Lloyd, warn your bro-in-law that the Crass is a very interesting model (with proportional addictive properties) and not nearly as numerous as is often thought.
Using Walts 2nd ed. numbers the first Crass is #7004 in January of 1888 with the last being #50,000 in 1901. (My own research turned up 49,999 as the last one but lets work with Walts number.) That would leave us with 42,996 Crass guns. But like John mentions above that there are Crass examples into the Lewis era so there are also examples before #7004. Somewhere I saw Walt mention #6981 as the earliest known Crass and I have personally seen a letter reference in the Ithaca records in Cody to a hammerless 10 ga #6830.
So, how many Crass were made? We obviously dont exactly know but it would seem that we could safely say somewhere a bit over 43,000. But - and thats a very large BUT - there is a major caveat. And here it is. The production numbers that we often refer to as the Crass numbers actually also contain the NIG (hammer gun) production. We probably should more correctly refer to these numbers as the NIG numbers since the NIG predates the Crass and then postdates it by another 14 years ending in 1915 well into the Flues era. But we dont. So taking this combined number of about 43,000 Crass, how many actually are? To my knowledge, no one knows but Ive considered the question and considered doing the research because the records do exist and the answer could be known.
So, again, how many Crass were made? My best guess is based on something Walt wrote back in 2004. He was discussing a 1901 NIG and in the course of the article mentioned that ...hammerless models still had another year or two before gaining a significant majority of the production. Since the Crass ended in 1901 that would be 1902 or 1903 before the hammerless Lewis model finally gained the majority of production over the hammer NIG. Thus during the entire 13 year run of the Crass (1888-1901) it would seem that its total numbers were likely less than half of the total production of about 43,000 i.e. 21,500.
Lloyd, I told you that the Crass is very interesting. It also likely could be more rare than we think because we often refer to the Minier as the rarest of Ithaca models with about 21,770 made. We may find out some day that the Crass has similar low production numbers. I hope your brother in law stays with the project. I think hell find it fascinating. And he could end up with a fine, and perhaps somewhat rare, piece of Ithaca history.
Last edited by FallCreekFan; 10/08/20 06:15 PM.
