Product Description
ANDREW FYRBERG & Co. Top Break .32 S&W Caliber DOUBLE ACTION Revolver C&R
Roaring 20s Era Pocket Revolver
Here we present an Andrew Fryberg Top-Break Double Action Revolver, made circa 1902 in Hopkinton, Massachusetts. Andrew Fryberg was a prolific inventor around the turn of the 20th Century. The Andrew Fyreberg & Sons plant in Worcester had contracted in 1899 to sell its entire gun production to Sears & Roebuck Co. In the 1902 Sears, Roebuck & Company catalog they advertise that their guns were “Built in our own Factory” under the direct supervision of one of the most skilled gunmakers in America and his two sons, Andrew Fyrberg in Worcester, Massachusetts. That same year, Fyrberg moved production to an old shoe factory in Hopkinton, Massachusetts. In 1904, Richard Sears bought Fyrberg’s interest in the company and moved the machinists and machinery to the vacant Malleable Iron Co. building in Meriden, Connecticut. This revolver was made for self-defense, holding 5 shots of .32 S&W.
Andrew Fyrberg started out in Worchester, MA in 1896. In 1899 Sears Roebuck & Co bought an interest in the company and Fyrberg made a deal to sell their entire production to Sears. In 1907 the company underwent a reorganization relocating to Hopkinton, MA and changing the name to Andrew Fyrberg. Meriden's pistol design is a direct result of the Fyrberg acquisition. Andrew Fyrberg is one of the many little known gun designer of the early cartridge era. Fyrberg has numerous pistol related patents assigned to him. The earliest, dated April 6th, 1886 is in conjunction with Iver Johnson.
The overall condition is very good. Nice nickel finish. The action is strong all around. The bore is bright in good shape. The grips are firm and solid with slight wear from handling. Here is a great little revolver from the early 20th Century to fill a spot in the collection!
This firearm is classified as a Curio & Relic.
Barrel is 3 inches.
Caliber: .32 S&W
Overall condition as seen in photos.
Very Fast. Very Safe. FREE SHIPPING. Will need to be sent to your local FFL or C&R licensee. This firearm is classified as a Curio & Relic.
Guaranteed AUTHENTIC & Includes CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICITY.
www.ancestryguns.com
$385
#201541
| Private | |
| Industry | Firearms |
|---|---|
| Fate | Dissolved |
| Founded | 1905 |
| Defunct | 1918 |
| Headquarters | , |
Area served | Predominately the United States |
| Albert James Aubrey, Fred Biffar, William H. Gough | |
| Products | Shotguns, revolvers, rifles |
| Parent | Sears, Roebuck & Company |
The Meriden Firearms Company of Meriden, Connecticut, USA manufactured small arms from 1905 to 1918. Meriden manufactured 20 varieties of hammer and hammerless revolvers with an output of 100 handguns a day in 1906. In addition to revolvers the company manufactured shotguns and rifles.[1]
The Meriden Firearms Company was formed when Sears, Roebuck & Co. purchased the Andrew Fyrberg & Sons firearms manufacturing plant and moved the plant and machinery to Meriden, Connecticut, in 1905 in the Malleable Iron Company's plant.[1] The company sold their firearms through the Sears catalog as well as via other retailers (using different trade names). Meriden introduced the Model 15 slide-action .22 rifle based on Savage patents in the fall of 1912. In 1918 Sears announced that the Meriden Firearms Company would discontinue the manufacture of sporting firearms.[2]
Revolvers[edit]

Meriden manufactured double-action top-break revolvers in various barrel lengths and finishes. Calibers were either .32 S&W or .38 S&W with either an exposed or enclosed hammer. The barrels were marked 'Meriden Firearms Co. Meriden, Conn USA'. These guns were referred to as 'pocket pistols' and were made between 1905 and 1915.[3] Meriden manufactured twenty varieties of hammer and hammerless revolvers with an output of 100 guns a day in 1906.[1]
Double barrel shotguns[edit]
Meriden manufactured 12, 16, and 20 gauge sidelock double-barrel shotguns fitted with steel, laminated, twist, and Damascus barrels. Some of these guns were engraved by artisans who formerly worked for Parker (also located in Meriden). The shotguns were well made and available in a variety of grades. All had automatic safeties and cocking indicators. Barrels could be had in twist, damascus of several grades, armory steel or Krupp steel. Hammerless or hammer shotguns with varying amounts of engraving were available.[2]
AJ Aubrey[edit]
In 1906 Albert James Aubrey, former plant superintendent for Wilkes-Barre Gun Co. and the designer of Aubrey shotguns, became the vice president of Meriden Firearms for Sears. Two years later he became president of the division, a position he held until 1916.[4] During his time at Sears, Aubrey filed for and received 8 patents related to firearms.[5]
| Description | City Filed from | Patent Number | Date Issued |
|---|---|---|---|
| Improved Safety for breakdown guns | Hopkinton, MA | 859477 | July 9, 1907 |
| Sight For Firearms | Meriden, CT | 839535 | December 25, 1906 |
| Sight For Firearms | Meriden, CT | 835091 | November 6, 1906 |
| Automatic Shell-Ejector for Firearms | Meriden, CT | 887569 | May 12, 1908 |
| Fore-Stock Fastener for Firearms | Meriden, CT | 887568 | May 12, 1908 |
| Gun-Lock | Meriden, CT | 902639 | November 3, 1908 |
| Safety Hammer | Meriden, CT | 911362 | February 2, 1909 |
| Rifle-Barrel Construction | Meriden, CT | 918491 | April 20, 1909 |
References[edit]
- ^ abcGillespie, Charles Bancroft (1906). An historic record and pictorial description of the town of Meriden, Connecticut,: And men who have made it. Meriden, Conn: Journal Publishing Co. pp. 89–92.
- ^ abLee, Jerry (18 December 2013). 2014 Standard Catalog of Firearms: The Collector's Price & Reference Guide. Iola, Wisconsin: Krause Publications. p. 721. ISBN978-1-4402-3716-4.
- ^Taffin, John (2005). The Gun Digest Book of Cowboy Action Shooting: Guns · Gear · Tactics. Gun Digest Books. p. 256. ISBN978-0-89689-140-1.
- ^Franco, Janis Leach (2010). Meriden. Arcadia Publishing. p. 44. ISBN978-0-7385-7332-8.
- ^United States Patent Office, ed. (1909). Annual Report of the Commissioner of Patents. U.S. Government Printing Office. p. 18.
Andrew Fyrberg & Co
External links[edit]
Andrew Fyrberg Co
