Allen's Providence Police Revolvers
Commercial era:
E. Allen & Co
This revolver is a curious one. Although no markings have ever been found on any of these pieces, their construction unmistakably reflects the work of Ethan Allen, and they align with his patented designs. The Center Hammer Army and Navy models produced during the E. Allen & Co. period were also unmarked, leading to the conclusion that the Providence Police revolvers were manufactured during the same era. Given the limited production numbers and Ethan Allen’s frugal nature, it’s likely that he simply didn’t want to incur the expense of marking dies.
In any case, Ethan Allen’s final percussion revolver was a relatively inexpensive model that offered substantial firepower: a .36-caliber, five-shot design with a spur trigger and no loading lever.
Another curiosity lies in the name of these revolvers. How they acquired it remains a complete mystery. Some speculate that they were produced exclusively at the request of the Providence, Rhode Island, Police Department, yet no evidence confirms that these revolvers were ever actually used by that force.
Additionally, the fact that they were manufactured with multiple barrel lengths (3, 4, and 5 inches) seems unusual for a standardized police contract.
The early production models have a little screw between the side plate and the frame to keep the side plate from rotating.
On later models, this screw has been replaced by an internal pin assumably to reduce production costs.
Providence Police Revolver - late type
This revolver is a later variant, identifiable by the internal pin that secures the side plate. One unusual feature of this example is that, although it has a spring latch to retain the cylinder pin, the frame also includes a screw hole on the bottom of the frame, with a matching hole in the cylinder pin itself.
From the P.O. Collection
