Frank Hollenbeck got around. He worked with W.H. Baker before W.H. hooked up with Lyman Cornelius Smith and moved to Syracuse.
A decade later Frank became superintendent at Syracuse Gun & Forging Co. about the time they moved to Batavia, NY. The dates of three Frank Hollenbeck patents appear on the watertables of early Baker hammerless doubles.
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Frank soon returned to Syracuse and founded Syracuse Arms Co. But, he didn't stay long. After a few years with Hollenbeck Lock & Knob Co. he came up with another double shotgun design.
Frank showed up in Baltimore in late 1899. Just in time for Ansley H. Fox to leave his partners in the Fox Gun Co., Balto., MD., U.S.A. and become a professional shooter for Winchester. Ansley's old partners formed a new company in January 1900, Baltimore Arms Co., and by 1901 they had built a new factory and were building a gun of Frank Hollenbeck's design. Despite the "old wive's tales" of Ansley H. Fox being involved with Baltimore Arms Co. he was neither an officer nor director of that company. During the first 2+ years of Baltimore Arms Co.'s existence Ansley was a professional shooter for Winchester. Ansley moved to Philadelphia and by November 1902 was busy founding Philadelphia Arms Co. Though the Great Baltimore Fire, 7-8 February 1904, didn't get it, just about that time Baltimore Arms Co. went into receivership.
Frank A. Hollenbeck didn't stay long in Baltimore. By 1901 he was up in West Virginia founding the Hollenbeck Gun Co., which was also belly up by 1904.
Threaded Mode