I happened to find this old listing and picture of an Ithaca Flues 4E SBT prototype gun today and thought it might be of some interest to those who collect and shoot the Ithaca Flues SBT guns (or just have an interest in these old guns). I have read about, but have never seen, any of the Flues SBT prototype guns. This is not my gun, but I wish it was, talk about collectable! Maybe someone here knows more about this gun or the three (3) other prototypes that might still be out there.
Excerpt from the listing:
".......the acknowledged Ithaca SBT prototypes were 4 in number, 246892-3-4-5. This gun is No. 246893. It is listed in the Walter Snyder, Ithaca Historian, authoritative books “The Ithaca Gun Company” under Historic Ithaca Guns as Ithaca Flues Single, 12 ga., 32” barrel, 2nd prototype, Ser. No. 246893. The Historic Ithaca Guns were in the Ithaca Factory Collection that was sold 6/13/1978 to the Navy Arms Company. It is listed in the Ithacagun Customer Acknowledgement for the sale as MISC. – FIREARM FLUES SINGLE – 2nd PROTOTYPE 1914 S/N 246893 12GA/32” BBL. Actual barrel length is 32 5/8”. The production Flues SBT model was introduced in the 1915 Ithaca catalog. Discussions with several noted Ithaca collectors have failed to document the current existence or configuration of the other 3 prototypes.
The gun is based on the Flues Model double barrel receiver utilizing the bottom bolt of the Flues 3 bolt lock up which was introduced in 1908. The upper part of the receiver is extended to match up with the wide barrel breech. The heavily swagged barrel breech has hand fit pinned metal blocks attached to either side on the bottom to match up with the watertable. The receiver tang maintains the Flues safety slide but it is inoperable. The wide ventilated rib is attached with dough nut/round post type fittings. The triggerplate is a standard Flues double straight grip type with the second trigger position filled in. The gun also features an ejector. The forend is straight, not beavertail, with fleur de leis checkering. Receiver engraving is the fantastic pre-1916 Grade 4 style with tight scrolls and pointer and setter dogs on the sides. Receiver bottom features scroll patterns and a mallard duck in flight. Triggerguard engraving features a woodcock. The trigger is gold plated and the stock has a gold initial shield. LOP is 14.5” and the gun weighs 7.2 lbs."
And here is the lone picture:
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Excerpt from the listing:
".......the acknowledged Ithaca SBT prototypes were 4 in number, 246892-3-4-5. This gun is No. 246893. It is listed in the Walter Snyder, Ithaca Historian, authoritative books “The Ithaca Gun Company” under Historic Ithaca Guns as Ithaca Flues Single, 12 ga., 32” barrel, 2nd prototype, Ser. No. 246893. The Historic Ithaca Guns were in the Ithaca Factory Collection that was sold 6/13/1978 to the Navy Arms Company. It is listed in the Ithacagun Customer Acknowledgement for the sale as MISC. – FIREARM FLUES SINGLE – 2nd PROTOTYPE 1914 S/N 246893 12GA/32” BBL. Actual barrel length is 32 5/8”. The production Flues SBT model was introduced in the 1915 Ithaca catalog. Discussions with several noted Ithaca collectors have failed to document the current existence or configuration of the other 3 prototypes.
The gun is based on the Flues Model double barrel receiver utilizing the bottom bolt of the Flues 3 bolt lock up which was introduced in 1908. The upper part of the receiver is extended to match up with the wide barrel breech. The heavily swagged barrel breech has hand fit pinned metal blocks attached to either side on the bottom to match up with the watertable. The receiver tang maintains the Flues safety slide but it is inoperable. The wide ventilated rib is attached with dough nut/round post type fittings. The triggerplate is a standard Flues double straight grip type with the second trigger position filled in. The gun also features an ejector. The forend is straight, not beavertail, with fleur de leis checkering. Receiver engraving is the fantastic pre-1916 Grade 4 style with tight scrolls and pointer and setter dogs on the sides. Receiver bottom features scroll patterns and a mallard duck in flight. Triggerguard engraving features a woodcock. The trigger is gold plated and the stock has a gold initial shield. LOP is 14.5” and the gun weighs 7.2 lbs."
And here is the lone picture:
