Question about catalogue gun illustrations

[Geezer]

Same with everything back then. I presume it was a factor of print technology, with a line drawing cheaper to print than a photographic reproduction.

That seems to begin to change from the 1940s/50s.

[Geezer]

A 1943 Webley ad in Chris Thrale’s book features what looks like a photo (or it is a very good drawing?) of an adult man aiming a Webley pistol, oddly canted, in the manner that would become common a few years later in their pistol adverts.