Need help dating early photo group

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markebrit
Posts: 120
Joined: Tue Jun 17, 2014 9:00 pm

Need help dating early photo group

Post by markebrit »

hey, I picked these up years ago and just pulled them out as I'm going through some items to liquidate.
Judging by the penmanship these were all marked by the same person and probably the same time.
The serial number on the Mark I Target would date around '51 but the number on the 4" Standard doesn't show. The serial number on the Lightweight 4 5/8 " is Z00000.
There are 3 that have on overly and all have the same markings on the back. Ken-Metal 1613 and what looks to be some initials.
I'm thinking this would be for a brochure around '55 but could be later of course.
Any input?
Attachments
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IMG_4503.JPG
IMG_4502.JPG
IMG_4489.JPG
markebrit
Posts: 120
Joined: Tue Jun 17, 2014 9:00 pm

Re: Need help dating early photo group

Post by markebrit »

more pics
Attachments
IMG_4510.JPG
IMG_4505 (2).JPG
markebrit
Posts: 120
Joined: Tue Jun 17, 2014 9:00 pm

Re: Need help dating early photo group

Post by markebrit »

one more
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IMG_4505 (2).JPG
contender
Posts: 387
Joined: Tue Nov 04, 2014 7:33 am
Location: Lake Lure NC

Re: Need help dating early photo group

Post by contender »

The picture of the Std Auto shows a 6 digit serial. The dating of the 116xxx is 1956.
chet15
Posts: 734
Joined: Sat Aug 16, 2014 11:28 am

Re: Need help dating early photo group

Post by chet15 »

If all of those photos were part of the same group, I would definitely say February/March 1956.
The reason is, the tri color Lightweight is photo'd. By Febrary/March 1957 that would be an all blue Lightweight.
So Feb/March 1956 is also when the Engraved Single-Six was introduced.
Nice group of original pics!!!
I also see the .357 flattop pic is noted "MAGNUM REVOLVER" on the back. Thinking somebody at the factory may have wrote that since the Single-Six initially was known as "REVOLVER" on their shipping sleeve stamp and as an acronym "R" in their instruction manual, and "Magnum Revolver" was the shipping sleeve stamp used on the outside of the .357 Blackhawk shipping sleeves. "MR" was also the acronym used for .357 Blackhawk parts in the instruction manual.
Chet15
markebrit
Posts: 120
Joined: Tue Jun 17, 2014 9:00 pm

Re: Need help dating early photo group

Post by markebrit »

chet15 wrote: Fri Apr 29, 2022 6:39 am If all of those photos were part of the same group, I would definitely say February/March 1956.
The reason is, the tri color Lightweight is photo'd. By Febrary/March 1957 that would be an all blue Lightweight.
So Feb/March 1956 is also when the Engraved Single-Six was introduced.
Nice group of original pics!!!
I also see the .357 flattop pic is noted "MAGNUM REVOLVER" on the back. Thinking somebody at the factory may have wrote that since the Single-Six initially was known as "REVOLVER" on their shipping sleeve stamp and as an acronym "R" in their instruction manual, and "Magnum Revolver" was the shipping sleeve stamp used on the outside of the .357 Blackhawk shipping sleeves. "MR" was also the acronym used for .357 Blackhawk parts in the instruction manual.
Chet15
Thanks Chet, I bet you are correct. I'm planning on passing them along. I forgot what I had paid, any ideas as to value?
johncdougan
Posts: 58
Joined: Mon Nov 24, 2014 9:32 am

Re: Need help dating early photo group

Post by johncdougan »

Hello all,

Chad is pretty much on the right track, these would have been used by the graphic artist (probably the printer) to lay out the pages for the 1956 catalogue in preparation for printing. In those days the photos, drawings and various type were mounted onto a wax coated panel and photographed, then a thin copper sheet was etched from the negative. Two plates for each side were used for this catalogue, one plate to run red ink and the other for black, so a total of four plates was required. The paper was run through the off-set printer two times for each side of the catalogue. The sheets were then automatically folded and trimmed.

There is a lot more to it, but this represents the basic process. Not much is done using this process these days, fortunately everything is digital and is much more efficient and results in a better more economical finished product.

John
Brass Frame
Posts: 651
Joined: Thu May 15, 2014 3:22 am

Re: Need help dating early photo group

Post by Brass Frame »

John, that is quite complicated and requires many steps! I had no idea of the amount of prep required to print off those old catalogs. To meet the financial requirements of attending Ohio State in the 1965 to 1969 era, I worked for a printing press dept. at the college in Columbus, Ohio. Operating a printing press, collating and binding were all some of the machinery that I operated
That seems like an eternity of years ago. Thank You for the precise explanation of the photos presented. Brass Frame/Lee
johncdougan
Posts: 58
Joined: Mon Nov 24, 2014 9:32 am

Re: Need help dating early photo group

Post by johncdougan »

Hello guys,

I should have mentioned in my last post that there were two catalogues printed in 1956, see pages 314 & 315 of Pistols & Revolvers; the vintage years. The early catalogue shows the tri-color LWAC, a large picture and a small picture. The later 1956 version shows the .44 mag. Blackhawk in the place of the large tri-color image. The later is a very scarce catalogue, after only a couple months it was supplanted by the 1957 issue, which is the same except, the tri-color image is replaced by the all-blue variant.

Per Chad's narrative regarding terminology used at the factory; .357 Blackhawks were simply referred to as
" MAGNUM" ; after the .44 Blackhawk came out, they were differentiated as "three-fifty-seven" and "forty-four"
Of course when different barrel lengths were offered in 1959, catalogue number designations were assigned to all pistols and revolvers.

John
JussBad
Posts: 282
Joined: Mon Jun 09, 2014 9:29 pm
Location: No. California

Re: Need help dating early photo group

Post by JussBad »

Picture of both 1956 Mailers
Attachments
1956 EarlyandLate Catalogs.jpg
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