Forehand & Wadsworth

Forehand & Wadsworth (later known as Forehand Arms) was an American firearms manufacturing company based in Worcester, Massachusetts. It was formed in 1871 by Sullivan Forehand and Henry C. Wadsworth after the death of their father-in-law, Ethan Allen of Ethan Allen & Company, and was acquired in 1902 by Hopkins & Allen, a firearms company based in Connecticut.

Forehand & Wadsworth
TypeFirearms manufacturer
IndustryFirearms
PredecessorEthan Allen & Company
Founded1871
FateAcquired by Hopkins & Allen in 1902
Headquarters
Worcester, Massachusetts
,
United States
Key people
Sullivan Forehand, Henry C. Wadsworth
ProductsDerringers, revolvers. rifles, shotguns

History

In 1871, Sullivan Forehand and Henry C. Wadsworth founded Forehand & Wadsworth from the remnants of Ethan Allen & Company after the death of their father-in-law, Ethan Allen.[1] Wadsworth sold his share of the company to Forehand in 1890 in order to retire, and the company was rebranded as Forehand Arms.[2]

From 1871-1890, the firm was known as Forehand and Wadsworth. In 1890, Henry Wadsworth retired, and the company name was changed to Forehand Arms Company. It operated under the name Forehand Arms Company until the death of Sullivan Forehand in 1898. In 1902, the company was acquired by Hopkins and Allen. [3]: 479 

The company manufactured a variety of black powder and cartridge revolvers, including several versions of the British Bull Dog revolver.[4][5] Other offerings included derringers,[3]: 381  rifles,[3]: 560  and shotguns.[3]: 604 

Forehand's sons ran the business for several years following the death of their father, then sold it in 1902 to Hopkins & Allen, who had been making Forehand Arms' revolvers under contract.[6]

The company was involved with a patent infringement lawsuit on behalf of one of their employees, John C. Howe, against the United States government. Howe had patented an ammunition cartridge in 1864, and the US government infringed upon this design in 1868 with the "Cup Anvil Cartridge" until the expiration of Howe's patent in 1881.[7] Howe asked Forehand to bring a lawsuit against the government, and eight years later the company won the suit on behalf of Howe with a judgement of $66,000. The lawsuit was not paid until after Howe's death and a few weeks before the death of Forehand in 1898.[1]

A Forehand & Wadsworth British Bull Dog revolver was used in the 1993 movie, Tombstone, by Joanna Pacula while portraying Big Nose Kate.[8]

  • Forehand & Wadsworth British Bull Dog revolver chambered for .44 Bull Dog
    Forehand & Wadsworth British Bull Dog revolver chambered for .44 Bull Dog
  • Forehand & Wadsworth advertisement from March 1872 as it appeared in the Quad-City Times of Davenport, Iowa
    Forehand & Wadsworth advertisement from March 1872 as it appeared in the Quad-City Times of Davenport, Iowa
  • Forehand Arms 5-shot revolver chambered for .32 S&W
    Forehand Arms 5-shot revolver chambered for .32 S&W
  • Forehand Arms advertisement from February 1899 as it appeared in The Belle Plaine News of Belle Plaine, Kansas
    Forehand Arms advertisement from February 1899 as it appeared in The Belle Plaine News of Belle Plaine, Kansas

References
  1. "Sullivan Forehand". Collections of the Worcester Society of Antiquity. The Society. 1899. pp. 322–328.
  2. Hogg, Ian V.; Walter, John (2004). Pistols of the World. David & Charles. p. 128. ISBN 0-87349-460-1.
  3. Flayderman, Norm (1983). Flayderman's Guide to Antique American Firearms and Their Values. ISBN 0910676585. Retrieved September 9, 2019.
  4. Shideler, Dan (14 July 2010). Gun Digest 2011. Iola, Wisconsin: Krause Publications. pp. 82–83. ISBN 978-1-4402-1561-2.
  5. Flayderman, Norm (2007). "Forehand and Wadsworth Revolvers". Flayderman's Guide to Antique American Firearms and Their Values. Iola, Wisconsin: F+W Media. p. 479. ISBN 978-1-4402-2422-5.
  6. Brophy, William S. (1989). Marlin Firearms: a history of the guns and the company that made them. Stackpole Books. p. 51. ISBN 9780811708777.
  7. Congress, United States. (1895). "Legal Representatives of John C. Howe". Congressional edition 1895. U.S. G.P.O. pp. 3–16.
  8. Shideler, Dan (2011). Gun Digest Book of Revolvers. Iola, Wisconsin: Gun Digest Books. p. 68. ISBN 978-1-4402-3157-5.
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