2366

VERY RARE ITHACA NID GRADE 7E SHOTGUN.

Currency:USD Category:Firearms & Military Start Price:5,000.00 USD Estimated At:10,000.00 - 15,000.00 USD
VERY RARE ITHACA NID GRADE 7E SHOTGUN.

Cal. 12 Ga., 2 3/4". S# 448878. One of an estimated 22 made; factory records indicate that this gun was shipped 12/5/44. A letter from Walter Snyder indicates that he purchased this and a 20 bore 7E from a gentleman in Morgantown, NC who stated his "father had purchased the pair from Edgar Thompson, retired service manager of Ithaca Gun Co. Both of these guns were engraved with a gold dog holding a birds in its mouth inlaid on the trigger guard." This high condition gun has 28" barrels with slightly raised matted rib holding red Bradley bead front sight. Tops of barrels are engraved "Ithaca Gun Co." and "Ithaca, N.Y. U.S.A.". Rear portions of barrels are engraved with 1 1/2" triangles of shaded olive leaves and olives. Engine turned barrel flats are stamped with S#, "5" and choke markings "4" & "4"(full & full). Case hardened NID action with rotary bolt is marked with S#, "PAT'D", "7"(grade) and "12 GAUGE" on water table. Action does not have cocking indicators but features automatic safety ("S" inlaid in gold) and gold plated checkered double triggers. Action is engraved in classic 7E style with near full coverage shaded & scrolling, olive leaves and olives surrounding gold inlaid scenes of game birds on sides. A pair of ducks erupt from a marsh on left and a cock and hen pheasant are standing in grass on right. Bottom of action is semi relief two color gold inlaid with a heraldic American eagle holding three arrows. Eagles head and arrows are in white gold. Matching olive engraving is on trigger plate and blued trigger guard bow has aforementioned gold inlay of a setter retrieving a grouse. S# is on trigger guard tang. Capped pistol grip buttstock of fine crotch figured American walnut, measures 14" over Ithaca sunrise pad. Fancy Grade 7 checkering is at grip and on side panels with ribbons through pattern. There are fleur de lis accents and flourishes into comb and behind top tang. A gold oval on toeline is engraved "J.A.G." "1962". Matching near fully checkered long beavertail ejector forend with fancy horn inlay at tip has reinforcing screw and Deeley type latch along with J spring release. Forend iron has line border engraving and is stamped with S# and "7". BARREL MEASUREMENTS: Bore dia: left - .734", right - .735". Choke restrictions: left - .042"(extra full), right - .041"(extra full). Minimum wall thickness: left - .028", right - .024". DAC: 1 9/16". DAH: 2 11/16". Neutral cast. LOP: 14". Weight: 7 lbs., 14 oz. CONDITION: very fine, mostly original. Barrels retaining over 90% original blue thinning slightly overall and with some minor silvering on sharp edges and around muzzle. Action retains 60-70% original case hardening color, percentage difficult to ascertain due to extensive engraving, however top tang and bottom of action show considerable thinning and silvering. Top lever is somewhat silvered on thumb piece. Trigger guard appears reblued and retains over 95% of that blue. Buttstock retains nearly all of what appears to be its original varnish finish with some dark spots where worn through. Finish shows some crazing and a few minor marks. Checkering is lightly worn. Pad is relatively new. Forend wood a possible factory replacement, checkering shows little wear. Iron and latch are reblued. Bores are bright and shiny with no visible imperfections. Action with a bit of looseness at hinge, is tight with forend installed. Mechanically good. PROVENANCE: Walt Snyder letter. (22-1918/MGM). CURIO. $10,000-15,000.