Forehand & Wadsworth Old Model Army single action question

[Triggernumbetry]

Contemplating buying one of the "Old Model Army " versions in 44 Russian. A few have the image of a bear stamped on the left side of the frame under the cylinder. Flayderman indicates that it's no more than speculation as to the reason for the mark. California militia, California dealer, or merely because it's 44 Russian, hence the Russian bear. I spent 2 days with Google, using "california militia", scanning uncountable newspaper articles & on-line museum records from 1870 up, looking for any mention of Forehand & Wadsworth. If anyone has any verifiable knowledge of the reason for the mark, would sure like to hear about it. THANKS. Info update 12/17/21. Doing a search for Forehand & Wadsworth Old Model Army, I found 14 listings, most with serial numbers, of the supposedly rare version with the bear. Also Flayderman & others remark that production figures are 1000 or less of this model with or without the bear. If so, I must ask why I am finding 8 of the "bear" variant with numbers over 1000 (as high as #1272 so far)? A seller listed as "Robert R." in CT. on the "Gun Auction" site, in 2015, states that the "bear" mark is attributed to a San Francisco dealer (name Vallegia) in the 1870s. Sure would like to contact that seller to determine how he made that discovery!

 

[Triggernumbetry]

More info. "Google" found 24 listings of the "Old Model Army" over about a 15 year period. Serial #s range from #80 to #1331 which pretty well knocks Flayderman figures of 1000 out of the park by at least 331 guns. From #80 to #752 in my sample (9 guns), NONE have the bear. I see the bear on # 865 thru #1331 on all but 3 (15 guns). One of the 3 is marked "Ejercito Argentina" (Argentine Army). Numbers 1190 & 1231 have standard (no bear) frames. In this sample, it appears that nearly all in the last half or so of production, wear the bear. I don't buy the bear as merely a caliber designation (Russian bear). For a California dealer in the 1870s to sell over 500 (last half), of production, I think is pretty thin also. California Militia?