Andrew immigrated to the US from Sweden in 1896 at the age of 20 with his family. By 1900 the entire family was working for his gun business. It seems Andrew had money when he arrived, because he immediately opened a factory.
From some past posts:
The start of the Meriden Firearms Co. in 1905 was the result of the ability of the merchandising scheme of Sears. They operated out of warehouses, with no retail overhead like other previous businesses. They sold guns for many name concerns,including ammunition, but at much lower prices than retail businesses. The complaints from the retail market were listened to by the major ammo and gun manufactures, one of which was Winchester. Winchester and others eventually refused to sell to the undercutter , Sears, so as to protect their retail style outlets. Sears was on top of things and actually connected with Andrew Fryberg to produce lots of inexpensive guns for the Sears under various names. In 1904, Fred Biffar, head of the gun etc sales for Sears contacted A J Aubrey to design and produce a sidelock double barrel to be sold by Sears. In 1905 the Meriden Firearms Co was started to do just that. They produced the Aubrey design and used Aubrey's name on the guns as "Manufactured by the Meriden Firearms Co." This worked well until 1909 when Richard Sears left the company [President of Sears] and then Fred Biffer and later Aubrey left, too. After Aubrey left, the guns were marked Meriden without the Aubrey name. Sears was also manufacturing their own ammunition and buying ammo from Europe and Canada to market. Around 1910 the shooting public's preferences for firearms began to change to the slide action firearm. By 1914 the demand for other types was diminishing for Sears and the Fryberg guns were stopped and by 1916, or so, the Meriden plant was sold to New England Westinghouse. Actually alot of guns were produced in that 10 year span. Sears eventually did sell Winchesters etc, but noted in their catalog that they were not allowed to discount prices. A wonderful history of this concern, by Jim Perkins, is found in the Dec. 2005 Gun Report.
From 1896 to 1903/4 it was Andrew Fyrberg & Co., Worcester, Mass.
From 1904 to 1905/6 guns are found marked Andrew Fyrberg & Co., Hopkinton, Mass.; or A.F. & Co., Hopkinton, Mass.; and finally Andrew Fyrberg Arms Co. Hopkinton, Mass. The business was incorporated in Massachusetts as Andrew Fyrberg Arms Co. on March 29, 1904, with its principal place of business Hopkinton, Mass. Richard W. Sears of Oak Park, Illinois, owned one share of this company, while Fyrberg owned 1246 shares.
On January 4, 1907, a new company was incorporated as Andrew Fyrberg & Sons Manufacturing Co., still in Hopkinton, Mass. All the shareholders of this company were members of the Fyrberg family -- Andrew 375 shares, Nils 10 shares, Herman 10 shares, and Anna 5 shares.
The late Joe Vorisek lists 34 firearms patents with an Andrew Fyrberg association. Joe also listed a couple of guns with A.F & Co. butt plates. He also notes Fyrberg guns marked EMPIRE STATE ARMS, CHICAGO ARMS, NEW ENGLAND FIRE ARMS CO. and EASTERN ARMS CO.
The Meriden Firearms Company was formed when Sears Roebuck purchased the Andrew Fryberg & Sons firearms manufacturing plant in 1903 and moved the plant and machinery to Meriden, Connecticut, circa 1904. The company started manufacturing firearms circa early 1905. Around 1906 Sears acquired a Savage-held patent for the Model 15 slide-action .22 rifle that was not introduced until 1913. During 1918 Sears announced that the Meriden Firearms Company would discontinue the manufacture of sporting firearms.
In the early 1900's, Winchester stopped selling firearms to Sears and Roebuck's discount mail order house because they considered Sears discounting of prices to be demoralizing all firearms prices and causing general discontent in the trade. Most firearm manufacturing companies at the time agreed with Winchester, but only Winchester took any type of action. In November of 1904, Winchester announced that it would no longer sell to the Sears and Roebuck Company and they cancelled all unfilled orders. The Meriden Fire Arms Company was started by Sears and Roebuck's because of the Winchester's refusal to sell firearms to them.
The Meriden Model 10 was first listed in the Sears and Roebuck Spring 1910 catalog priced at $2.19. The Model 10 was made on a rolling block action with a color case hardened frame of malleable iron, a 22" barrel, and a walnut forearm and butt stock. The Meriden Model 10 was discontinued in 1917
Pete