HENRY FOLSOM
#220 Folsom was a well known manufacturer and dealer of New Orleans, Memphis, and St. Louis. This particular handsome little gun with its 1⅞” barrel was manufactured by him and is not a Henry Deringer product although it has characteristics exactly like old Henry of Philadelphia. All furniture is of German silver. This is the size of derringer that I would call a gambler’s vest pocket special. Its caliber is .390.
The only mark is on the lock itself as follows:
H. Folsom
He was a gunsmith and military outfitter who in the late 1850’s was located in St. Louis, Missouri, and who for a time was there connected with H. E. Dimick, a gunsmith and dealer in imitation Colt Navy Revolvers.
Folsom was entirely Southern in feeling and about 1859 left St. Louis for New Orleans, Louisiana. There he opened up a shop at 55 Chartres Street. Imported revolvers are occasionally found bearing his name.
Also to be found with his name and the St. Louis address are various types of swords.
Some rifles are known that are marked “H. Folsom & Co., St. Louis.”
He is first listed in 1866 in the St. Louis City Directory and again in 1870 as a dealer and gunsmith.
It is known that Folsom worked in Memphis at some time and it is possible and reasonable that he made deringers there and in St. Louis but with a different marking, leaving off the St. Louis in the case of the Memphis guns.