Savage 1899 sold to “The Fair” in November 1913

[MrBojangles]

As per the attached factory letter. Any ideas as to what “The Fair” might refer to?

[Blue Avenger]

https://www.hippostcard.com/listing/1913-fair-merchanile-store-bonner-springs-kansas-calendar-artist-impression-4677/4331459


wild guess
(https://www.hippostcard.com/listing/1913-fair-merchanile-store-bonner-springs-kansas-calendar-artist-impression-4677/4331459)

[MrBojangles]

That seems like a fairly good guess. You might be right.

Any other suggestions?

[Model24]

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Fair_Store

God help me, I do so love the interweb.

[MrBojangles]

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Fair_Store

God help me, I do so love the interweb.

I do believe that’s it!

How did you find that with such a common choice of words? I certainly didn’t.

I was more focused on trying to find a fair, maybe a World’s Fair from that era, but typing in The Fair didn’t bring that up readily.

[Model24]

I think I got lucky with “the fair” in quotation marks followed by <retail> on Safari. When I really care about finding something, I’ll do identical searches in Safari, Bing and Google.

[Blue Avenger]

Thought world fair, but added "store" to my search also. Past search history also effects new searches.

[MrBojangles]

Thought world fair, but added "store" to my search also. Past search history also affects new searches.
Much thanks! I never would have found it on my own.

Do Savage letters ever show as shipping to an individual?

[Model24]

I wonder if custom orders were always processed through a local retailer. Maybe Savage didn’t accept custom orders from individuals for the same reasons modern companies don’t. They don’t want to undercut their distributors, and they don’t want the hassle of dealing with single orders.

[MrBojangles]

I wonder if custom orders were always processed through a local retailer. Maybe Savage didn’t accept custom orders from individuals for the same reasons modern companies don’t. They don’t want to undercut their distributors, and they don’t want the hassle of dealing with single orders.
How is this order a custom order? It’s a standard rifle from the era with an octagon barrel, which was common in that time frame.

By the way, I really like the looks of an octagon barrel on a Savage Model 1889 rifle!

[Model24]

My response wasn’t tied to this letter. You asked if Savage letters ever show shipping to an individual. I presume that an individual would only approach the factory for something that wasn’t available at their local shop.

[MrBojangles]

My response wasn’t tied to this letter. You asked if Savage letters ever show shipping to an individual. I presume that an individual would only approach the factory for something that wasn’t available at their local shop.

Okay, thank you.

[CalhounRR]

I wonder if custom orders were always processed through a local retailer. Maybe Savage didn’t accept custom orders from individuals for the same reasons modern companies don’t. They don’t want to undercut their distributors, and they don’t want the hassle of dealing with single orders.
In the earliest years you would find the names of buyers, but usually only if they were local to Utica or if it was special orders. Savage would redirect buyers for standard guns to retailers/distributors covering their area.

Later they did fewer and fewer sales even for custom guns. You'll find high end guns straight to buyers sometimes (P.J. Noel, etc), but many others to distributors.