $3500
$5000 Grade

1976 Catalog --

No. 4E $3000
No. 5E $4000
$5000 Grade

1977 Catalog --

No. 5E $4000
$5000 Grade

1979 Catalog --

No. 5E $5000
$6500 Grade

I suspect from here on they weren't actually accepting any orders. Just like Ithaca Gun Co., Inc. kept showing the NID in their catalogs to 1955 though the last they made were in 1948.

December 1, 1984 Price List --

No. 5E $7000
Dollar Grade $9700

December 1, 1985 Price List --

No. 5E $7000
Dollar Grade $9700

1988 Catalog --

Devotes a page and a half to the No. 5E and Dollar Grade but doesn't give prices.

[jeffery c]

I am probably remembering that 1977 or 1978 catalog, Researcher. I remember looking through it with such fond memories.
I wonder, I bet Ithaca would have made the guns, or so I hope in the 48-55 and 83-88 periods? Maybe not a single person ordered them then? They were really expensive for a working person and I suppose wealthy people at that point were moving past being interested in hunting, fishing, and shooting. Lastly, thanks for the chart, it's interesting to see the change from the early sixties to the early seventies, over three times the cost!