Fox Collectors

This ad appeared in the January 4, 1908 Sporting Life



Dr. Jim records 17,867 Smith guns shipped in 1907.
Did Fox really exceed that?

Remington sold over 14000 of their John M. Browning designed Remington Autoloading Shotguns in 1907 and one of them was used to win the Grand American Handicap.
A.H. Fox Gun Company's total production hadn't reached half of that by the end of 1907.

IMO that 1908 Fox and similar adverts are just a tiny speck in the dust of history and claims of superiority are no big deal. Then and now, hyperbole is the name of the game insofar as advertising whether for The Finest Gun in the World, LC Smith Long Range shotguns, Super-X shotgun shells, Packard automobiles, the newest must-have hot rifle caliber, the current low displacement and torque but high horsepower car engines, etc etc. Savvy consumers are left to separate the wheat from the chaff. frank

There is only so much one can invent. Examples. Golf. Forged blade clubs <80s. Then perimeter and/or sole weighted, oversized, whatever, all the rage. Now back to forged blade. Like it was just invented yesterday.

Fly rods. Same design circle.

Only real advancements in my opinion are materials and mfg technologies not necessarily designs.

Another example, flies for trout. Best flies are still those invented 100-200 years ago. Only improvements are tying materials not fly design.

Need to turn over customer base. Can't sell stuff that is sold as the best for a lifetime or get no reoeat buyers. Always newest and greatest.....until next week.

Dave,

It was number 6800 to be exact!

He lived about 20 miles from where I grew up and live now.

Will