slumlord44 wrote on Mar 25
th, 2019 at 1:55am:
Anyone have a 1915,16,or 17 catalog for reference?
My understanding is that the last "General Catalog" published before the "Crash" was #54, which (according to Cope's chronology) was first published in 1914, but then revised in 1919. If there were any "left-over" 44-1/2 models assembled after the war, this 1919 ed. is where they might have last appeared; however, none are listed in my 1919 "Pocket Catalog." Didn't realize it until I checked the #54, but the "Trademark--Stevens" marking was already in use by 1914--it's printed beside most of the rifle descriptions.
.22 WRF was available for Favorites at no extra charge, & .22-15 for the Ladies Model ($2 extra), which, confusingly, was no longer called the model #55, but had been changed to the model #21.
As for the years 1915-1918, I'd doubt there was advertising of any kind, but it would take a through examination of the kinds of sporting magazines Stevens might have advertised in to discover what the company was making, if anything, for the US commercial market during these years. The fact that the DBA name was changed in 1916 implies an intention to "stay in business" after the Russian contract was completed.