Ethan Allen Revolver - The Firearms Forum

Fatboy1961 · 01-17-2010, 01:29 AM

I inherited some old revolvers when my ole Pappy passed. The oldest is an Ethan Allen 22 cal 7 shot revolver. Manufactured in Worchester Mass the patent info on the barrel reads Allen pat Sept 7th & Nov 9th 1858 and Sept 24th 1861. SN is 117xx. Mechanically it seems operational with the exception of occaisonally failing to advance to the next round when cocking. Finish is mostly gone (maybe 15% blueing left) and it appears someone cleaned it steel wool or something in the past. Grips appear to be original and are undamaged. Research has only netted one similar that appeared to be in slightly better condition. Do I posess a rarity or just an oddity from the past? Does it have any collectable value?

b.goforth · 01-17-2010, 12:22 PM

i can identify a side hammer revolver with the 1858 patent dates but none with the sept 24, 1861 date. is is a side hammer or center maounted hammer. most likely this is one of the last models manufactured by allen before he died in 1873 and the company was remaned forehand & wadsworth arms co. who were his son's in law.

i can't give any values with out knowing the model but all ethan allen products are collectable.
bill

Fatboy1961 · 02-12-2010, 02:54 PM

Hi Bill,
I've double checked with a magnifying glass and can confirm the 1861 pat date. I tried to photograph the stamping for you but it seems my camera won't catch it....too small. Here's a couple pictures to maybe help in definate ID. Should you know any avid collectors this one could find a new home. Also a US Revolver I have. Hate to sell them but times are tough. Let me know what you think. Jim

hrf · 02-12-2010, 04:44 PM

It's the "Eighth issue" Allen side-hammer .22, the last model made before the company became Forehand & Wadsworth. Flayderman's Guide lists value in Good condition as $175, but the abrasive cleaning will have lowered value of yours.

Jim K · 02-13-2010, 01:22 PM

A good example of the fact that old does not mean valuable. There is simply not enough collector interest in those guns to bring up the prices. Nor is there a market. The prices given in the guides are retail prices, what a buyer might expect to pay, not what a seller might expect to get. Sale to a dealer would not bring even half the guide price. Sale in any other way for a single gun is iffy; a buyer might come along tomorrow or ten years from now.

Example: I have had a couple of collector guns on consignment at a local store for over two years. I am not concerned; I don't need the money and maybe some day they will sell. But trying to get an immediate sale is tough, and I feel for you.

Jim

BMFLEX · 09-18-2012, 03:44 PM

i have the exact same model. unfortunately the trigger is broke

01-17-2010, 01:29 AM	#1
Fatboy1961 Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Posts: 5	Ethan Allen Revolver I inherited some old revolvers when my ole Pappy passed. The oldest is an Ethan Allen 22 cal 7 shot revolver. Manufactured in Worchester Mass the patent info on the barrel reads Allen pat Sept 7th & Nov 9th 1858 and Sept 24th 1861. SN is 117xx. Mechanically it seems operational with the exception of occaisonally failing to advance to the next round when cocking. Finish is mostly gone (maybe 15% blueing left) and it appears someone cleaned it steel wool or something in the past. Grips appear to be original and are undamaged. Research has only netted one similar that appeared to be in slightly better condition. Do I posess a rarity or just an oddity from the past? Does it have any collectable value? -->

01-17-2010, 12:22 PM	#2
b.goforth Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: houston, tx Posts: 3,174	Re: Ethan Allen Revolver i can identify a side hammer revolver with the 1858 patent dates but none with the sept 24, 1861 date. is is a side hammer or center maounted hammer. most likely this is one of the last models manufactured by allen before he died in 1873 and the company was remaned forehand & wadsworth arms co. who were his son's in law. i can't give any values with out knowing the model but all ethan allen products are collectable. bill __________________ Author: Iver Johnson's Arms & Cycle Works 1871-1993 H&R Arms Company 1871-1986 (due spring 2010) available from www.gunshowbooks.com website; iverjohnsoncollector.x10hosting.com

02-12-2010, 02:54 PM	#3
Fatboy1961 Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Posts: 5	Re: Ethan Allen Revolver Hi Bill, I've double checked with a magnifying glass and can confirm the 1861 pat date. I tried to photograph the stamping for you but it seems my camera won't catch it....too small. Here's a couple pictures to maybe help in definate ID. Should you know any avid collectors this one could find a new home. Also a US Revolver I have. Hate to sell them but times are tough. Let me know what you think. Jim Attached Images

02-12-2010, 04:44 PM	#4
hrf Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 2,276	Re: Ethan Allen Revolver It's the "Eighth issue" Allen side-hammer .22, the last model made before the company became Forehand & Wadsworth. Flayderman's Guide lists value in Good condition as $175, but the abrasive cleaning will have lowered value of yours.

02-13-2010, 01:22 PM	#5
Jim K Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Posts: 6,408	Re: Ethan Allen Revolver A good example of the fact that old does not mean valuable. There is simply not enough collector interest in those guns to bring up the prices. Nor is there a market. The prices given in the guides are retail prices, what a buyer might expect to pay, not what a seller might expect to get. Sale to a dealer would not bring even half the guide price. Sale in any other way for a single gun is iffy; a buyer might come along tomorrow or ten years from now. Example: I have had a couple of collector guns on consignment at a local store for over two years. I am not concerned; I don't need the money and maybe some day they will sell. But trying to get an immediate sale is tough, and I feel for you. Jim

09-18-2012, 03:44 PM	#6
BMFLEX Member Join Date: Sep 2012 Posts: 1	Re: Ethan Allen Revolver i have the exact same model. unfortunately the trigger is broke