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Posted By: B Frech Ithaca Values - 02/09/07 01:08 AM
My first shotgun, given to me by my father when I was 12 years old was a very light 26" barreled, open choked 20 ga. Ithaca Flues. I dearly loved that gun and can't remember why I parted with it over 45 years ago. It must have had 3 1/2" drop in the stock and kicked like a mule (I was furnished 1 0z. loads to shoot in it). I have had a stong interest in Parkers, Smiths, and Foxes for the past several years. I have recently purchased a couple of mid to high grade NID Ithacas and am asking myself why they are so much cheaper grade for grade than Fox, Parker and Smith. They seem to be as well made and finished, engraving is IMHO as nice, and checkering actually fancier. They have the Rotary bolt, and the ones I bought appear to have a factory Miller single trigger based on the looks and operation of the safety/selector. Is the difference in value due to lack of hype and collector interest (I don't see an Ithaca Collectors' website). I personally beleive these guns are one of the best values going today in the vintage American double world. Anyone care to comment?
Posted By: dubbletrubble Re: Ithaca Values - 02/09/07 01:32 AM
+1 on that. I love my old Ithacas. shhhhhhhhhhh ....they will get even MORE expense.
Posted By: Rick Beckner Re: Ithaca Values - 02/09/07 01:39 AM
You are absolutely right. The workmanship is just as good and the checkering and engraving better. In the past the Ithaca's have been under appreciated but the prices are going up. So you better get in now before they go even higher. Just think of it as buying Google when it first went public.
Posted By: Walter C. Snyder Re: Ithaca Values - 02/09/07 01:39 AM
I couldn't agree more! I buy every graded Ithaca I find that is in decent shape. Just got a 20 ga. 7E 2 barrel set with all the options. BUT, don't let the word out, at least not until we get all we can manage! In my concerted opinion, its like buying Microsoft stock on the first day of issue!! Lack of positive hype, not many graded ones around and lack of knowledge (Ithaca collectors are not much on PR) are contributors.
Posted By: Subgauge Re: Ithaca Values - 02/09/07 02:04 AM
Walt

More of them made than the others also??
Posted By: Greg Tag Re: Ithaca Values - 02/09/07 02:28 AM
Ok, as for values going up- blame it on friend Walt. Before his magnificent book came out, Ithaca collectors were shooting in the dark with suppositions. Walt did all the work to tell us about Ithaca guns and Ithaca people, the double guns and the repeaters, and the prices started to rise.

Because of Walt I cannot find a Grade 4 NID anywhere for 1200 bucks.

As for manufacture numbers, the overall winner is LC Smith, at about 440,000 of all types. Ithaca gets about 410,000, all types. But if you compare hammerless boxlocks, Ithaca wins hsnd down with 363,000 to Lc Smiths 351000 LC's. The Fluzie alone sold more than Parker, Winchester, or Remington.

Regards

GKT
Posted By: Walter C. Snyder Re: Ithaca Values - 02/09/07 02:34 AM
Mark, A lot of Ithacas collectively but few high grades, say above grade 3. {e.g. of the approximately 45000 NIDs, only 22 ish 7E grades were made.}
Posted By: KY Jon Re: Ithaca Values - 02/09/07 03:04 AM
The nice thing is that the NID are modern in design, metals and shootable demensions. On top of that to many Ithaca are not easily sorted by models. Bought more than one NID for Nitro prices. Picked up a 16 NID and a 20 NID grade 23 in both for less than $1,600.00 total for the pair. Could not have picked up one FOX or Smith small bore for that money and forget about a Parker small bore for less than 2K. Both of these would grade out 90-95% guns and they were less than a grand each.

30 years ago I was buying Fox Sterlingworths in 16 for less than $300 to $400.00 tops, 20 for less than $600.00, in NRA fine or excellent condition. Now they would be $2,000-2,500.00 each min. 10 years ago I could pick up any German Guilde gun for $300-500.00. Now they are $1,500.00+ for the same gun. Smiths and Parkers have gone up just like the rest but Parker has gotten silly in prices these days. Beaters and basket cases are 1K and up, 2K for small bore.

Ithaca are the last of of the real values I see these days. You can find a NID 12 in very solid, decent shape for less than $500.00, 16 and 20's for less than a grand. Most decent Sterlingworths are $1,000.00 for a 12 and with that you get a stock with enough drop to make you cry. If you look around you can get a grade 2 NID for about what a Sterlingworth cost.

I saw a Fox 16 AE, 28", in very nice shape (90-95%) but certainly not unfired or pristine, last week and the hard, no dicker price was $6,250.00. For that much money I could find and buy two Grade 3 or maybe two grade 4 NID's in 16.

Flues are even a greater value if you find a later made one. I like the ones from just after WWI until just before the NIDs came out. Some of the engraving is just as nice as the later NID's with wood that is often even better. Been looking at 20 Grade 1 or 1 1/2 as I call them for a few months. If it had 2 3/4" instead of 2 1/2" chambers and be one of the very thin actions which I am afraid of cracking, it would already be at home. But then again, I guess one more gun would fit right in, and prices are going up all the time, and it does swing like a charm.
Posted By: jerry6stl Re: Ithaca Values - 02/09/07 07:40 AM
Is an Itaca/SKB Model 100 (w/exctractors)in 90 condition worth $650? Barrels are 28" M & F. Gun,mlooks nice and original.

JERRY
Posted By: rabbit Re: Ithaca Values - 02/09/07 08:10 AM
Those slab-sided Flusies in 3 grade and up make a very good "steel canvas". The price point Basques must have seen a few of the 2s as they used to do a fair imitation of that four-wheeler in the snow engraving.

jack
Posted By: Lowell Glenthorne Re: Ithaca Values - 02/09/07 12:06 PM
The best of the turn-o-the-century guns were the the 1894 Remingtons. AH Fox soon followed with his sleek guns, and the Ithacas were still brides in waiting.
With today's collectors its a tuff nut for interest, and hard to get get chum in the water for the much needed feeding frenzy.
Posted By: KyBrad3 Re: Ithaca Values - 02/09/07 06:41 PM
Originally Posted By: KY Jon
Ithaca are the last of of the real values I see these days. You can find a NID 12 in very solid, decent shape for less than $500.00, 16 and 20's for less than a grand. Most decent Sterlingworths are $1,000.00 for a 12 and with that you get a stock with enough drop to make you cry. If you look around you can get a grade 2 NID for about what a Sterlingworth cost.

...

Flues are even a greater value if you find a later made one. I like the ones from just after WWI until just before the NIDs came out. Some of the engraving is just as nice as the later NID's with wood that is often even better. Been looking at 20 Grade 1 or 1 1/2 as I call them for a few months. If it had 2 3/4" instead of 2 1/2" chambers and be one of the very thin actions which I am afraid of cracking, it would already be at home. But then again, I guess one more gun would fit right in, and prices are going up all the time, and it does swing like a charm.


KyJon -
A few years ago I would have completely agreed with your statement, but Ithaca NID values have really rocketed up lately, particularly in the small gauges 16's and 20's. I don't know that there are very many decent ones out there for under a grand anymore, most seem to be in the $1200-$1500 range.

However, the Flues seem to still be a great value, as you say for those post-WWI models just before the NID came out. I too have looked at those and have strongly considered getting a really nice Model 1 16ga, but those 2 9/16th chambers and thin frame worry me too.

Good advice here and a good thread.

KB
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