Turnerriver and I have thoroughly examined thousands of pieces of evidence about the holster makers of the 20th century, especially Berns-Martin. That company has been an object of our affections since we were kids (so, a long time ago). The tale is thoroughly set out in The Book, but here is the short answer.

The patent was filed in '32 and issued in '35. This matters because there are only two Speed holsters (not 'scabbards', Phil) that were made in that time before the patent was issued; both belonged to the project's benefactor, Elmer Keith and now in a private collection. They appear in The Book courtesy the owner.

So: hand marked with two patent numbers, we know were produced after 1935. There is no location marked on such Speed holsters but we absolutely know that Jack Martin had returned to his home in Calhoun City after leaving the Navy just before WWII started up in Europe.

Then, it seems, they weren't made at all during WWII. For that we rely on a letter from Martin to Keith, saying he has re-opened in Calhoun City in 1950 after being on hiatus. It is at that time that we believe that the oval Calhoun City mark that is on your holster, appeared. Not least because there are no patent numbers any longer -- and both had expired by 1950-ish so Martin couldn't pay royalties to the owners (did you know that it's actually ILLEGAL to collect royalties after a patent expires?).

That mark continued until a significant resident of Elberton GA bought the company from Jack Martin and another chap, and moved it there in '63. Thinking is that the Dr. No film made the name Berns-Martin into a household name in late '62; although that is not precisely how the new owner told the tale when turnerriver met him circa 2000.

The Elberton marked holsters were made a husband-wife team who worked for Coggins, the new owner; name of McNeely. They were in their mid-20s in the early 1960s! Didn't last long, the mark was handed off with barely a mutter until it ended up in John Bianchi's hands in 1974, the year that Berns himself died (Martin in '68). JB told me that there was nothing left but unfilled orders and two trademarks.

The hand-marked, and the Calhoun City marked holsters, are immaculately made and virtually all that sewing was by hand. The Elberton holster are not nearly so well made and the leather used is not of the same, handsome harness leather used by Martin. It's also the era that a variety of non-catalogued versions appeared. Even the shape of the Speed Holster was altered near the trigger guard.

Well, 'brief' by comparison with an entire chapter of The Book :-)

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Red Nichols The Holstorian