Collecting seems to run hot or cold, at least for me. It's been a good week so here are some recent acquisitions.
From Tulsa, courtesy of my good friend Ordnanceguy, a double loop A.H. Hardy carved and laced holster for a 6" double action revolver. Hardy holsters are usually marked with a Denver stamp-Hardy lived there until I think the early 1930's- or a Beverly Hills stamp or this stamp which doesn't include a location.


A magnificent S.D. Myres holster with loads of special features including one I've not seen before.
Sewn in sight protector, sewn plug bottom, rawhide whipstitched edge, full floral carved with initials and an unusual double belt loop system. If you thread your belt through the bottom loop the holster rides right side neutral with no cant, the top loop is for cross draw. The initials RHR probably stand for Elmer Keith or Skeeter Skelton.
Etched "S&W 44 8 3/8 2" Belt Sight Protector Whip Laced" by the maker.


Another Myres holster, this one is a basketweave shoulder holster for a 4" K frame revolver such as the Combat Masterpiece. "Col. Lochmiller" is inked on the holster as shown. I found a grave marker for Donald Wayne Lochmiller. He was a Lt. Colonel in the Air Force. He served in WW II and Korea; he died in 2001 and is buried in Arlington with his wife.
I realize that is far from proof and that anyone can write anything anywhere but it's an interesting and plausible bit of information.



Last is a former New York police detective's holster. It is stamped "al-mar" in an oval and NYC is stamped underneath.
It looks a lot like a Chic Gaylord holster and may well be a copy or rip-off of his design and style as he was a popular maker in New York.




The al-mar and the Myres shoulder holster came with a couple of others but they're for Colts so this will do for now. I doubt next week will prove as fruitful.
Regards,
turnerriver

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turnerriver

Tangentially... Old Charter Arms ads showed Gaylord/Seventrees style holsters for sale by Charter. I've always been curious as to their maker. It's interesting to see this one.

... P.S. Not meaning to say this is a Charter Arms holster...

...P.S. II Checked the files. The Charter holsters in the pictures had only one rivet, just under the trigger guard.

Great holsters as always!! Your above quote made me laugh. I believe you are right though. The "RHR" are silent in their names!! That is our story and we are sticking to it.

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Miss My Buddy crsides!!

.......especially the Myres. However that is probably Robert Redford's holster.

Was at a small show yesterday, nothing, zilch, just plastic, and peanuts, and then I saw a table with a rubbermaid tub with holsters hanging out. I asked if I could look through it, and he said sure you can look through all 8 tubs.

I thought I had hit the mother load, and was going to have to call you for a loan, but not a single tooled holster in EIGHT tubs.
Oh well it only cost $6 Bucks to get in.

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LEX ET ORDO

I know this threat was holster related but I can't help but comment on the grip on your 44, it is unbelievably beautiful and I can tell you being a retired woodworker that highly figured piece of what I am going to guess is walnut would have been very challenging to work with. Can you let me know where you purchased it? Best Regards
email;[email protected]

That beautiful work is by our own Keith Brown, a member, advertiser and supporter of this forum. I met Keith at the last SWCA symposium and show and he is as nice a guy as you'll meet. The grips are walnut. Keith thought I waited a little too long for them so he upgraded the checkering although I wasn't complaining. I don't mind saying that I shoot that .41 Magnum with those grips on it.
Keith appears in the Forum Vendor section.
Regards,
turnerriver

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turnerriver

Nice stuff, John!
The Heiser rig for a long barreled .44 is a real jewel of handmade goodness.

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John

Any recommendations on conditioner for old leather? I picked a few up off of ebay that were dry as toast and don't know if I should do anything to them.

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>>ARMED LIBERAL>>

I worked for DeSantis for a few years and got to see holsters returned under warranty after users massaged them to death with saddle soap, Neatsfoot oil, olive oil or whatever. A judicious application of leather conditioner would be okay. Heavy use of oil softens the leather to the point where you may have retention issues. If the old holsters are basically collectables, I wouldn't be overly concerned but if they're too far gone, perhaps its best not to use them for carry.

"Blackrock Leather N Rich"

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LEX ET ORDO

I'll look for some. Thanks.

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>>ARMED LIBERAL>>

I want this one...

AL MAR.....I know there was a holster company by that name. Maybe they made their own sheaths and tried holsters for a while.

That Hardy holster is awesome!!!!

Beautful pieces all.

Regards,
Bruce

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Regards,
Bruce

For whatever it's worth:
My holsters get a protective coat of Renaissance Wax and that's it.
Jim

Al Mar, I think he used to design knives for Gerber, maybe he does holsters too?

The initials RHR probably are for Roy "Happy Trails" Rogers.

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In Omnia Paratus

Ya know, I bet Keith is really proud of his work showing up on some of the very best gun pictures. I first met him as he was kind of out of work from his former GM job. He was even doing first rate work back then.

For a while (short while) I was kind of worried that S&W announced they were going to go back into vintage grip making. But then I realize they weren't a threat. If you see a set of great looking grips with fine walnut, you know it was Keith. If you see some make believe stuff made from old pallet wood, its the factory back to their stunts. Besides his superior workmanship, he seems to have an eye for great wood.

The only grips I've seen (and own) that are better are my original Kearsarge N frame grips. And in all fairness, the factory did use nice wood back in the old days, like 19-teens. Not all, but some.

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Dick Burg

Don't you mean a well known knife company?


As for this Al-Mar marked holster, it reminds me of one I have by a maker called Mixon (not Nixon) , in FL. When I was still doing gun writing, I tracked them down and called them, thinking I might write a review of their products. The holster, which looks like this one, is well made. I carried my M-60-7 in it.


I was treated rudely and given no info. I lost interest.
But if anyone knows anything about that Mixon firm, I'm sure it'd interest me and others here.

As a nostalgia piece, okay.


But it epitomizes what Col. Askins reviled in holster design, using too much leather.

Odd critique when a carved and laced Mexican double loop holster obviously isn't a minimalist concealment-type rig. It's a fine holster with no apologies.

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SWHF #448

Some very nice pieces there. Thanks for posting.