I am becoming interested in NID's and am watching several on the sales web sites- one was called a star model. The sides of the reciever and the hinge pin had a simple star engraved on them. Also on the bottom of the receiver. Does anyone know how this differs from the regular field model?

I very much suspect this is from Researcher

There were at least four different versions of the NID Field Grade over the years of production. The early Field Grades just had the dog and the address roll stamped on the sides of the frame. Then somewhere between 1927-29 to 1934 the Field Grades had the stars engraved on the sides, hingepin ends, bottoms, etc. Then around 1935 or 6 Ithaca dropped the cocking indicators from all grades, got rid of the dog and address from the sides of the Field Grade frame and put a wiggly line border around the receiver of the Field Grade with some nice matting on the top of the receiver. Also at that time they went to the Baker style snap-on/off forearm for extractor guns. After WW-II some Field Grades were assembled and sold with no engraving or stampings at all on the frames. This is all covered very well in The Double Gun Journal, Volume Five, Issue 3, by William R. Allen.

1926 to the 1931-32 catalogue the list price of the Field Grade was $37.50.

1932 and 33 the list price was $40.55.

1934 the list price for the Field Grade was dropped to $39.75. The Fall 1935 illustrated price list shows the new style Field Grade with border engraving and no cocking indicators, still at $39.75.

By the Jan 25, 1936, price list the Field Grade was up to $43 list price, but by Feb 1938 it had dropped a nickle to $42.95, where it stayed for 1939. Feb. 1, 1940, saw the list price of the Field Grade up to $43.60. From there on the price escalated every few months.

The Star configuration has a little longer forend. Mechanically the same.

Thank you for the information. Does anyone know how many differnt frame sizes were used for thr NID?