value of Forhand Arms Co. F&W 32
I have inherited a 32cal Forhand F&W...It has been punched out to a 38 as 32's are illegal in Canada...this gun has been in the family for many many years...the problem is that I cannon posses this gun as it is now a prohibited weapon in Canada..it is sitting in a police lock-up,until I decide what to do with it...it can be grandfathered to a holder of a restricted firearms liscence prior to 1995 or sent to a gunsmith to be rendered unuseable or destroyed.....rendering it unuseable would entail welding a rod into the barrel as well a welding the hammer shut....I am curious as to the approximate value of this gun...the gun is pre 1899 I suspect...SN.is 134492 ST...thanks to anyone who may shed some light on this for me...:+))
0
-
"Flayderman's Guide to Antique American Firearms" says this about Forehand & Wadsworth revolvers:
"Sullivan Forehand was first employed by Allen & Wheelock in 1860 in an administrative capacity. He subsequently married Ethan Allen's daughter and their two sons were later to enter, with their father, in the firearms business.
"Henry C. Wadsworth, while an officer in the Union Army during the Civil War, also married one of Ethan Allen's daughters. Upon his discharge at the end of the war, he joined the Allen firm.
"In 1865 the firm name was changed to Ethan Allen & Co to reflect the new partnership formed by E. Allen and his sons-in-law, Forehand and Wadsworth.
"Following Allen's death in 1871, the firm was continued by Forehand and Wadsworth, undoubtedly with the same line of guns that were currently in production with the markings on a few pieces subsequently changed to reflect the new management.
"Forehand and Wadsworth continued operations until Wadsworth's retirement in 1890. The company changed its name to the Forehand Arms Company, under which it operated until 1898 with the death of Sullivan Forehand.
"The heirs are believed to have continued manufacturing operations until 1902, when taken over by Hopkins and Allen."
Thus, your revolver is almost certainly 19th century. However, Forehand & Wadsworth made many different models and it's difficult to identify your model without a photo. I know of no list of serial numbers of Forehand & Wadsworth revolvers from which you could ascertain its date of manufacture.
Forehand and Wadsworth revolvers have never had much value. They were well-made in their time but never had the final fitting and polish of the more expensive Colts and Smith & Wessons. Forehand & Wadsworth made many different models, ranging from tiny deringers to full-sized revolvers.
Without knowing which model you have, it's impossible to estimate its value. The more common F&W revolvers may bring a mere $80 while the more rare ones could bring upwards of $500, depending upon condition.
I suspect that yours is the more-common pocket model, which has a value of $100 or thereabouts.
Caliber also affects value. Many F&W revolvers were made for rimfire cartridges, so finding ammunition is a problem. The centerfire models bring slightly more, especially if in good shape, because they can be fired on occasion (but should only be fired with black powder cartridges; their designs are not particularly strong).
If it were me, I'd sigh and have it deactivated by a gunsmith. At least it would still be in your family. Chances are it's one of the more common models and not worth a whole lot.
It's a shame that you have to destroy this revolver in order to keep it. Can you perhaps get a license to possess it, unaltered, as a collectible?
If nothing else, perhaps you can donate it to a museum if they leave it unaltered.
These were very popular revolvers with miners, prospectors, gamblers, cowboys and shopkeepers during the 19th and early 20th century. They deserve a place in history beside Colt, Smith & Wesson and Winchester too.
"A hit with a .22 is better than a miss with a .44!"0 -
Thank you Gatofeo for the info on the Forhand Arms Co. I think you are right about it being a common one....it has a 3"barrel and a 5 shot revolving magazine,silver finish with a black handle...I will check into the collectables and also with our local museum...again thanks I appreciate the info. 0
Please sign in to leave a comment.
Comments
2 comments