Just stumbled across this thread, and since I saw a link to an earlier post I made elsewhere, I thought I'd add what I know about Emil Flues, and maybe a bit about Chambers also.
I own an 1881 Marlin that Flues built for a judge in Saginaw, Mi., who was a member of the Schuetzen club which Emil Flues was secretary for. From what I've gathered over the last decade or more, Flues started out his apprenticeship at age 14, and became a full time journeymen gun maker by age 18. He was partners with a gentleman named Wrege in Bay City, Mi. in the late 1800's, and into the early 1900's. He built a number of fancy schuetzen single shot rifles, and later fine shotguns, but to my knowledge the 1881 Marlin I own is the only lever action he ever customized. I have quite a bit of information on E. Flues, and much of it came from the Bay City, Mi. Historical Society, and the Michigan Historical Society. I also have his autobiography that was published in the Double Gun Journal, and written by his nephew.
Here's a picture of my 1881 Marlin with "E Flues Bay City" rollstamped on the barrel, and under the buttplate. It also has "#100 Tested" stamped on the barrel, under the forearm. Flues built the wood for this gun in presentation grade walnut, bent the tang to a pistol grip, engraved the screws, added a Farrow style buttplate, custom sights, and casehardened the receiver. This is the gun mentioned on the first page of this thread, that was found in a barrel of clunker guns in a local gun shop that was closing years ago.
