Confirming that the Catalog 50 colored cover from R&R shows the gal holding a shotgun reaching to the dog with a retrieved bird in its mouth.
Page 125 is an add for Peters Cartridge Co, page 126 is an add for the Ideal Handbook, page 127 is an add for Lyman Gun Sights, and page 128 is the Catalog 50 index page.
Which pages in your original Catalog 51 contain the additionl information for the 44 1/2 action?
It might be easy to compare the different index pages of the respective catalogs.

Bill Lawrence wrote on Oct 25^th, 2018 at 12:09pm:


Same one I have, an old unidentified repro, but as I said previously, I think it's the revised #51, because it contains the 44-1/2 series.  "Revised" isn't stated, however--that's my conjecture. 

That's interesting, BP. What are the Lyman sights that were introduced in 1903?

Which pages in your original Catalog 51 contain the additional information for the 44 1/2 action?

First, it turns out I told a lie, likely from handling my Catalog 50 at the same time: Catalog 51 has 136 pages, not 128.  So sorry!

However, the 44-1/2 information covers pages 29 through 41 and includes all models from the "Ideal" (base model) through the 54 ("Schuetzen Special"), including the 044-1/2 ("English Model") and 53 ("Lady Model").

As for dating - you have to really scrutinize these publications - the single "Stevens-Pope Specialties" page (42) refers the reader to a separate catalog, but does note the following.  "On April 1, 1901, we purchased the tools and special machinery belonging to Mr. Pope ...".  Next, "The vast superiority of this (the Stevens-Pope) barrel was shown on July 11, 1903, at Bisley, England, when the American team won the Palma trophy ...".  Finally, the text notes that Pope himself had been shooting a "Stevens rifle with a Stevens-Pope barrel" all year, and records his latest score being 96 /100 in a match on July 25, 1903.

In short, it seems most likely that my Catalog 51 came out in the late Summer or early Fall of 1903.

Bill Lawrence

Does your #50 have the "Stevens-Pope" section beginning on page 36, and ending with fired targets shown on page 48?

I'm sorry, BP, that my earlier copy wasn't clear.  My Catalog # 51 has only a one-page "Stevens-Pope" section, page 42.  All the information quoted in the previous post is found on that one page.  And at the end of the page, interested readers are told to request the separate Stevens-Pope Specialties catalog, if interested.

Bill Lawrence

Redsetter wrote on Oct 25^th, 2018 at 1:18pm:


#51 catalogs which include the 1903 date ARE revised eds:  see the top paragraph on p. 94 of SS Rifles.  The 1st ed. 51 featured ONLY 44s, according to Grant. 

Bill Lawrence wrote on Oct 25^th, 2018 at 10:40pm:


Cover on #52 (also reprinted by R&R) features many different individuals, though not Annie as far as I can tell.

Have to assume Grant had seen two different eds. of 51, otherwise, why would he think there was more than one?   

That may well be, Vall, but one of Oakley's early cabinet cards does show her with a fancy Lord pistol and a hi-grade tip-up, and I seriously doubt those guns and the other go-withs were photographer's props.  Moreover, did Marlin (or anyone) have an exclusive contract with her in the early-1900s?

In any case. I mentioned her because her flowing hair, hat, and general costume are such a part of even today's still strong Oakley image that simply mentioning the "Oakley-like" figure on the cover is usually enough for people to say something like, "Oh, yeah; I know what catalog you mean ... ".   

In other words, you might well be right that Stevens simply traded on her notoriety.  But even though Oakley as a performer slowed down considerably after the train wreck and the slightly later Hearst libel debacle, that notoriety was still high in the early 1900s and remains so today.  So whatever the truth of the image, I'd say it was a smart marketing move by Stevens.

Bill Lawrence