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Since this is rifle-specific, I thought I’d post it here. A friend loaned me an original September 1924 National Sportsman magazine. Upon opening the cover page, lo and behold!!!! … an advertisement for the Winchester Model 53!! The entire magazine was in black and white except for the inside and outside of the front and back cover, which was colour.
The first Winchester Model 53 was serialized on June 18, 1924 with a total of 40 serialized by the end of that first month. By the beginning of September, when this National Sportsman issue came out, a total of just 661 Model 53 rifles had been serialized. Since that was the very first step in building a rifle, the actual number completed may have been slightly less. I think we can safely say that this advertisement was the very first official layout design for advertising the Model 53.
The big question in my mind is, what month did Winchester start running this ad in the National Sportsman? Chances are, with a total production of no more than 661 rifles by September, this was the first month they started advertising and shipping. However, if anyone here has earlier copies from 1924, I would be very grateful if you could check to see if this advert appeared before the September issue.
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Nice find! Those old advertisements are truly a peek back in time, and provide valuable information. Based on the timeframe when this advertisement was published (September 1924), it would have been written in July or August, and sent out for publishing sometime in August to meet the deadline for September issue. It is very unlikely that an earlier advertisement exists.
Bert
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
Your comments about old advertisements is very true, especially when factory information has been lost. I used to be involved in old Jeeps, such as CJ-2 and CJ-3A. Those models were originally marketed as ranch and farm machines, even to the extent of being replacements for traditional tractors. Almost every type of add-on equipment ever made for tractors was also made for the early CL’s, from plows to ditch diggers to all manner of PTO equipment. Willys even had a farm in Michigan where they tested Jeep equipment. One company made a kit to make a Jeep into a forklift, with the forks in the rear and special controls and seat so that the vehicle was operated in reverse, like a regular rear-steering forklift.
My point here is that stories and ads in old agricultural magazines was invaluable in learning about that old equipment, ranging from technical specifications to their original paint colors as shown in color-illustrated ads. Print material vendors at car shows are invaluable sources to find those magazines and ads.
Sorry to go on about auto-related stuff, but gun shows and websites are great sources to get information about old firearms and equipment, from technical data to photos.
Many thanks, also, to the folks who respond to questions posed on forums !
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