New to me S. E. Laszlo of Hyscore fame imported Webley airguns

[45flint]

Had to buy this 1939 S. E. Laszlo catalog given it was prewar before the launch of the Hy-Score pistol. That company started in 1933. This catalog shows a full line up Webley products. Knew of other importers like Stoeger but this one escaped me? Maybe this is old news to the more knowledgeable. Also Diana rifles and got to love English shuttlecocks.

[Josie & John]

Fascinating stuff Steve.

I wonder if any of his products were marked as such?

Knowing you, if they were, you'll find a mint one!

Kind regards,

John

[45flint]

They imported the Webley MK2 rifle but I wonder how many they actually sold? Below what $70 equates to today, and the US was still in a depression.

[Powderfinger]

What a fascinating catalogue. Looks like a Webley Service was the equivalent price of a high end modern PCP. Affordable for the Rockefellers and Kennedys and Huttons at the time!

[Garvin]

Fantastic, Steve!

[45flint]

This catalog they said belonged to Frank Mihalyi inventor for the Benjamin Air Rifle Company in St Louis. Is this rare and or new information on Webley US imports? I reread John’s article on “Coming to America” and no mention of Laszlo? Have no idea if this has been mentioned?

[ccdjg]

This catalog they said belonged to Frank Mihalyi inventor for the Benjamin Air Rifle Company in St Louis. Is this rare and or new information on Webley US imports? I reread John’s article on “Coming to America” and no mention of Laszlo? Have no idea if this has been mentioned?

It is certainly new to me. Fascinating. The advertised items must have been the last of Webley air gun production, just before they ceased manufacture due to the outbreak of war.

[micky2]

Another great find, and what a great bit of info that is new to us. you have the luck of a pox doctor.

[45flint]

Another great find, and what a great bit of info that is new to us. you have the luck of a pox doctor.

Won it by 22 cents on a last second bid! Lol

[45flint]

This is fasinating on the introduction page there is a statement that they are the Sole Distributor for “Webley Air Pistols and Rifles”. The best articles on Webley in American were written by John Milewski and are posted in the Gallery here:
https://forum.vintageairgunsgallery....ng-to-america/

Reading this series of articles it appears that Stoeger had the sole distributorship until 1937. Abercrombie had Webley guns on their leagers in 1940. Thus it looks like Laszlo was a very brief bridge whose sole distributorship didn’t last more than a year or two? Laszlo always put their name of their products. Webley would accommodate. Thus a Laszlo marked Webley is possible (if they ever sold any?) but probably would have shown up by now.

[Josie & John]

This catalog they said belonged to Frank Mihalyi inventor for the Benjamin Air Rifle Company in St Louis. Is this rare and or new information on Webley US imports? I reread John’s article on “Coming to America” and no mention of Laszlo? Have no idea if this has been mentioned?

Hi Steve,

I was aware Laszlo was an importer and distributor but the Webley connection is a new one to me, so thanks for sharing Steve.

Every day is a school day, as they say and this adds a little more to the Webley story.

John

[micky2]

Won it by 22 cents on a last second bid! Lol

Hi Steve, l am so glad that you won it, as you you share the info on here, the under bidder might not have been willing to share. that is what is so good about this forum, members willing to share info and all sorts of help.

[Josie & John]

Hi Steve, l am so glad that you won it, as you you share the info on here, the under bidder might not have been willing to share. that is what is so good about this forum, members willing to share info and all sorts of help.

I agree wholeheartedly Mick.

It's not often something new about Webley history comes to light but thanks to many collectors on here such as Steve, when it does, the news is shared between all of us.

John

[greenwayjames]

You would have thought that because of the deal between W&S and Hyscore to distribute their products in the US just prior to WW2 the latter would have gone back to W&S post war. But no. Perhaps the demand for W&S pistols postwar and the push for export orders meant they had full capacity. The Hyscore concentric piston air pistol continued to be in production until 1961 but was marketed until 1970. How you could seriously market a product that was out of production takes some thinking about but it is a fact that BSA were seriously interested enough to get samples of the Hyscore concentric piston pistol and a supply of spares and become the UK sole distributor.
My guess, it can only be that as any record has gone the way of the old BSA bosses at the time, is that as soon as BSA found out it was no longer in production UK importation of the Hyscore air pistol hit the buffers.
I know a collector who bought the remaining Hyscore spares, including the grips, in the 1970's from BSA to keep his own much loved example in working order.

[45flint]

You would have thought that because of the deal between W&S and Hyscore to distribute their products in the US just prior to WW2 the latter would have gone back to W&S post war. But no. Perhaps the demand for W&S pistols postwar and the push for export orders meant they had full capacity. The Hyscore concentric piston air pistol continued to be in production until 1961 but was marketed until 1970. How you could seriously market a product that was out of production takes some thinking about but it is a fact that BSA were seriously interested enough to get samples of the Hyscore concentric piston pistol and a supply of spares and become the UK sole distributor.
My guess, it can only be that as any record has gone the way of the old BSA bosses at the time, is that as soon as BSA found out it was no longer in production UK importation of the Hyscore air pistol hit the buffers.
I know a collector who bought the remaining Hyscore spares, including the grips, in the 1970's from BSA to keep his own much loved example in working order.

Laszlo’s brother, the inventor of the Hy-Score pistol started his work on it in 1940, but only after the war did they start producing it. Obviously more profit potential and maybe one of the most innovative designs for a simple spring pistol. A Webley connection would have made no sense for them now.