Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Savage Collectors Arthur letter

Copy of a letter from Arthur W. Savage letter I got a while back, postmarked August 18, 1902.

Always like seeing these.

Was somebody asking me about a rifle they got that was lettered to a "Terry" recently? I see there's a Gen. M. O. Terry on the letterhead. Not a name I remember off the top of my head.

😊👍

Still using stationary with an 1895 pictured in 1902. The catalogs pictured 1895's through 1904. The SRC shown up until then was an 1895. I think that's why Doug Murray thought the early 1899 SRC's had barrel bands.

The 1900 and 1902 catalogs showed 1895 carbine having a barrel band, but from 1903 catalog and later the carbine was not shown with barrel band (tho still shown with 1895 side panels).

Murray almost surely went off of the 1900 catalog, which is easy to find the 1960 reprints of. Though he might have had or seen the 1902 catalog as well.

It's just pretty cool to have a signature of "The Man".

Who's name is it addressed to? Mr. Jos. "Tialf"??

Wolf is my guess.

Joseph Wolf, born and died in Davenport, Lincoln Co, Washington. 1886-1965

He was a 16-17 yr. old young man at the time of his inquiry to Savage rifles.

He had good taste in rifles.

Also, it appears Arthur addressed his own letters.

Good find! I'm presuming Joseph had just sent in requesting a catalog, and Arthur was basically writing a form letter. Betting secretary/clerk typed up a bunch, and Arthur just signed letter and addressed envelopes.

That is really something special!!!

My first impression was that the signature did not look like any of his I've seen on patents, it's neater & more elaborate, not what I would expect on a form letter replying to a request for a catalog. I wonder if maybe the secretary also did the signing - but his signatures do really vary a lot over time, if indeed all the patents were actually signed by him - there's a lot difference, but all have his middle name or initial. I also have a copy of his signature on an agreement with Stevens Arms & Tool for the design of what would become the Gallery 80 from Sept 1905 that John Callihan copied for me, it took me until today to find it so I could scan it - it's an enhanced scan of a scan of an old document. I would think that document had to be actually signed by him.

For anyone curious, here's the full scan of the 1905 agreement with Stevens, JTC said this document was rewritten the same day to put everything in Arthur W's son's name - Arthur J Savage. Arthur W. had an agreement not to compete with Savage Arms if he ever left and as we have discussed before, he was pushed out early in 1905.

The Gallery 80 did not go into production until 1907, this was probably because internally the design borrowed heavily from the Winchester Model 1890 and John Browning's patent for it would not expired until mid 1907. Even thought it borrowed form a very good design, it was a very poor design and did not stay in production long, Here's A. J. Savage's letter concerning the end of production -

I’m hardly a hand writing expert, but in the OP letter, note how the pen stroke that crosses the t in Arthur continues on to form the S in Savage. There is nothing remotely close to that feature in the signatures Gene posted.
I suspect Gene is correct. Someone else signed the letter.

Well that muddies the water Gene!
But I agree, Someone was instructed to "send a letter".

You'd think "official" documents like patents would be original signatures.
And for the most part they are uniquely different.
Maybe depends if it was a quill, fountain pen, etc.

A rabbit hole I'm avoiding for now.

with Savage Never say Never

An old photocopy of a Perris letter I have looks like a lot like the one at the top, as does another copy of a letter I saved from July, 1899. Not identical, but quite similar.

Maybe all were his secretary..?

Found this entry from Utica NY. Unknown year. Census data shows a M O Terry in Albany County NY in 1875. He was 27 then and listed occupation was surgeon. Here is a directory image I found:
picture hosting sites

I hope nobody in the future ever tries to verify my signatures... It'll make Arthur's all look perfectly identical.

Thanks for tip, and looks to be the guy. Found a source from 1897 referring to a Brigadier General M. O. Terry of Utica, NY - Surgeon General of the New York National Guard.
Had also been head of at least a couple of New York medical associations.

He'd have been 54 in 1902, so surprised he was Vice President of Savage Arms rather than tied up with private practice.

Picture of him from 1895

Marshall Orlando Terry
born 1848 Watervliet, New York
died 1933 San Diego, CA

TERRY, MARSHALL ORLANDO, Utica, New York, was born in Watervliet Centre, Albany county, New York, son of William Henry and Sarah (Burke) Terry, of English and Prussian ancestry, respectively. He was educated in the common schools, the academy and high school of Ashtabula, Ohio, which included a scientific course, and entered the Cleveland Homœopathic Hospital College, graduating in 1872. He pursued special courses in the New York Ophthalmic and Aural Institute, the New York Eye and Ear Infirmary, the Manhattan Eye and Ear Infirmary, Bellevue Hospital, in diagnosis, also surgery, and received special instruction under Professor Charles Heitzmann in microscopy, histology, pathology ; and urinary analysis. He devoted two winters to hospital study in New York city. He is a member of the surgical staff of the General Hospital, Utica, surgeon-in-chief of the Utica Homœopathic Hospital, and of the Commercial Travelers' Mutual Accident Association of America. He is an honorary member of the Massachusetts Surgical and Gynecological Society, a member of the state, county, and national medical organizations, and in 1886 was president of the Homœopathic Medical Society of the State of New York. On March 18, 1880, Dr. Terry was appointed by Governor Cornell major of fourth brigade, national guard of New York ; by Governor Morton, January 1, 1895, surgeon-general of the State of New York, and was re-appointed by Governor Black, January 1, 1897, thus serving four years. He was appointed by President Cleveland United States pension surgeon for the Utica district, and was president of the board. He was offered the position of chief surgeon of division during the Spanish-American war by the late President McKinley, but declined owing to his duties as surgeon general. He is a member of the Association of Military Surgeons of the United States, president of the Association of Military Surgeons of the National Guard and of the Naval Militia of the State of New York. General Terry was instrumental in substituting, a new medical and surgical outfit for the national guard, on modern lines. The "Terry" stretcher, named by Adjutant General McAlpin for its originality, has a mechanically adjustable pillow. The field case, the first devised for the guard since the war of the rebellion, was named "Terry Field Case" by General Tillinghast. The chest for regiments, recognized as one of the best, is called the "New York medical and surgical chest." His inspection of southern camps during Hispano-American war led to an investigation by the government.

Great detail! Wonder how long he was Vice President.. I have some sources, just need to find time to go dig them up.