Winchester Rifle Canoe Lady Ad

Nancy McClure's brief blog post   "Treasures from Our West: Winchester calendar" discusses the origins of the company's history of using outdoor-themed calendars with catchy slogans as a marketing tool for their firearms. In particular, a 1909 poster features an “outdoorsy” woman who is all packed up for a back country trip. Her trusty Winchester rifle is carefully positioned right in the center of the image..

 Gift of Olin Corporation

Winchester Arms Collection

1988.8.2923

A closeup shows her gear all laid out including a leather  bag, a handled wicker basket and canvas roll pack all bundled up. Also found it interesting that the closed gunnel canvas canoe seems to have an exterior mounted carrying yoke which extends past the canoe's outwales complete with shoulder pads.

Another Winchester ad from this era was discussed earlier in this post that featured a hunter in his bark canoe with the his paddle propped up supporting the shot. The artist also correctly captured a carrying bar lashed over the centre thwart which was common practice for some bark canoes to take the strain off the centre thwart lashings. There's also a wanigan box resting in the hull with his hat and pipe thrown on for good measure.

Winchester Rifle Ad

 Rod and Gun in Canada

December 1904

p. 270  

Closeup