KFWA in the main forum posted some pictures from a 1902 Sears catalog, shows octagon barreled 1899's in 303 and 30-30 for sale.

Anybody ever see one letter to Sears?

Though, the picture is the ugliest picture of an 1899 I remember seeing...

https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/12976546/1

There was supposed to be a Sears model 99 marketed through them IIRCC. Seems like I saw a reference to one in one of the Blue Book housebrand listings. I've never seen one or heard of one.

And there is another mention of the "steel plate".
Believe it or not...

Yeah, nobody has seen a house brand 99 though the listing has been there forever.

And the steel plate was commonly talked about in the turn of the century advertising and catalogs. As was the depth it would penetrate through pine.

I do have a log page for serials 40216-40249. No Sears but there are:
- two for Montgomery Ward
- one for Ambercrombie & Fitch
- one for W F Sheard
- seven 30/30 carbines for a Charles E Tisdall (found a match in NZ, 1871-1940 and a Charles Edward Tisdall, 1866 – 1936, was the 19th mayor of Vancouver,
British Columbia). All seven shipped 6/24/1903. I wonder what the total number purchased was and for what reason?

Also, 40243 which is a blank line. Looking in my data I found that rifle went through a Julia action and I only have a note stating "Tiger on left side". Another cat of unknown origin?

Totally different cat style. Julia's claimed these were Marlin engraving styles.. so Ulrich maybe did them? SN 40243:

https://www.morphyauctions.com/jame...avage-model-1899-exhibition-rifle-44767/








PS: Found a dog engraved Marlin, and the dog engraved side of the Marlin is a dead on match for the dog on this gun.

So there are probably early Montgomery Wards catalogs out there with Savages in them also. Cool... I've seen others, including Ambercrombie & Fitch.

Found Ward's on 1895 and 1899 log pages but no Sears...yet.