Incredible & Complete Winchester Ammunition 1897 Double-W Cartridge Display BoardThe Winchester Repeating Arms Company was founded by Oliver Winchester, previously a clothing manufacturer, who would acquire the rights to the Volcanic Repeating Arms Co. from Smith & Wesson, producing some of the earliest, and certainly most famous, repeating cartridge rifles. The company would go on to be dominant in rifle and shotgun manufacture and innovation and quite competitive in the ammunition industry. Winchester was quite skilled at marketing both their firearms and ammunition.Part of the marketing effort for their ammunition were immensely impressive Cartridge Display Boards such as this one, showing the wide variety of ammunition available from their factories. This example is an 1897 pattern "Double-W" Cartridge Display Board, presenting quite the array of cartridges from classic black powder rounds and cutting-edge smokeless cartridges, but still having tins of percussion caps decorating the points of the "W".This example shows honest wear for its age, fairly well preserved and ready to display. In Very Good condition as ANTIQUE, some separation between board and frame at corners, some cartridges removed and glued back in place, normal discoloration and wear for age. Per the consignor, it was originally hung in their grandfather's hardware store, then stored in the attic of their family home. As a child, the consignor would sneak into the attic to pull cartridges off the board, keeping them in his own little collection. Upon inheriting the board, the consignor replaced the cartridges that had been plucked off, though not all of them were replaced with period Winchester cartridges. The Winchester Cartridge Boards are highly desirable among collectors, not only for their connection to Winchester and the firearms/ammunition industry, but also as an interesting example of late 19th Century/early 20th Century industrial marketing. It will make a wonderful display in any collection.
SHOOTINGACCESSORIES