doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Who engraved Ithaca Flues models?

I recently picked up a nicer than average Flues model B 12 gauge SXS, 26 inch factory barrels choked 1 & 4 (IC & FULL). I've always admired the simple yet classic style engraving on these and was wondering who gets the credit for the design/execution of the engraving. These and the 1 1/2's had an art deco look to them that just feels like the late teens and early 20's in america.

You need to buy Walt's book on the Ithaca Gun Company. Great stuff in his book!!
By the way, beautiful gun you have there!!

Indeed, the acanthus leaf engraving on the 1 1/2 model Ithaca Flues is an outstanding example of period firearms engraving. The style is actually Art Nouveau. Your piece is another fine example. Knowledgeable folks count the Ithaca Flues among the finest box lock shotguns of all time. It certainly had the fastest lock time, bar none.

J.K.B. von Falkenhorst

That's one beautiful Flues, for sure. The problem with them, for most shooters today, is finding one that does not have a significant amount of drop.

I have an Flues 20 gauge. It is one of my favourites as it is a light, great handling gun. You have a very nice example there of American history.

There is a bit of drop to the stock, but not too bad. It was such a nice example I really could have cared less about it. I have plenty of guns to hunt with so it did not have to be a glove fit to come home with me.

Still trying to find out who was doing the engraving early in 1920 which is the year of production based upon its' serial number.

My Flues 1 1/2,12 GA circa 1913 is a wonderful well balanced gun, choked IC/IC with the unusual small frame. It has two bar Damascus and has been on many QUAIL hUNTS.
It has very light engraving of dogs etc however, nothing like the one above.

That is a very nicelooking No. 2 Flues Model Ithaca.

Ithaca changed to the bolder Art Nouveau style engraving in mid-1915.



By 1919 this style engraving became the No. 1, and remained the No. 1 through the 1934 Ithca catalogues.

From the 1925 Ithaca catalogue --



And, here is the pattern on a Magnum-framed NID --



Bill McGraw was still pretty young when the new style engraving patterns were introduced, but this style engraving has certainly become associated with him. I've always thought that this later Ithaca engraving has bit of a Rudolf Kornbrath look about it.

Bill McGraw and Jay Leech were engraving at Ithaca at the time your gun was made. According to Snyder's book it took Leech about 90 minutes to engrave a Flues 1 1/2. Before WWI when Latham was Ithaca's head engraver, Ithaca engraving was much better. Ithacas engraved by Joseph Loy and Edward Latham show some of the best American factory engraving. In my opinion early(Pre-WWI) Ithacas are undervalued. These early guns exhibit some of the best engraving and checkering of any American made gun. It's a shame that post-WWI cost cuts significantly reduced engraving quality not only for Ithaca but also for LC Smith, and Fox. Fortunately, Parkers do not show a decline in post-WWI engraving quality.

Shawn, thank you for you reply. This information was exactly what I was looking for.