A lot of us old-timers are confined to being in the house (me included) so I find myself looking at old magazines and wishing for a time machine. Here i another ad from a 1954 American Rifleman. I hope you enjoy it.

Attached Images

1954 Rifelman Ad New SW B.jpg (158.7 KB, 1141 views)

__________________
John
SWCA #3401 SWHF #737

Wish I could grab a few hundred bucks and jump in a time machine.

I'd spend hours looking through "Shotgun News". Guns of all sorts would be delivered to your home. I remember you could buy Colt Peacemakers, Lugers, etc.for hundreds delivered. Yep-the good old days.

__________________
John

Yes indeed.

__________________
Mike
S&WCA #3065

Thanks, I enjoy those old ads. Makes me wonder just what things will cost in another 60 to 70 years. I thought the Colt refinish for $15 was really interesting, that just seems unbelievably cheap..

Multiply those prices by 10x-to-12x and you'll be pretty close to today's prices, in most cases. Everything today cost at least 10x what it did in 1954 and a $10K yearly salary then was "executive" pay. You were walking in high cotton if you could afford those S&W's back then. My family was in more of the surplussed Victory category, but I was too young to care. -S2

That down parka would cost about the same today, but it would be made in China or Vietnam out of synthetic materials.

I see an option for the .22 and .38 Masterpiece, 4" or 6", was what they called a "Spur Hammer" for an additional $2.75. Pretty sure all the K frame hammers had a spur. Assume this was meant as a target hammer????

__________________
SWCA 3297 SWHF 583

I'd go back and get several made in USA canvas shooting jackets.
Maybe a few Woolrich coats. Did things come in 3XL back then?

I'd love to go down to Gibson's and get a metal tackle box and a Zebco made in Tulsa.

I'm pretty sure my Dad paid just under $3,000 for his 1957 DeSoto Fireflite with a custom Chrysler 300 engine and some other upgrades. That sucker would do 140 in the days before I-80 was built and the speed limit in Iowa was "reasonable and proper."

God, how I miss bombing around the Midwest with him on business trips in the summer.

__________________
Five screws and 3-1/2 inches.

Anybody beside me note the lack of 357 (pre 27)?

__________________
Randy
Provenance nerd

I for one wonder how many took advantage of that Colt SAA rebuild offer?
Jim

Also, I noticed the store must not have purchased and K32 Masterpiece revolvers to sell??

__________________
Gary
SWCA 2515

I love seeing old ads like that.

__________________
Some Might Say.

I'll bet those Japanese binoculars were made by Nikon.

__________________
You're shy a few manners.

1954 being my birth year
I like seeing that ad

From what I’ve heard, Warshal’s was a Seattle institution for most of the 20th century.

But they were just a storefront sporting goods business, so considering the relatively low production numbers on some of the more “exotic” models, my impression is that they are actually surprisingly well assorted, looking at the models they do offer

39.99 for a goose Down Fur Lined hoodie Coat... Made in the usa, or for 70.99 a 38/44 or a 1950 with 3t's. So the coat was 1/2 the price of the pistol...like today... ahh 1400.00 for a N frame and a well made jacket is 700.00. about the same trade ratio.

And no Chiefs Specials, either! Not big sellers at that point, I'm guessing.

__________________
Wrangler of stray Chiefs
Bob

Here's a blast from the past. Ads from the first copy of Gun Digest (1944) and from the 6th addition Gun Digest (1952). Pay attention to the price difference on that magnum.

Attached Images

	Scan_20200410 (2).jpg (95.1 KB, 332 views)
	Scan_20200410.jpg (83.9 KB, 304 views)

__________________
FBINA # 161

The more I see these ads the more I hate to admit it, but now is the good old days. When I see a deal it kills me to pass on it but I have this issue, commonly referred to as a lack of available finances.

I’d just like to be able to go to Warshal’s again but it closed years ago. Just as well, I guess since downtown is such a mess now.

Is it just me, or does 20% Federal Tax seem excessive for 1954?

What does that amount to on the inflation calculator?

__________________
Danny
SWCA #3370 - SWHF #672

1954- my birth year, as well! This was around the time that S&W started selling the Highway Patrolman, and just before the release of the Colt Python and S&W Model 29. $70 was a lot of money back then when you consider the average hourly wage, price of a gallon of gas, prices of cars and real estate, etc. $70 in 1954 equates to about $670 in today's dollars- so it's not that much different than the prices we pay for a lot of revolvers today.

In 1954 the average yearly income was just over $3,000

I have the hospital bill from my birth in 1952. Total was $99 all in. Times change. Here is a 1954 38/44 with invoice. Enjoy your weekend.

Attached Images

	BCD0CF45-149D-4E1E-983E-ACDE40F6C1E4.jpg (26.4 KB, 96 views)
	0A8E652E-2627-4978-8D1F-51814DE490F2.jpg (63.0 KB, 101 views)

__________________
SWCA 3255 SWHF 615

For perspective, there were 39 million families in the US in 1950. Only 9 million of those had household incomes over $5000 per year. Average family income was $3300 per year. So that 44 or K frame masterpiece would be a little over a week's earning for a family.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

__________________
Robert
SWCA #2906, SWHF #760

1st Ave and Madison St. is not a place to be around these days, without carrying one of those advertised products!

I bought more than a few firearms from them after arriving in Seattle in the early 70s. They were kind to service members and I could always get them to move off their retail pricing a fair amount.

I retired 4 years ago, but at that time my weekly gross income would buy me at least 3 new S&W revolvers.

The 1950 .45 Target was the gun that Dad always wanted. Back in 1954 I'm quite sure that the $84 price tag was more than he earned in a week.

Prices are all relative.

__________________
A Country Boy Can Survive

__________________
A Country Boy Can Survive

__________________
A Country Boy Can Survive

__________________
A Country Boy Can Survive

__________________
A Country Boy Can Survive

__________________
A Country Boy Can Survive

Back when I was about 15 I had a friend that raised hogs and sold them for money. He had a taste for guns and he ordered a Mauser and a Luger out of the magazines, I guess his dad filled out the orders and I would go with him to the REA to pick them up. At that time every thing, ammo and guns came on the "Railway Express Agency" as that was what brought things the post office would not deliver. Jeff

BRBoy: I assume that pic is your dad's Desoto, hang on to that it is beautiful!

__________________
shrade

I used to go there pretty regularly when I was going to college. Last time I was in downtown Seattle was during the “Battle of Seattle” (‘99), I have no plans of ever returning.

I've got a pair of Timberland boots that I bought at Warshal's going out of business sale.

Warshal's was a great place. Even the Duke shopped there, although the indoor range and the NFA department were fictional.


One of these days I'm going to find a Lawrence holster made for Warshal's

I believe Warshal's closed in 2000. It was an interesting time to live in Seattle. WTO December '99, New Year's (not technically the new millennium, but 2000 felt different), Kingdome demolition, earthquake in early 2001. Probably more interesting events I'm forgetting.

Most of the city was still either nice Greatest/Silent generation folks or younger hip/yuppie crowd as the grunge thing had worn itself out by then...still some remnants on Capitol Hill and what not. Most of the Boomers had left for the suburbs. Now I don't recognize the city much at all except for the buildings. The people mostly seem angry and irritated, or are lying around doing drugs in broad daylight.

__________________
Psalm 27:2

I love the picture of the representative hoodlum. He is better dressed and more clean-cut than 95% of the people you meet today.

__________________
Possum—The other white meat!

Everything was much cheaper back then including my pay. I was making .90 cents an hour working at Polar Bear Ice Cream back then.
Those guns would be out of my price range in the 'good old days'! I can afford to buy guns easier today than back then.

__________________
NRA & TSRA
Texas CHL Holder

What's a thumbpiece?

It is the cylinder release on the left side of the frame.

And to think that you could walk in off the street, plop down cash, and walk out with a gun without ever needing to show ID. Or, that you could send them a check or money order, and they would mail it to your front door.

__________________
Only a cold warrior

If I could go back in a time machine I would buy Microsoft and Apple stock then I could buy whatever gun I wanted!

__________________
NRA & TSRA
Texas CHL Holder

Probably has a lot less drugs and booze in his system too!

__________________
You're shy a few manners.