As a lover and student of Triple Locks, I think I have come to the conclusion that during the 1908 to 1915 era, either (1) people did not wear socks or (2) at least if they wore socks, they did not have drawers to store them in.
Then again, the two of mine were not too shabby!
The first one (3976), a first year 7 1/2" target came to me because God was in his heaven, and all was right with the world! The time is 2000. I'm ready to buy a TLT. I figure I can get a nice one for $5500. Up comes an auction catalog---and there's a nice one. I register to bid, the auction lady calls, and were off and running! I'd told her I wouldn't be making any bids, to just tell me when it was time to buy the gun. About two seconds later, she says, "He's at $7000, do you want to go $7500?" "No Ma'am, thank you---I'm out!"
I'm licking my wounds for a couple of months, and the phone rings again. "Ralph, this is So&So, SWCA. I see in the Roster you collect targets." "Yes." "Do you have a Triple Lock?" "No." Do you want a Triple Lock?" "Yes." "Ralph, we have one, it doesn't fit in our collection, and we want to sell it---Ralph, it's the best one we've ever seen!" "For how much?" "$5500." "What's the least you'll take?" "$5250." "SOLD!!" It was the best one I'd ever seen too! (It sold during the liquidation of my collection during the last three years ending a year ago for $10,000!!)
The second one came along in 2016. I'm prowling around in David Carroll's back room, and here's a rug with a tag that says "Triple Lock-King". I open it up, and I am SMITTEN!! Here's a King Super Target Triple Lock----right out of that sock drawer you mentioned!! It went home with me--$9500. It too sold during the liquidation of my collection-----$8825---as in "Win some, lose some!"
Bottom Line: There are sock drawer Triple Locks out there, but you have to be looking for them----a little dumb luck doesn't hurt either!!
I posted some pictures of that one here. I'll hunt them up, and add their address if you want to take a look at a real sock drawer gun!
Ralph Tremaine
Okay, the title: A KING SUPER TARGET. The date: 02-15-2018. The place: In the early hand ejector section here.