36 | WINCHESTERCOLLECTOR.ORG • Summer 2022 plain back but featured a full color front, like the famous “Mountain Man” shown at left. From approximately 1904–1907, they were still using the “Mountain Man” logo but added additional color advertising on the back. We have seen this envelope in a sepia tone (medium brown) but have never found one of these postmarked, so it is our opinion that the sepia version may be a reproduction. In addition, all of the envelopes up to this point in time used the “block style” Winchester logo. Winchester introduced its now iconic “lightning strike” logo in 1906, so envelopes from then on will have that version of the logo…just like the other advertising and the barrel addresses on their firearms will have from this point forward. Winchester added “The Red W Brand” to their marketing in 1910 and this can be found on their envelopes after this time. You can see an example of this on this plain blue and red envelope and stationery from 1911, shown at the top of the next page. The “W Brand” is also shown in a very elaborate display on the back of the 1910 envelope at the lower left, the front featuring their current shotgun offering, the Model 1897 takedown. “Shoot Nothing but the W Brand” is now their patented logo. At this point, they have also begun advertising their Cleaning Preparations, as well. This particular back touting the “W Brand” was used on the envelopes we’ve encountered with postmarks from 1909 until 1913. Sometime after 1913, the envelopes become even more elaborate and used many of the images that were already showing up on Winchester store calendars, posters and other advertising pieces, mainly from 1916. During this time, Winchester was invited to be a member of the Rice Leaders of the World Association. Membership was by invitation only and stated: “Rice Leaders of the World, Strength-Honor-Quality-Service, Be Guided by this Foundation.” By this time, all of their colorful envelopes have the Rice logo on the envelope flap, instead of the “Shoot Nothing but the W Brand” logo. The year 1916 was an especially prolific year for Winchester advertising because of their membership in the Rice Association. The envelopes and stationery shown on the opposite page feature some modified versions of artist Philip R. Goodwin̕s original work, including “Trapper Attacked by Wolves,” the tent scene in “Surprised at Camp” and “Hunters with Dog.” That envelope and the iconic “Lady in the Yellow Raincoat” (not Goodwin) were produced by around 1916–1917 and have the Rice logo on the back flap. Goodwin's
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