I borrowed a S&W Model 1917, Brazilian version, from my brother today. He included a holster of which I am totally unaware of the maker.

It is stamped “OFFICIAL FOLSOM AUDLEY”.



It include a spring tab that inserts itself into the trigger guard to prevent the revolver from falling out or being snatched.



Here is a photo of it with the revolver holstered.



And one with the revolver along the side of the holster.



Kevin

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Unshared knowledge is wasted.

Folsom Prison issue maybe?????

Audley was the holster maker, H.D. Folsom was a big sporting goods store in New York City.
Those holsters were popular with NY cops.

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John

JayCee is right, Folsom retailed the Audley holster after buying the company after Francis Audley’s death. This example is marked NYST and was made for the same revolver as yours.

Regards,

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turnerriver

If I correctly recall, accidental discharges while drawing ones firearm were the not uncommon for the spring lock safety. They were also faulted for trigger guard damage.

Does anyone know when H&D Folsom bought Audley? When did they stop selling these? Trying to get a time frame on these.

Thank you.

Kevin

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I have a New Service C**t 45LC 5.5" Bbl which came with the identical holster. It is marked NYST on the frame. While the N frame may work, the New Service was the issued revolver for NYST in the 30's. It came out of your neck of the woods

Attached Images

NYSPuniform.jpg (37.8 KB, 31 views)

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PTLAPTA!

I'm struggling to completely ignore the guess about Folsom prison! OF such things myths are born.

H&D Folsom Arms, founded 1860 for the Civil War, was a noted purveyor of sporting goods and issued at least two catalogs annually from the turn of the last century. They also sold the Thompson submachine gun!

While Frank Audley was a prolific holster inventor from Ireland who began as a belt maker in NYC. Frank died 1916 and his patents were inherited by various family members; his holster first appeared in association with H&D Folsom Arms in 1920 and shot to fame when NYPD made it a mandatory purchase by its 12,000 officers after a gun grab left an officer dead.

THERE ARE MANY AUDLEY AND FOLSOM AUDLEY MARKS so dating them is has only been accomplished very crudely. The Folsom Corporation -- it changed names MANY times -- is still an active NYC business but, of course, not in holsters. The design was taken over by better-known makers including Courtlandt Boot Jack of which a subsidiary is JayPee; and made by many including J.M. Bucheimer that was bankrupted by 1989.

Notorious for accidental discharges:

1914ish.jpg

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Red Nichols The Holstorian

Count on Red for accurate information.
Catalog cut and a gratuitous Thompson.


Regards,

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turnerriver

rednichols and turnerriver,

Thank you both.

I am familiar with H&D Folsom Co. In 1917, they bought the shotgun works from Baker Gun & Forge. At one time I had a nice collection of Baker shotguns.

Kevin

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Unshared knowledge is wasted.

You can tell which guns were used in those holsters, they got a rash on the triggerguard!

Attached Images

	AudleyColt.jpg (36.3 KB, 16 views)
	AudleyNYST.jpg (62.1 KB, 11 views)

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PTLAPTA!

There has been discussion in the 1896-1961 section about guns that had the tell-tale scars from being carried in Audley holsters by LEO's during the first half of the 20th Century.

As I recall, several members owned guns from one LE agency in particular, and as it turned out, the "Audley scar" was an almost certain indicator that similar guns had originally been the property of that particular agency. Pretty sure the agency was in the Northeastern US, and possibly somewhere in New England.

Mark

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