Bill Lawrence wrote on Oct 26^th, 2018 at 2:02pm:


Bill, 
From the early 1890's to just after WWI Marlin provided a number of highly embellished guns to Annie Oakley. She shot nothing but Marlin rifles in her act during that time. 
There are numerous letters from Annie Oakley to Marlin dated from the early 1890's to 1917 where she acknowledged receiving these guns made for her and thanked Marlin. 
In 1894 Marlin announced in newspapers that they had shipped the first of guns Annie Oakley would be using in her exhibitions, and a  stage act. 
Shortly after she received an engraved Model 1889. rifle.
In a letter dated Nov. 23, 1906 she sent the following letter to Marlin, after receiving her gold plated and engraved 1897 .22.

"Gentlemen,
On my return from Chicago I found the beautiful rifle you so kindly sent me. I am indeed pleased and will see that full justice is done just as soon as I am through with seven more cases similar to the enclosed.
With many thanks for your kindness, and every good wish for the future of your company.

I am sincerely,
Annie Oakley"

In 1917 she received her next Marlin for exhibition shooting. Another highly engraved Marlin on the model 1893.
Annie died in 1926 after a train accident left her paralyzed, but not before she made a full recovery from that accident. 
She may have shot Stevens in earlier years, but she was a dedicated Marlin shooter from the early 1890's to the end of her career.

Bill Lawrence wrote on Oct 26^th, 2018 at 2:02pm:


Though it's clearly not Annie (the face is so homely I first thought it was a man!), one of the figures on the #52 cover is definitely "Oakley-like," & holding (in a ridiculous position) a SS pistol that could pass for a Stevens.  

Actually, her aiming position in that lower right card resembles the (exaggerated) one on the catalog.

Presenting Annie Oakley, 1922.
What Marlin is this?

Bill Lawrence wrote on Oct 26^th, 2018 at 7:46pm:


Very true, but Cody's show included other women, mostly trick riders, but another trick shot, Lillian Smith, who was played up as Annie's big shooting rival.  Lillian's marksmanship evidently came pretty close to Annie's, but bad behavior outside the show eventually got her canned.

Quote:


Exposure times in that era of photography were very long by our standards.  Studio photographers commonly employed "steady rests" to help their subjects hold still.   

Could that odd position be because the pistol is being supported by something just out of the frame?

Bill Lawrence wrote on Oct 26^th, 2018 at 10:05pm:


Well, obviously post-1903.  The most recent date I found in my repro copy was March, 1907, but as with the #51, #52 may very well have been published in more than one ed.

#52 was the last to include those fascinating (I think) cartridge descriptions that had appeared in all earlier eds. They were omitted from #53, maybe to make room for better rifle illustrations, but still a loss, I think.

BP wrote on Oct 26^th, 2018 at 10:47pm:


That's exactly how Bill described his original #51.

Bill,

Take a look at the following links.
There are three different colored picture covers, and you might look to see if the timeline makes sense with the catalogs that you have on hand.
If so, then maybe we can start filling in a few more additional gaps about which particular catalogs do and don't have 44 1/2 info, etc.
Let us know what you think.

No 50 early issue (colored picture cover) 1902, 128 pages
Note the colored picture of a woman taking a bird from a dog, with the camp set up in the background, and no date shown.
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No 50 later issue (colored picture cover) 1903, 142 pages
Note the same picture of the woman taking a bird from a dog, and the camp, and the 1903 date added on.
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No 51 early issue (plain cover) 1904
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No 51 later issue (colored picture cover) 1905
Note the colored picture of a man reaching to take the bird from the dog, with what looks like corn shocks in the background.
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No 52 early issue (colored picture cover) 1907
Note the colored picture of a number of people, one of whom seems to look a bit like Annie Oakley.
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No 52 later issue (plain cover) 1909
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