Make:  J. Stevens

Model: 32

Serial Number: 26409

Year of Manufacture: 1890s Antique

Caliber: 22

Action Type: Single shot 

Markings: Top flat of the octagon /round heavy barrel shows “J. STEVENS A &T CO. Chicopee Falls Mass USA” in TWO LINES; Some of which is covered by the rear sight; the Serial number “26409”on the left flat of the chamber. Underneath the brass framed pommel we see the matching serial number “26409”. The word “John has been carved into the butt and backstrap of the pistol.

Barrel Length: 11 ? inches

Sights / Optics: The front sight is finely preserved by the hood that still protects the thin post with beaded top. Also a second front sight is mounted atop the hood. The rear sight is a “v”notch for fast acquisition , the block is dovetailed to the rear of the barrel.

Stock Configuration & Condition: The grips are walnut with only a few compression marks from handling. The brass escutcheons are original to the set and show the proper amount of wear for a 125 year old item. The grips rate in about 9/10 overall condition. The detached wire stock is not with the rifle (now Pistol) 

Type of Finish: Blued steel and Nickel Coated steel Frame with walnut grips.

Finish Originality: Finish is original and has not been redone. 

Bore Condition: The bore is surprisingly bright and the rifling is strong. There is no erosion in the bore. The bore rates at 9.5/10 in this writer’s opinion.

Overall Condition: This handgun retains about 45% of its metal finish. The screw heads are tool-marked with serviceable slots. The lock up is tight. The back strap is drilled for the original “stock”. The markings are strong. Overall, this handgun rates in very good condition.

Mechanics: The action functions correctly. We did not fire this handgun. As with all used firearms, a thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance requirements.

Box, Paperwork & Accessories: none

Our Assessment:  Joshua Stevens was born on September 10, 1814 in Chelsea or Chester, Mass.—there is a dispute over his birth place. For 26 years, Stevens worked for other New England gun makers including Samuel Colt, Eli Whitney, Cyrus Allen, Edwin Wesson, and the Mass. Arms Co. In 1864, Joshua Stevens started his factory at the age of 50 with 2 partners, James Taylor and W. B. Fay. He died in 1907, at the age of 92 having been retired from Stevens for 10 years. Joshua Stevens was not an inventor, but just a good businessman. In 1864, he obtained patent # 44123 for a very basic, breech-loading tip-up that became the basis for all but two of the 14 Stevens single-shot pistols. Joshua Stevens left the firm with a substantial fortune at the age of 82. In 1864, Joshua Stevens started his factory in Chicopee Falls, Mass. on the north side of the Chicopee River. It was located in an old grist mill and the company’s name was “J. Stevens & Co.” The factory started when the Civil War was close to an end. The company was a world leader in the arms market until the early 1900s. Many established gun manufacturers failed after the Civil War due to the market surplus of guns.

In this writer's opinion the “tip up” has some of the sleekest styling and most elegant grips of their time. These guns are fun to shoot and are sure to be a prize in any collection. It was a treat to see this heavy barrel model 32 tip up. I love that these guns were mainly made for “enjoyment and entertainment” as opposed to the other rifles made throughout the civil war. These guns were known as “ PARLOR PISTOLS” because people would literally shoot them in the parlor. Back then, when guests arrived, the house host would have been obliged to entertain them. So they might find a deck of cards, place a few in the fireplace, serve some brandy and cigars, while playing “HORSE” with their extremely accurate target pistols in the parlor. Any one will enjoy owning this antique arm.