H.D. Folsom Arms Co. Did Not Buy Crescent Firearms – Ithaca Gun Co. Did in 1908

Correcting a Historical Firearms Mix‑Up

The H.D. Folsom Arms Company was a New York City retailer of sporting goods and firearms. It did not acquire Crescent Firearms.

The Actual Acquisition

• Crescent Firearms Company (Norwich, CT) was purchased by Ithaca Gun Company (Ithaca, NY) in 1908.
• Ithaca continued some Crescent models (e.g., double‑barrel shotguns) under the Crescent name for a period.

Where to Research Further

• Ithaca Gun Company archives – Cornell University Library, Division of Rare & Manuscript Collections.
• Blue Book of Gun Values – Standard reference for manufacturers, models, dates.
• New York Public Library – Trade catalogs, city directories for Folsom Arms retail history.
• ATF National Tracing Center – For serialization/manufacture records (law‑enforcement access).

Folsom Arms remains a retailer footnote; Ithaca Gun is the manufacturer that absorbed Crescent.