Lawrence FBI style holster

turnerriver · #1 10-06-2018, 02:34 PM

The Lawrence model 34 was their version of the FBI type holster-forward cant, exposed trigger, sewn welt to hopefully help retain the revolver. This one was made for a 3” Chiefs Special or the model 30 shown in it.
Regards,
turnerriver

crazyphil · #2 10-07-2018, 04:01 AM

Very snazzy little model 34 "extra quick draw" F.B.I. holster John.

Here are a few more 34s left to right:

A previous owner did a nice job of shortening this one for better concealment.
Shown with S&W 4" Model 29.

I recently removed the strap on this one and rehabbed it.
Shown with S&W 4" Model 19.

This one is 5" so I sold it to a forum member who has a 5" gun.
Shown with S&W 4" Model 10.

I looked for this pigskin "Special Agent" for years.
Shown with S&W 2" Model 10.

wheelgun610 · #3 10-07-2018, 10:01 AM

I've long been curious about the little "o" marking that's stamped below the model number on a lot of Lawrence holsters. Anyone have any insight? If it's ever been discussed here, I must've been asleep that day.

Mark

crazyphil · #4 10-07-2018, 11:24 AM

I only have 5 Lawrence holsters now. 4 have no small o on the back.
One of them has two of them side by side about an inch down from
the point of the belt loop. Might mean something to someone, but
not me.

rednichols · #5 10-08-2018, 10:44 PM

I've been through my own image collection (wish I'd had this one of turnerriver's for The Book!) and see the 'o' or 'oo' very rarely. At first I was thinking it was to distinguish the work of once carver from another, seeing it on carved holsters. Like a hallmark, for quality control purposes within the factory, perhaps. But it or something similar is missing from most of my Lawrence carved holsters (in my image collection, I don't actually have any Lawrence carved holsters).

crazyphil · #6 10-09-2018, 12:48 AM

The only "o" I have seen is on John's little floral carved Lawrence.
The only "oo" I have seen is on my basket weave Lawrence.
Not much on which to form a conclusion, but maybe that means something?

turnerriver · #7 10-09-2018, 01:31 PM

A quick survey turned up these, I can’t draw any conclusions but have long assumed they meant something to the maker or were identifying marks. All of the holsters with the small circle are post 1964, the Challenger holster with the two stars is from before 1963-4, the little 25C is post ‘64. The two marks on the bottom of the 29B are not a figure 8 but are two small fuzzy circles.
So, no help at all here, just more supposition.
Regards,
turnerriver

crazyphil · #8 10-10-2018, 05:27 AM

John, your 29B and my 34, both with the 2 Os are both basket weave.
Maybe we are on to something? I'm often told that I'm "kinda right",
so hopefully if anyone has Lawrence holsters with O or OO stamped
on the back, they will shoot a photo and post it here so we can get
to the bottom of this mystery.

rednichols · #9 10-10-2018, 04:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by crazyphil

John, your 29B and my 34, both with the 2 Os are both basket weave.
Maybe we are on to something? I'm often told that I'm "kinda right",
so hopefully if anyone has Lawrence holsters with O or OO stamped
on the back, they will shoot a photo and post it here so we can get
to the bottom of this mystery.

My only '00' has them overlapped and stacked, and is not basketweave. The single '0' is actually a 'o' made using a stamping tool called a 'seeder'.

Anyway, turnerriver's is the first time that I noticed that their Challenger holsters have their own, unique maker's mark:

062_E71_F7_094_B_4_F85_B22_C_79310_E585311 (2).jpg

In my experience, changing the maker's mark is an indication of a sea change of some sort; as when a new COO appears. Bianchi's changed through the years, Safariland's, Myres', Hume's, etc. But previously there were only two Lawrence marks: the script version and the 'football' version. Challenger was late in the company's history, turnerriver can tell us exactly when it was introduced.

As a framework, Bill Lawrence Sr. died 1945 and his son took over (certainly by then, perhaps sooner), Bill Lawrence Jr. died 1984 and his own son had taken over by then, the company was sold by son/grandson Bill Lawrence III after a riding accident left him a paraplegic, 1990, to G&G; which closed it as not being a viable business.

crazyphil · #10 10-10-2018, 06:28 PM

My one and only Challenger (front) is shown below left.
The back is 2nd from left.

I don't know how old it is, but in my 1970 reference (Shooter's Bible)
Lawrence says "custom extras are not available in the Challenger line".
So, with floral carving, I believe it would have been made prior to
1970.

Lawrence explains the Challenger as "a stock line of holsters
that offer Lawrence's quality construction in a lighter grade of leather".