Colt Firearms Collector

 

 

A History of Colt Business Names

Edited based John Ogle's 'The Book of Colt Paper'

and the original Colt items in this collection which show a date

and company name.  The objective of this information is to help

date Colt paper.

 

By noting the business name Colt used at the time indicates

approximately when various paperwork was printed.

 

Tracing Colt’s London & U. S. addresses:

1855  Colt trades from his outlet store at No. 14, Pall Mall, London

Colt patent fire arms at 14 pall mall, london

 

 

1856  Colt closes his London Manufactory and moves all sales to No. 14, Pal Mall, London

 

 

1892  Colt moves sales to: No. 26 Glasshouse, Piccadilly, London

 Early Colt address in London at Glasshouse St.

Note the British use of "FIREARMS"  vs  "Fire Arms"

The use of "Firearms' isn't seen until 1964 as "Firearms Division"

 

Colt's Patent Firearm M'F'G Co.

Note abbreviation:  M' F' G  as opposed to later Mfg.

 

 

1904 Colt's london address on Glasshouse St.

1904 Colt’s London agent, James Goodbody, moves the sales office to No. 15A, Pall Mall, next to the previous location at No. 14, Pall Mall

 

 

Colt's patent fire arms 15=A Pall Mall, London

1912   The London Armory Company, Ltd, becomes the sole London distributer for Colt’s Patent Fire Arms Manufacturing Company at No. 31 Bay Street, St. Johns, London, S.W.

 

 

1913  The Colt London Agency is closed on 1, July, 1913

 

1912 letter from Colt to Myers Hardware Co. Lexington, Va.

1910-12 Manufacturing Co. letterhead

 

1912 catalog pink price list

1912 Colt Catalog with 'Mfg'. Co.

 

Colt's Patent Fire Arms Mfg. Co. envelope with 2 cent stamp

1914 MFG. Co. Hartford, Conn.

 

1914 Colt factory envelope with 1 cent stamp

1914 MFG. Co Hartford, Conn.

 

Colt's Patent Fire Arms Manufacturing Company

Prior to 1931

Colt's Patent Fire Arms Manufacturing Co.

Note: Firearms vs Fire Arms use

 

1929

'Small Arms Division'

was used for short time from 1929 to 1930

and later from 1940 to 1947 for pistols

 

Colt's Patent Firearms Manufacturing Company, london

Hartford and London address

 

Colt's Patent Firearms Manufacturing Company, hartford

Hartford address

 

'Colt's Patent Firearms Manufacturing Company' / Fire Arms Division'

1931 to 1939

Colt's Patent Firearms Manufacturing. Company' / Fire Arms Division':

Fire Arms Division and Hartford

 

Colt's Patent Firearms Manufacturing. Company' / Fire Arms Division': 2

1931 parts catalog

 

Colt's Patent Firearms Manufacturing. Company' / Fire Arms Division': 3

1939-40 police handbook

 

For Automatic Pistols

 'Colt's Patent Firearms Manufacturing Company' / 'Small Arms Division'

Briefly from 1929 to 1930; then again from 1940 to 1947

 

Colt's Patent Firearms Manufacturing Company' / 'Small Arms Division':

January 1,1930 Export Price List

 

Colt's Patent Fire Arms Manufacturing CO.

Fire Arms Division

With 'Shield' only used in 1936

1936 logl Colt's Patent Firearms Manufacturing Company' / 'Small Arms Division':

1936 was Colt's (100th Anniversary)

'Colt's Manufacturing Company * Arms Division'

1947 to first part of 1955

 

1954 'Colt's Manufacturing Company'

1954 catalog

 

'Colt's Patent Firearms Manufacturing Company'

From 1956 to 1957

 

1955 'Colt's Patent Firearms Manufacturing Company'

1955 Revolver list

 

sales dept. 'Colt's Patent Firearms Manufacturing Company'

1957 Target sheet

 

Colt's Patent Fire Arms Manufacturing Co., Inc.

1956-1958 business name (Inc.)

 

1957 'Colt's Patent Firearms Manufacturing Company'-2

1957 Colt Catalog

 

1958 'Colt's Patent Firearms Manufacturing Company'\

1958 Colt catalog

 

1959 'Colt's Patent Firearms Manufacturing Company'

1959 Colt scope box paper

 

'Colt's Patent Firearms Manufacturing Company'-3

 

Due to the sale of the company, the company name

changed to include 'Fairbanks-Whitney Corporation' in 1959

 

'Fairbanks-Whitney Corporation' 1962

1962 dealer flyer

 

In 1964 'Fairbanks-Whitney' became 'Colt Industries'

and Colt firearms became the  'Firearms  /  Small Arms Division' of 'Colt Industries'.

'Colt Industries' 1964 -1

APS 1-57 Super 38 sheet

 

'Colt Industries' -2

 

'Colt Industries' -3

 

'Colt Industries' -4

 

'Colt Industries' -5

1959 poster

 

Colt Industries | Military Arms Division

c. 1968?  (conflicting information not sure)

Colt 19698firearms division confliciing info 1968 Colt military arms division conflicting info 2

        Firearms Division          Military Arms Division

 

'Colt's Manufacturing Company'

Colt Industries Operating Corp, Firearms Division

April 1972

1972 colt industries operating corp firearms division label

1983 Colt Industries Operating Corp

Colt experimental SSP 9 mm pistol

'Colt's Manufacturing Company, Inc'

In 1998 the 'Firearms Division- was sold and became...

Colt's Manufacturing Company, Inc.

 

'Colt's Manufacturing Company, Inc'-1

1990 Sporter sheet

 

'Colt's Manufacturing Company, Inc'-2

1993 Law enforcement sheet

 

1998 Colt Weapon Systems for M16A2 and M4 cover

1998 Colt International Division

In 2002 the company split into its Military and Law Enforcement Divisions.  The retail division used 'Colt's Patent Firearms Manufacturing Company' during 2003 and 2004 and in 2005 became Colt's Manufacturing Company, LLC

 

John Ogle's original article from 'The Book of Colt Paper'

John Ogle's original article from 'The Book of Colt Paper'

Dating brochures, by John Ogle

Colt published various brochures from early 1900 to 1950.  Form numbers started about 1911.  Major revisions had the number plus the letter 'R'.  In 1929 all printed matter had to be dated with country of origin.  Brochures not marked can assume to be pre-1930. 

Brochures may be marked as 'firearms division' or 'small arms division'.  Early brochures were not marked. 

Colt differentiated its 'Firearms division from 1930 to 1939.  Prior to and after those 'Firearms division' dates, Colt used 'Small arms division' for revolvers.

For a short time, Colt used Small arms division from 1929 to 1930, then used Firearms division from 1931 until 1939, when it again used Small arms division again from 41 to 1947.

Brochures with a dealer's name could be ordered from Colt or with no name.

A 'Printed in U.S.A.' was mandated in 1929, but that does not mean Colt did not print that information as some of it was published in London before that office was closed in the early part of the 1900s.

The first run of a printed item would most likely carry images and 'cuts' through out repeated printings if the item was not changed.  That makes it difficult to date repeated printings unless an 'R' for revision is noted on the spec sheet.

Colt company names

 Colt’s patent firearms mfg. company date prior to 1947

Fire arms division 1931-1939

Small arms division 1929-1930, and 1940-1947

Colt’s manufacturing company 1947-1955

Colt’s patent firearms manufacturing company 1955-1957

Colt’s manufacturing company Inc. 1957-1959

Fairbanks Whitney 1959-1963

Colt industries, firearms division 1964-69

Small arms division 1970-1989

Colt’s manufacturing company Inc. 1989-2002

Colt defense llc 2002-2016

Colt’s patent firearms manufacturing company 2002-2003

Colt’s manufacturing company llc 2003-2005

 

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This non-commercial Colt reference website contains aggregated research notes & images from my personal Colt collection. I occasionally use openly posted information on the internet which is used here under the Fair Use doctrine for educational purposes. The information displayed is not in anyway meant to infringe on copyrighted material ....