Original U.S. Civil War Allen & Wheelock .32cal Rimfire Revolver - Matching Serial 280

Original Item: One of a Kind. This is a very nice private purchase .32cal Rimfire "Pocket" Revolver made by Ethan Allen and his brother-in-law Thomas Wheelock in Worcester, Mass. About 1,000 of these attractive little pocket revolvers were produced from 1859 to 1862, when litigation from Smith & Wesson brought production to a halt. They had purchased exclusive rights to the Rollin White patent, which governed bored through cylinders, and defended it actively. Ethan Allen was involved in a series of different partnerships, which makes the firearms relatively easy to place in time. The side of the octagonal barrel on this example is marked: ALLEN & WHEELOCK. WORCESTER. MS. US.ALLEN'S PAT'S SEPT. 7. NOV. 9. 1858 As the "ALLEN & WHEELOCK" trade name was used from 1856 to 1865, this revolver definitely falls right into the civil war period. There is also a faint JULY 3, 1860 marking on the left side of the barrel trunion. The revolver is marked with serial number 280 under the