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So….I had some family in town a few weeks ago during our Summer "staycation". Not much of a vacation when you have a house full of family from out of province and from another state, and you end up chuaffering them around all week to all the sites. But, I did have a pleasant surprise during one of our museum visits. We went to the Aviation Museum in Ottawa, Ontario. I was very pleasantly surprised by the amount and quality of the display of planes, right back to the Wright Brothers time and the inception of flight, but also saw something I didn’t expect to see. There was a real nice display of several of the first types of "bush planes" used up here in the Northern Canada hinterland. They had a super nice display for one of the planes – can’t recall which type – and as part of the display, the had the plane pulled up to a floating barge which was piled high of implements brought to the North for the trappers, lumbermen, prospectors, etc. It was a real nice display, and what caught my eye – instantly – was a beautiful Winchester Crate for the Model 1894. It looked new, pristine. Man, if I could have got that thing out of there for my mancave to sit next to my 1894s. But, that was not to happen, all I could do was take a couple photos. Thought I would share them given recent posts about Winchester Shipping crates. Did not get a look at the inside, but it was cool to see. Got me thinking about all the old Winchesters that went up North, those guns would have seen hard use.
http://s158.photobucket.com/user/MBCAPELL/media/IMG_0541_zps34bf1372.jpg.html
http://s158.photobucket.com/user/MBCAPELL/media/IMG_0539_zps16fb8e0c.jpg.html
Matt
Matt,
Damn… that looks like the real McCoy to me (but I could easily be fooled with something like that).
Bert
WACA 6571L, Historian & Board of Director Member
I love those snow shoes and should love to have a set as a nice display. 😯
Unfortunately, it is impossible to find find a set of old ones here in Sweden.
/Stefan
Sweden
Mark W. said
Nice, even if its a reproduction.
What leads you to the conclusion that it is a reproduction?
Matt
I get all weak and shakey thinking about 10 octagon barelled Model 1894’s in mint condition.
What may lead on to believe its a reproduction is the condition of the box. If it is too good to be true it probably isn’t. That is one of the nicest conditioned boxes I have ever seen.
All the that it certainly is looking the part and without further examination it would be hard to determine either way. One detail that leads me to thing its original is the dovetail work on the end of the box.
Nice box.
Sincerely,
Maverick
WACA #8783 - Checkout my Reloading Tool Survey!
https://winchestercollector.org/forum/winchester-research-surveys/winchester-reloading-tool-survey/
To me, I never had a thought at all to it not being original when I saw it. Yes, the condition is very nice, but the dovetailing on the ends sure looked right as did the print. I snuck in closer to take a look when no one was around me, I was going to carefully take a peak in, but the buggers have the top nailed shut. That does not surprise me, as Ottawa is a very Liberal place, and anything related to guns up here you almost have to speak in hushes. There is always some amnesty going on up here where folks can "turn in" guns to be destroyed, many nice old guns disappeared that way. To me, I can’t see anyone at this museum looking for a reproduction of such a thing, and if it was a repro they got off Ebay or something, can’t see them nailing it shut. Anything truly firearms related in museums up here, is instantly taken out of working order. My guess was that it was something that went up North. Cold climate does wonders for preserving things, and museums are also good at making stuff look nice again. Or maybe it just got shut away in a warehouse with one of these old planes for years. But, who really knows, maybe it is right, maybe not. If I ever get back to the museum, I will see if I can find out where they got it. Neat to see something Winchester up here though in a town so anti anything gun.
Matt
You can’t judge the age of that crate by condition only. I have two wooden Winchester ammo crates that look like they were made yesterday. I found them in the attic of an old house where they’d been for over 100 years. Just wiped off the dust.
Matt, next time you are there, take a close look at the box, to see if you can see anything that looks like an order number somewhere on the box. All 10 were the standard 26, but all of them were Octagon barrelled. It would be neat to tie in some of the 26 Octagon barrelled guns up here to that box, if there is an order number written or printed on it. Actually, a phone call to the curator might do the job. I’ve only talked to a curator on the phone once, at the ROM, but he was very enthusiastic and knowledgable, a wealth of information and very willing to help out.
Win38-55 said
Matt, next time you are there, take a close look at the box, to see if you can see anything that looks like an order number somewhere on the box. All 10 were the standard 26, but all of them were Octagon barrelled. It would be neat to tie in some of the 26 Octagon barrelled guns up here to that box, if there is an order number written or printed on it. Actually, a phone call to the curator might do the job. I’ve only talked to a curator on the phone once, at the ROM, but he was very enthusiastic and knowledgable, a wealth of information and very willing to help out.
That’s exactly what I’ll do and post my report!
Thanks for the idea Kirk, never thought of just calling the curator. May stop in again to, it is pretty close to where I work.
Matt
oakridge said
You can’t judge the age of that crate by condition only. I have two wooden Winchester ammo crates that look like they were made yesterday. I found them in the attic of an old house where they’d been for over 100 years. Just wiped off the dust.
I agree absolutely. That is why you would need a closer look and need to take measurements and compare with known genuine examples.
But would add that just because something is in a museum, doesn’t mean its not a reproduction or a fake.
Sincerely,
Maverick
WACA #8783 - Checkout my Reloading Tool Survey!
https://winchestercollector.org/forum/winchester-research-surveys/winchester-reloading-tool-survey/
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