George Ryman

[Bob K]

Originally Posted by Stan Hoover

I was looking for an Ithaca letter the other evening and after reading it, I had a light bulb moment I guess you could say.

It is a high grade, field configured 20 gauge ordered by George H Ryman. It is one of probably less than 10, NID Grade 7E 20 gauges. The gun was completed in 1947.
The original buttstock had been shortened unfortunately, perhaps for a lady. It has been restocked quite nicely and the original is still along.

Per the letter Walt Snyder put together on this gun a few years ago, Mr Ryman also ordered a 7E 410 at the same time.

So my question, I’m sure most of the crowd here knows much more about Mr Ryman than I do, did he order any Parker guns, or any other makers guns for that matter.

He sure seemed to have had no problems ordering high grade guns.

Stan, I don't know if George Ryman ordered the double i purchased from his wife quite a few years ago. It was an LC Smith skeet special 20 bore with Hunter One trigger, 2 sets of barrels, one with splinter and the other with beavertail, vent ribs on both. I wish I had that one today!!!

[Stan Hoover]

Originally Posted by Bob Kimble

Stan, I don't know if George Ryman ordered the double i purchased from his wife quite a few years ago. It was an LC Smith skeet special 20 bore with Hunter One trigger, 2 sets of barrels, one with splinter and the other with beavertail, vent ribs on both. I wish I had that one today!!!

Bob,

Was the stock on the gun you purchased from George's wife shorter, or maybe this gun was not used by his wife?

Stan

[Bob K]

Originally Posted by Stan Hoover

Bob,

Was the stock on the gun you purchased from George's wife shorter, or maybe this gun was not used by his wife?

Stan

It fit me so about 14 1/4, 14 3/8. It may have been shorter at one time as it had a leather covered pad when I bought it.

[Researcher]

While most NID No. 7Es have a gold Bull Elk head on the trigger guard --

429598 09.jpeg

Stan's 20-gauge and the Klein .410-bore have a gold setter with a bird in its mouth which Josh matched up with a Ryman picture. A 12-gauge No. 7E with the same gold setter is 448878.

448878 09.jpeg

While Walter's letter doesn't mention Ryman, it does mention the 20-gauge and .410-bore.

448878 02.jpeg

[Stan Hoover]

Great info Dave,

Appreciate your knowledge and input.

I thought perhaps the gold setter with bird in mouth were a late NID Grade 7 feature, but obviously that is not correct. The 2 Grade 7’s ordered by George H Ryman are late guns, any chance you have the serial # on the 410?

The bull elk has grown on me some, but the Grade 7 that I regret not buying had a gold dog on the trigger guard, I don’t remember the other features of that particular 7, but that gold dog I can still picture like yesterday.

[JAMES HALL]

Be careful. The gold dog bites. Must have got you.😃

[Double Lab]

Originally Posted by Stan Hoover

Great info Dave,

Appreciate your knowledge and input.

I thought perhaps the gold setter with bird in mouth were a late NID Grade 7 feature, but obviously that is not correct. The 2 Grade 7’s ordered by George H Ryman are late guns, any chance you have the serial # on the 410?

The bull elk has grown on me some, but the Grade 7 that I regret not buying had a gold dog on the trigger guard, I don’t remember the other features of that particular 7, but that gold dog I can still picture like yesterday.

There's always the one that got away isn't there???

[Stan Hoover]

Originally Posted by JAMES HALL

Be careful. The gold dog bites. Must have got you.😃

Don’t worry, they don’t bite very hard

[Researcher]

Originally Posted by Stan Hoover

Great info Dave,

Appreciate your knowledge and input.

I thought perhaps the gold setter with bird in mouth were a late NID Grade 7 feature, but obviously that is not correct. The 2 Grade 7’s ordered by George H Ryman are late guns, any chance you have the serial # on the 410?

The bull elk has grown on me some, but the Grade 7 that I regret not buying had a gold dog on the trigger guard, I don’t remember the other features of that particular 7, but that gold dog I can still picture like yesterday.

The .410-bore is 467672. George Ryman must have had an "in" with someone at Ithaca to be getting those high grades direct in 1947. All the Ithaca post war paper states that they don't accept orders from consumers or dealers and that all their production, which is far from meeting demand, goes to their Jobbers. Also states that only a limited number of doubles would be produced and just in Field Grade and No. 2E.

[Stan Hoover]

I’m curious what serial # 467671 would be, the serial number between the 2 7E’s ordered by Mr Ryman?

# 467622 is a Grade 7 12, configuration of a field gun, 30”, splinter, & double triggers. It was sold to Lewis P Kalb.

Seems to have been a fair amount of Grade 7’s in 1947.

Thinking about this earlier today, I could be all wrong but it seems like the late 20’s into the 30’s, the higher grade Ithaca’s seem to often be target guns, single trigger, beaver tail for ends, vent rib, and Monte Carlo butt stocks, later year high grades tend to be field configured guns.

Have you ever observed this Dave?

Me and a friend were together a few years ago and took a quick photo of 5 Grade 7 Ithaca’s