The Gun Degest
In the beginning, questions may arise as to the best means of storage
and display or, if a somewhat soiled cover is obtained, a bit of judicious
cleaning may be necessary.
The best help in both these respects will usually be from a local
stamp dealer. Like some gunsmiths and sporting goods dealers, he is apt
to spend as much time giving worthwhile advice on sundry matters as he
does working.
The ideal arrangement is to provide protection for the cover yet make it
possible to view both sides of the envelope, should advertising be so
imprinted. This can be done cheaply with transparent glassine envelopes.
Higher in cost are book-like cover albums similar o photo albums. Several
dozen covers may be effectively stored in such albums. Each cover is
encased in a slip-through acetate pocket so hinged that both sides may
be examined. Whichever the choice, protection from soiled hands and care-
less handling is provided. The covers may be old and brittle, They are
scarce and care should be taken to preserve them.
Do not mount covers with cellophane pressure tape. This otherwise
useful product starts disintegrating in a few months. It will stick to and
stain any paper product to which it is attached or that comes in contact
with it.
Firearms covers obtained through dealers or at auction are usually quite
clean but sometimes pencil marks are found on the envelopes. The collector
may find these distasteful, but such markings can be effectively
erased by a soft art-gum eraser. In fact, the art-gum eraser can be trusted
to accomplish most, if not all, cleaning of soiled areas caused by grease or
other dirt. Liquid cleaners should be avoided since they may adversely
affect the envelope paper, the glue holding the cover together, or the
inks used in printing.
Framing a group of firearms covers is another way to provide both pro-
tection and an ttractive display. Arranged formally or informally, perhaps
with an original or a photo copy of an advertising broadside or circular,
a small collection would provide a touch of color and nostaalgia suitable
for den or gunroom.
Sources of Supply
The Gun Digest:by Robert F. Denny
Quite possibly there are hoards of such firearms advertising stacked
away in attics or correspondence bins of some old hardware stores. The
treasures that may be found for the price of an hour's conversation and a
cup of coffee could amaze the collector. Should nothing result, the time
spent would be in good company.
A better source is the dealer in United States stamps and covers.
Occasionally a dealer will be found who is not aware of the increasing
interest in firearms advertising and, therefrome, covers may be obtained
at a lower price. The number of such naive dealers is slowly diminishing.
Members of the American Stamp Dealers Association are a good
source, and can be counted on to provide fair and reasonable service.
Here are some men I've dealt with:
Samuel C. Paige,45 Bromfield St., Boston, Mass. 02108
W. T. Pollitz, 45 Bromfield St., Boston, Mass. 02108
Charles J. Molnar, 1246 Summit Drive, Cleveland, O. 44124
Stanley H. Waite, 3 Washburn Terrace, Brookline 46, Mass.
Harrington's Stamp shop, Deansboro, N. Y. 13328
E. N. Sampson, Box 162, Hammond, N. Y. 13646
Frank S. Landers, 155 Woodbury Rd., Huntington, L.I., N.Y.
R. H. Hess, P. O. Box 3145, Inglewood, Calif., 90304
Quite possibly there are hoards of such firearms advertising stacked
away in attics or correspondence bins of some old hardware stores. The
treasures that may be found for the price of an hour's conversation and a
cup of coffee could amaze the collector. Should nothing result, the time
spent would be in good company.
A better source is the dealer in United States stamps and covers.
Occasionally a dealer will be found who is not aware of the increasing
interest in firearms advertising and, therefrome, covers may be obtained
at a lower price. The number of such naive dealers is slowly diminishing.
Members of the American Stamp Dealers Association are a good
source, and can be counted on to provide fair and reasonable service.
Here are some men I've dealt with:
Samuel C. Paige,45 Bromfield St., Boston, Mass. 02108
W. T. Pollitz, 45 Bromfield St., Boston, Mass. 02108
Charles J. Molnar, 1246 Summit Drive, Cleveland, O. 44124
Stanley H. Waite, 3 Washburn Terrace, Brookline 46, Mass.
Harrington's Stamp shop, Deansboro, N. Y. 13328
E. N. Sampson, Box 162, Hammond, N. Y. 13646
Frank S. Landers, 155 Woodbury Rd., Huntington, L.I., N.Y.
R. H. Hess, P. O. Box 3145, Inglewood, Calif., 90304
Color Covers
In the 1890s covers were most often printed in but one color. The cover
in fig. 10, dated 1893, is printed in a light brown. Blue, black, orange, and
red were also used, perhaps others.
As the years passed, however, monochrome printing evolved into bicolor
and, by the early part of the 20th century, hunting and game scenes
blossomed out in multicolor lithog graphy. Soon all shades and color
combinations were in use. In most instances inks were carefully chosen
to picture the hunting and wild game scenes in natural color. The results
exemplify the high standards of lithographic art attained at that time.
Colors chosen for the printed messages and trademarks reflected the
individual companies' taste. Winchester, for example, used bringht red for
most of its inscriptions. Observant readers will recognize that the same
color is still used by this company today.
A lithographers catalog picturing samples of firearms advertising available
to manufacturers of rifies, powder and cartridges would be invaluable
to the collector. My efforts to locate such a treasure have been futile.
Many dealers and philatelists and a few firearms enthusasts know
of their existence, but no one has much additional information. Perhaps
this article will provide the impetus to someone to investigate the story
more fully.
in fig. 10, dated 1893, is printed in a light brown. Blue, black, orange, and
red were also used, perhaps others.
As the years passed, however, monochrome printing evolved into bicolor
and, by the early part of the 20th century, hunting and game scenes
blossomed out in multicolor lithog graphy. Soon all shades and color
combinations were in use. In most instances inks were carefully chosen
to picture the hunting and wild game scenes in natural color. The results
exemplify the high standards of lithographic art attained at that time.
Colors chosen for the printed messages and trademarks reflected the
individual companies' taste. Winchester, for example, used bringht red for
most of its inscriptions. Observant readers will recognize that the same
color is still used by this company today.
A lithographers catalog picturing samples of firearms advertising available
to manufacturers of rifies, powder and cartridges would be invaluable
to the collector. My efforts to locate such a treasure have been futile.
Many dealers and philatelists and a few firearms enthusasts know
of their existence, but no one has much additional information. Perhaps
this article will provide the impetus to someone to investigate the story
more fully.
Infinite Variety
By Robert F. Denny
Desings were as varied as they were tasteful. Some, as figs. 3 and 4
denote, were intended to be only artistic. Others (figs. 5 and 6 ) are
adventurous. The hard-sell of presentday advertising is approached in figs.
7 and 8, the soft-sell in fig. 9. Occasionall humor and danger were indicated.
One cover pictured a wellequipped rifleman and a brown bear
high on a rocky ledge, apparently hunting each other.
Women received attention, too. Several covers show lady trapshooters or
ladies afield with dog and gun. All were properly attired, of course, as
befitting the sport.
Winchester and Remington, as might be expected, seem to have been
the most prolific with envelopes of various designs. They certainly offered
some of the most adventurous illustrations ever to pass through a postman's
hands. What spirit of restlessness must have been generated in the
hearts of some by the picture of a hunter on snowshoes tracking game,
or the view of three elk, one with a massive head, crashing through a
primitive forest.
Designs were chosen to exemplify the company's stock in trade. The
J. Stevens Arms and Tool Company often pictured a target shooter, offhand
position of course, equipped with the then new Stevens'Pope target
refle. Open field scenes, bird dogs,or people engaged in trapshooting
were pictured to advertise shotguns. Game birds were a favorite of gun
powder companies. Other covers pictured wild turkeys. Indians on horseback,
campfire scenes, bears, cougars, and bird dogs; all tatefully and artistically
crafted.
Early covers usually pictured only a finely engraved cut of a shotgun or
rifle. Verbal descriptions of course, were included.
Advertising was often printed on both sides of the envelope. Figs. 4a
through 6a illustrate the attempt to obtain a mazimum amount of the advertising
from a minimum amount of envelope. Generally the front of the
cover presented the hunting or the wild game scene, the back of the envelope
reserved for the printed message. Occasionally, smaller illustration
of firearms were also printed on the back in conjunction with the printed matter.
Few covers provided complete illustrations or pictorial matter on both
sides. One cover, issued by Peters depicted a wild turkey covering half
the face of the envelope while the reverse side was illustrated with 10
different cartridges and shotshells. Both sides are in full color.
Desings were as varied as they were tasteful. Some, as figs. 3 and 4
denote, were intended to be only artistic. Others (figs. 5 and 6 ) are
adventurous. The hard-sell of presentday advertising is approached in figs.
7 and 8, the soft-sell in fig. 9. Occasionall humor and danger were indicated.
One cover pictured a wellequipped rifleman and a brown bear
high on a rocky ledge, apparently hunting each other.
Women received attention, too. Several covers show lady trapshooters or
ladies afield with dog and gun. All were properly attired, of course, as
befitting the sport.
Winchester and Remington, as might be expected, seem to have been
the most prolific with envelopes of various designs. They certainly offered
some of the most adventurous illustrations ever to pass through a postman's
hands. What spirit of restlessness must have been generated in the
hearts of some by the picture of a hunter on snowshoes tracking game,
or the view of three elk, one with a massive head, crashing through a
primitive forest.
Designs were chosen to exemplify the company's stock in trade. The
J. Stevens Arms and Tool Company often pictured a target shooter, offhand
position of course, equipped with the then new Stevens'Pope target
refle. Open field scenes, bird dogs,or people engaged in trapshooting
were pictured to advertise shotguns. Game birds were a favorite of gun
powder companies. Other covers pictured wild turkeys. Indians on horseback,
campfire scenes, bears, cougars, and bird dogs; all tatefully and artistically
crafted.
Early covers usually pictured only a finely engraved cut of a shotgun or
rifle. Verbal descriptions of course, were included.
Advertising was often printed on both sides of the envelope. Figs. 4a
through 6a illustrate the attempt to obtain a mazimum amount of the advertising
from a minimum amount of envelope. Generally the front of the
cover presented the hunting or the wild game scene, the back of the envelope
reserved for the printed message. Occasionally, smaller illustration
of firearms were also printed on the back in conjunction with the printed matter.
Few covers provided complete illustrations or pictorial matter on both
sides. One cover, issued by Peters depicted a wild turkey covering half
the face of the envelope while the reverse side was illustrated with 10
different cartridges and shotshells. Both sides are in full color.
Issuing Companies
Perhaps every firearms, gun powder and cartridge manufactruer issued
envelopes to their retailers and jobbers. The list below is undoubtedly
incomplete. It represens all such companies that can be accounted for
through personal acquaintance with some 60or70 advertising covers.
Firearms: Winchester, Remington, Ithaca, Sauer, Hunter Arms Company
(L.C.Smith), Stevens, Savage, Colt, Parker, Marlin and Iver Johnson.
Cartridges: Remington, UMC, U.S. Cartridge Co. and Peters.
Gun Powder: Hercules, Laflin and Rand, DuPont,Atlas,Hazard and
Sycamore.
The Hardware or sporting goods stores that had use of such advertising
prebably numbers in the hundreds or housands since I have seldom
seen two covers that originated from the same retailer.
envelopes to their retailers and jobbers. The list below is undoubtedly
incomplete. It represens all such companies that can be accounted for
through personal acquaintance with some 60or70 advertising covers.
Firearms: Winchester, Remington, Ithaca, Sauer, Hunter Arms Company
(L.C.Smith), Stevens, Savage, Colt, Parker, Marlin and Iver Johnson.
Cartridges: Remington, UMC, U.S. Cartridge Co. and Peters.
Gun Powder: Hercules, Laflin and Rand, DuPont,Atlas,Hazard and
Sycamore.
The Hardware or sporting goods stores that had use of such advertising
prebably numbers in the hundreds or housands since I have seldom
seen two covers that originated from the same retailer.
Development and Usage
It is doubtful if any one factor was responsible for the development of
such advertising media as the lowly envelope. The fad blossomed about
1890 and continued for a period of about 30 years.
Undoubtedly advertisers and lithograpers were influenced to a great
extent by the popularity of the illustrated patriotic covers that were
sold by the millions during the Civil War. They may have reasoned that
if people had enfoyed looking at envelopes of the then current war
propaganda that they might enjoy attractive hunting scenes or a picture
of a new rifle. If such works of art also included a pitch for a new product
they were justified.
Firearms and gun powder were not the only products so-advertised.
Tool,hardware, farm implement and carriage companies also did their best
to out-advertise each other. About 1910 the automobile industry began a
similar campaign. Soon tire chains and carburetors,engines and gasoline
were pictrued, in color, on the fronts and backs of commercial envelopes.
However, it appears that most of the firearms advertising covers
were seldom seen by the buying public. As the photographs show, most
envelopes were eventually sent to dealers and wholesalers. Apparently
few were used for the billing of customers or personal correspondence.
From the collector's point of view, perhaps, it is good that this occurred.
Most individual recipients would have had little reason to preserve an
envelope for the enfoyment of a future generation. It was the practice of
industrial concerns in those days, however, to file both letter and
envelope as records of correspondence. These were preserved until such
time as the company disbanded or made an effort to clean out its files.
Such advertising was not restricted to the United States. As figs.
1 and 2 illustrate, various firearms companies with international sales issued
such envelopes, appropriately printed in the proper language, to their foreign
distributors. Such covers are rare today; the only two the author has seen
are those illustrated.
by: The Gun Digest
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