1883 reproduction poster

[Aussie Collector]

I picked up a few posters recently and one has me a little stumped. I thought it was a reproduction, because of the price, its the 1883 poster the one with the loading tools and revolving rifle. A friend who is an antique dealer said, looking at the paper and print, its either a very old repro or original. When were the reproductions made and how do you tell them from an original. Thanks.

 

[Club Gun Fan]

What does the watermark read.

 

[opoefc]

Jamie, Another clue to whether it's a repo, or not, is the later repos have a small break in the border line printing on the upper left side near the "M" in "Manufacturers" Ed.

 

[Aussie Collector]

Thanks, I knew you guys would know.
There is no water mark that I can see.
There is a small break in the border on the left of the "M" about an inch down.
It will have a place on the gun room wall, that's what I bought it for. thanks.
Cheers.

 

[Club Gun Fan]

Thanks, I knew you guys would know.
There is no water mark that I can see.
There is a small break in the border on the left of the "M" about an inch down.
It will have a place on the gun room wall, that's what I bought it for. thanks.
Cheers.

Jamie
Take a flashlight and put it on the back of the poster. Look for the word HAMMERMILL. That was one of the papers that was used in the 1960's.

 

[Aussie Collector]

I cannot find any watermarks. I can see with the torch the paper has a mottled leopard type look to it.

 

[Club Gun Fan]

I cannot find any watermarks. I can see with the torch the paper has a mottled leopard type look to it.

I believe that is an old way to give new paper an aged look.

 

[opoefc]

Don is correct. Your poster's paper has had the "aged" treatment. That does not mean that anyone was trying to deceive, just to make it look like a better copy of the original. I have heard in years gone by that the "broken border" was intentionally made that way to quickly show the print was a repo., as otherwise it's a very convincing poster. Ed.

 

[Aussie Collector]

Thanks again.
I personally could not care if it was bright white paper, I want the print not the old look, the antique look is a bonus. If it was real it would probably get rolled up, placed in a crush proof tube, and locked in the safe.

I my loading room I have about 25 framed older Smith & Wesson advertisements. Sizes range from A5 to A3 with all of them coming from my printer, all from the web. The wall looks great and gets a few comments. Its the content and look that I also want from the poster.

Cheers.

 

[Club Gun Fan]

Jamie
A person could make a collection of just pre-WWI ads. Those are great. You could call the collection, PPC "Pre Political Correctness".

 

[opoefc]

Jamie, An even more impressive accumulation of S&W ads would be the Pre WW2 ads placed by the factory in foreign publications in Spanish, French, German, and possibly Portuguese languages, etc. I've never seen S&W factory ads in other languages, however some of the larger German Sporting Goods catalogs that had descriptions of their guns, including S&W, in various European & Middle Eastern languages. Ed.

 

[Aussie Collector]

Never seen the ads. I knew there were a couple of catalogs done for foreign markets. I have looked very hard for an Australian catalog however I dont think they exist. That horse company did produce some. I have a 50s Model Circular with the prices over-stamped in pound just not sure if its British or Australian.