Produced by Hopkins and Allen, small caliber revolvers like this were produced and sold by numerous firearm manufacturers across the world. In the United States, production of revolvers stepped up significantly during and after the Civil War, seeing use in civilian, police and military roles. The design of the revolver was a significant improvement from black powder flint and percussion lock designs, allowing the user of the gun much more ease of use, higher fire rate, and more accuracy (depending on the caliber and revolver). .38 and .32 caliber revolvers were usually small, light, compact and affordable which while sacrificing accuracy made it extremely easy to carry, store and conceal, leading revolvers like this one to become used primarily by law enforcement and civilians during the turn of the century. This revolver features a cylinder that can hold five shots, distinguishing it from other revolvers of the day which typically held six shots, like the Colt .38 Police Positive, a more common revolver used by law enforcement departments across the country. The first initials and last name of Frank S. Church can be seen engraved along the grip of the revolver.

Hopkins and Allen was a substantially sized gun manufacturer who operated and produced firearms from 1868 until 1916. The company got its start in 1868 under five men; Charles W. Allen, Charles A. Converse, Horace Briggs, Samuel S. Hopkins, and Charles W. Hopkins. In 1874 Converse sold his interest to the Hulbert brothers, and in 1896 the Hulbert brothers went bankrupt, leading to Hopkins and Allen subsequently going bankrupt in 1898. The company was able to reorganize, but a fire in 1900 destroyed the company’s factory and production machinery. The factory would be rebuilt in 1901, producing 40,000 firearms a year, and in 1902 H&A acquired the Forehand Arms Company. Hopkins and Allen could be considered one of the more prominent firearms manufacturers in the United States during the post-Civil War and pre-WW1 decades of American history. But, their financial troubles and damages endured at the turn of the century in combination with underbidding on wartime contracts during the first World War, Hopkins & Allen couldn’t make it past 1916, when it was acquired in its entirety by Marlin-Rockwell Firearms.

References: 

1. https://www.nramuseum.org/guns/the-galleries/innovation,-oddities-and-competition/case-26-the-booming-arms-industry/hopkins-and-allen-double-action-revolver.aspx

2. https://www.highcaliberhistory.com/post/hopkins-allen-triple-action-safety-police-revolver