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Lou,
I completely agree with you. While I am a collector of the original catalogs, I also see and understand the great benefit in the reprints, and have a large number of them in my reference library. The information that they contain is exceptionally valuable, and fortunately it is available to all that wish to obtain it.
Bert
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
Louis Luttrell said
Hi Y’all-
The notion (which I’m glad to say nobody here has expressed) that knowledge should be reserved to those who can afford to track down and buy original Winchester ephemera would be a little disturbing to me.
Lou
By no means! Though in point of fact there’s probably little WRA ephemera that hasn’t been reproduced, much of it multiple times going back many decades; in other words, the “secrets” to be found therein, with very few exceptions, have all been revealed. (Although, dear God, I hope my little c.1910 A5 brochure is something Cornell hasn’t gotten their hands on! No technical info in it that isn’t also in the regular catalog, but to me it’s very special.) But the thought or attitude I was trying to express, probably not clearly enough, is that there is a quality to such originals that is “unreproducible.” How to describe it? It pertains to physical properties–the paper and its evidence of aging, what in a gun would be called “patina”–but equally to me the feeling that someone, when these products were new, must have held this very same paper in their hands.
“Tracking down,” by the way, rummaging at gun shows, booksellers, or antique shops, which is the way I found most of my stuff, is now as antiquated as the dial phone I still have, thanks to the miracle of online searching; it’s seldom, anymore, a matter of effort, merely of dough.
Lou,
You expressed it perfectly, I don’t think anyone can disagree with sharing information, especially information that has already been published. I am probably a bit more weird than most in that I enjoy both the historical and collectable aspect of originals AND the convenience of easy reference material. So much so that I usually buy TWO sets of everything. One to keep in good condition and one to use as a “thumb copy” for reference so I don’t cry if I happen to get an oily fingerprint on it. I even do this for modern references such as Houze, Schwing, Rule, Campbell and others since some of those have eventually become collectable unto themselves. In fact, if you look at the photo of the WRA catalogs on my shelf you will see two sets, one still in the original shrink wrap and the other is my “thumb copy”. Told you I am a bit odd…….
Clarence,
I love your catalog “patina” analogy and “been there” explanation as that sums up the passion for the original catalogs nicely. You mention “tracking down” and “rummaging” to find original catalogs and I agree, that has become a thing of the past with the internet. I am sad that is no longer the case because that was one of the more fun aspects of collecting, whether it was catalogs, gun parts, accessories or ephemera. The hope/chance of finding a nugget or tidbit that filled a hole in the collection was what made the “hunt” all worthwhile. Nowadays the “junk” boxes at gun shows are simply filled with junk and the thrill of the hunt is mostly gone.
Sorry for the rambling.
Best Regards,
WACA Life Member #6284 - Specializing in Pre-64 Winchester .22 Rimfire
November 5, 2014
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Jeff-
For a minute after looking at your photo I thought I only had half of the bound set of catalog reprints!!! There’s nothing ‘odd’ about having extra copies.
WRT your other post about the Rule book, I’m sorry that I do not have an extra mint hard bound copy. I have my Dad’s heavily hand-annotated leather-bound 1st edition, my own well-worn regular 1st edition, and a couple of the paperback copies (one of which I have annotated myself). You don’t want to read the stuff I’ve written in there!!!
Best, Lou
WACA 9519; Studying Pre-64 Model 70 Winchesters
Louis Luttrell said
Jeff-
WRT your other post about the Rule book, I’m sorry that I do not have an extra mint hard bound copy. I have my Dad’s heavily hand-annotated leather-bound 1st edition, my own well-worn regular 1st edition, and a couple of the paperback copies (one of which I have annotated myself). You don’t want to read the stuff I’ve written in there!!!Best, Lou
Lou,
No worries, I have a “thumb copy” but when it was first published I had not entered my “buy two” system yet so it got used and abused. In fact, I think it was the degradation of that reference book that ultimately pushed me into the “buy two” mentality.
After many years I finally decided to get a nice copy to go on the shelf. There are plenty out there in the $250-$300 range but just thought I would ask here first.
Thanks for thinking of me and responding.
Best Regards,
WACA Life Member #6284 - Specializing in Pre-64 Winchester .22 Rimfire
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