Originally featured in Points West magazine in Fall/Winter 2018
Design Drawing, Winchester Repeating Shotgun
A quick glance through each of the Center’s five museums, and one is sure to agree that art is everywhere: masterworks in the Whitney Western Art Museum, colorful Wild West posters in the Buffalo Bill Museum, masterful taxidermy in the Draper Natural History Museum, embellished guns in the Cody Firearms Museum, and expressive ledger drawings in the Plains Indian Museum. But equally impressive are the factory drawings of firearms in the McCracken Research Library.
When the Center of the West acquired the Winchester Collection, it also obtained an enormous collection of factory drawings—nearly 10,000 of which are available online. Yes, many drawings are unquestionably artwork in their own right—such as this one of a 16-gauge repeating shotgun, dated August 16, 1900. With its intricate detail, this multi-colored drawing is a marvel of shapes, hues, and composition. Check out the McCracken Library’s firearms collection at our digital photo collection site.
The McCracken Research Library at the Buffalo Bill Center of the West offers access to thousands of historic images, maps, and other documents for research and publication, thanks in part to the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). To learn more, visit library.centerofthewest.org.
Design drawing, 16 ga. repeating shotgun, right view and cutaway, showing all parts. 8-16-1900. MS 063 Winchester Repeating Arms Company Collection. Olin Corporation Charitable Trust. MS63.119.053
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