I have recently acquired a 1921 Flues grade 3, 16ga. It's not perfect and needs a bit of help. The original trigger guard has been replaced years ago with a plain version. I would like to have it engraved to match the original and serial number but I need some quality photos to make this happen. Could someone post some photos to assist and would also take recommendations on a engraver. Thanks for the help!

Hello
and
Welcome on your first posting

Fourth picture down
https://www.gunsinternational.com/guns-f...un_id=100698238

http://www.dogsanddoubles.com/2013/11/wow-a-real-nice-ithaca-flues-grade-3e-20-gauge-sxs/

Thank you Sir!

The GI ad shows a grade 3E Flues Ithaca, but the seller states it was made in 1929- The Flues Ithacas were dropped in 1924-25, replaced by the waaaay better designed NID-- I am always distrustful of a seller who doesn't take the time and research to get All the salient details-- RWTF

Looks like a Flues to me. I seem to recall the NID serial numbers started @ #425,000, so the SN says it is a Flues. It is a very late Flues, but still a Flusie.

It is a Flues- the staggered triggers are one of the many clues to deduce that- BUT- I stand by my comment- the dealer's ad lists this as a 1929 YOM Ithaca- and I think, in fairness, it could be a typo- 1919 maybe? But I am always distrustful of gun ads that have such flaws-- attention to ALL details is the Hallmark of someone who pays close attention to same. RWTF

The serial number would show it as a 1923 gun. Maybe whoever typed up the add hit the top number on the keypad rather than the bottom one.
Charts show the last Flues being made in 1926. For 1925 they only show 13 Flues models having been built Only the beginning number is listed for '26 but I doubt many were made that year either.

AGREE- Why would Ithaca in 1929(?) re-commision the mfg. of a Graded Flues in favor over the vastly superior NID--Doesn't make sense--

There are a number of Ithaca serial number chronologies around. The best is in the Second Edition of Walter's book. Even at that guns languished in inventory for years, even over a decade, as this invoice Walter showed us of guns with 1929-30 serial numbers that didn't ship until 1942.



Them graded guns didn't move very fast during The Great Depression. I have a fully optioned No. 4E 20-gauge in the same 457xxx serial number range as these guns. Walter gave me the info on it and it sold in 1933.

Likewise I have copies of the sheets Roe Clark used when he tabulated the graded Ansley H. Fox 20-gauge guns for McIntosh's book. He did fifty serial numbers per page and there are pages that have guns that shipped from 1928 to 1945 on them.

I'd guess that for several years after the NID came out Ithaca Gun Co. was liquidating Flues Models from inventory at discounted prices to big jobbers like J.L. Galef, etc.