HOLSTORY IS HERE!

crazyphil · #1 10-20-2018, 03:41 PM

Went to the mailbox a while ago and found a brown package
from Witty (aka turnerriver). Took it to my office and opened
it up. PRAISE THE LORD it is my very own autographed copy
of HOLSTORY (Gunleather Of The Twentieth Century). by R.E.D.
Nichols and John Witty. What a pleasant surprise.

I thumbed through it admiring hundreds of beautiful photos and
illustrations. John's photography is stunningly gorgeous. I will
probably start reading tomorrow morning when my eyes are
rested, and I'm sure Red's words will be just as great as John's
photos.

This is a book that historians, collectors, and people who love
gun leather can, and will, enjoy probably for centuries to come.
Both Red and John should be very proud of their work. I know
how long and hard the job has been and I am proud to call
both of them my friends.

rednichols · #2 10-20-2018, 07:27 PM

Crazyphil aka Luckyphil, is one of dozens who contributed to The Book, and so is featured on the Acknowledgements page as a small 'thank you' to Phil and his fellow citizens.

And that really is the point: The Book is a 'citizens effort' and there not only was no support or contribution from industry, but they weren't asked for help (nevertheless some information was sought that was not forthcoming, from Hunter and from El Paso Saddlery). Previous books, such as Holsters & Other Gunleather, were supported by industry and so the information is generally tilted in favor of those who did so.

A very large group of like-minded men and women from all 'round USA rallied behind the project and with John Witty (turnerriver) a handsome project has been delivered.

The Book will appear in American Handgunner in a matter of days. I hope forum members will feel like saying 'thanks' to editor Roy Huntington (also an ex-Bianchi man like me) for bringing it to the attention of his readership. I know John and I will be saying 'thank you' to Roy, yet again (Roy also featured my holsters last year).

HOLSTORY

Gun Leather Of The Twentieth Century

By:
R.E.D. Nichols
John Witty

214 Pages / 360 Images
Hard Cover / Dust jacket
Signed by Authors

Purchase at RedNicholsHolsters.com

[Sales Information and link added by Administrator]

crazyphil · #3 10-21-2018, 05:37 AM

I'm an early to bed and very early to rise kind of guy, so I started reading
Holstory this morning. It is not a book to be read quickly. I can see where
I will be spending many pleasant hours with Holstory as my companion.

As I expected of Red, it is well written, meticulously researched, and the
sources are almost all credited. I say almost because I know the source
of the Gaylord shown on page 156.

I will look forward to receiving my next American Handgunner and be
sure to thank Roy Huntington. He has been good to us indeed.

I expect Holstory will be my companion through the long winter that
is ahead. Thank you Red, and John.

-db- · #4 10-21-2018, 12:00 PM

I, too, received my copy yesterday and between last night and this morning, was able to completely read and finish the book, which is EXCELLENT. This is the book to get and have for those at all interested in classic quality gunleather from the past century or so.

Great job and thanks again to Red and John.

rednichols · #5 10-21-2018, 05:06 PM

Phil is spot-on about him providing the Gaylord on pp. 156. The images not being his, but by turnerriver, the caption credit went to the owner of the images (which is how it's done).

Phil bought the holster and gave it to me, it went to turnerriver for pics with a real gun, then on to me. The holster is in turnerriver's collection now, after I stripped out the little spacer that had been inserted to 'shrink' it from 44 frame to 38 frame, and sent it on back to him for more pics with the bigger frame (didn't happen). Here it is with a 44 casting inside it; I just wasn't willing to put it in The Book and there is only one image with a non-gun in The Book:

n frame (1).jpg

Notice how the cylinder flutes align now, whereas they don't in turnerriver's pic with a K frame in it.

rednichols · #6 10-21-2018, 05:10 PM

Turnerriver's pic with K frame, as it appears in The Book:

gaylord witty.jpg

There was a spacer riveted inside the mouth of the holster, at the fold, that 'shrank' the original fitment to the 44 frame to suit the K frame. Turnerriver was unwilling, understandably, to remove it but when I got the holster eventually, I was quite happy to take it out in a sanitary way.

crazyphil · #7 10-21-2018, 06:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rednichols

Phil is spot-on about him providing the Gaylord on pp. 156. The images not being his, but by turnerriver, the caption credit went to the owner of the images (which is how it's done).

Phil bought the holster and gave it to me, it went to turnerriver for pics with a real gun, then on to me. The holster is in turnerriver's collection now, after I stripped out the little spacer that had been inserted to 'shrink' it from 44 frame to 38 frame, and sent it on back to him for more pics with the bigger frame (didn't happen). Here it is with a 44 casting inside it; I just wasn't willing to put it in The Book and there is only one image with a non-gun in The Book:

Attachment 363277

Notice how the cylinder flutes align now, whereas they don't in turnerriver's pic with a K frame in it.

No worries mate. I just like to jerk on your chain whenever I
have half a reason. As you do to me.

beetledude · #8 10-21-2018, 06:57 PM

Got my copy yesterday as well -- I was completely blown away. Everything about the book is fantastic -- great writing and great photos!

Thank you John and Red for creating this great resource for us!

bruce5781 · #9 10-21-2018, 07:46 PM

Bummer. Mine went to the office so I have to wait 'till tomorrow.

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bruce5781 · #10 10-22-2018, 02:13 PM

Yee Hawwww !
I made page 9 !

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jimgoldth · #11 10-22-2018, 02:17 PM

I was behind the 8 ball as I had not seen or heard of this book. I made amends and ordered one today. Looking forward to getting it as it is my Christmas Present to myself. Holsters | Australia | Red Nichols Holsters
Thanks to Turnerriver

Wyatt Burp · #12 10-24-2018, 03:09 PM

What a great book it is, too. And the Tom Threepersons, as opposed to Tom Three Persons, chapter is a bizarre tale of who he was and who he wasn't. I screwed up and never bothered to look at the markings on a B-M holster a Forum member here gave me years ago. Seems the patent date predates the B-M patent date of 1935 and only has the E.E. Clark 1932 patent date. What a nice surprise, but wish I showed RED earlier since he said he never seen this before.
I'd like to thank the member who gave me this modified lefty B-M holster but forgot his name though he's from Washington state. Mike B. or Boyington, maybe? This older than expected B-M will always be very special to me.

rednichols · #13 10-24-2018, 03:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wyatt Burp

What a great book it is, too. And the Tom Threepersons, as opposed to Tom Three Persons, chapter is a bizarre tale of who he was and who he wasn't. I screwed up and never bothered to look at the markings on a B-M holster a Forum member here gave me years ago. Seems the patent date predates the B-M patent date of 1935 and only has the E.E. Clark 1932 patent date. What a nice surprise, but wish I showed RED earlier since he said he never seen this before.
I'd like to thank the member who gave me this modified lefty B-M holster but forgot his name though he's from Washington state. Mike B. or Boyington, maybe? This older than expected B-M will always be very special to me.

Very good :-). I have a half-dozen images of the next series from B-M, which has both patent numbers; sometimes but not always there is a number above the primary marking:

marks (2).jpg

At this point, we don't know what the number signifies; it would be easy to presume your '4' means four inch unless there are more numbers under the loop.

bruce5781 · #14 10-24-2018, 04:39 PM

I have have been pimping it in a group over on Face Book and it has drawn a lot of interest.

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crazyphil · #15 10-25-2018, 05:04 AM

My Berns-Martin, shown below, has the same numbering as HOLSTORY
figure 65 on page 69. Kinda nice to know it was made between 1935
and 1939 "in limited numbers". That means it's rare. I'm going with
1935 because that's my birth year.

rednichols · #16 10-25-2018, 06:12 AM

A lot of things happened in holstory, in 1935, Phil.

So, a fun idea: The Book's site page has a pair of useful spreadsheet links, and one of them is the now-nearly-1900-line-item Chronology used for The Book.

It begins at the War of 1812 and continues line by line into today; it is updated often and is always current. If one tries to read it like a book it would seem a jumble; but if one wanted just to see what happened in holstory for any given year . . ..

This is a screenshot of the page -- so the links are NOT clickable in this image.

holstory in 1935.jpg

One would go to the site itself to use the links. There, one could view all the things that happened in holstory in 1935, or any other year, or your own birth year.

In mine, 1950, Berns-Martin has reopened after a six year hiatus.

Wyatt Burp · #17 10-25-2018, 10:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rednichols

Very good :-). I have a half-dozen images of the next series from B-M, which has both patent numbers; sometimes but not always there is a number above the primary marking:

Attachment 363645

At this point, we don't know what the number signifies; it would be easy to presume your '4' means four inch unless there are more numbers under the loop.

My “4” behind the belt loop is in an almost identical position as the last “2” in your “622” pictured. If Elmer Keith’s prototype is unmarked, and my holster is a very early post 1932 with only the “E.E.Clark” patent number, I wonder if mine was stamped, B-M then saw that when stitched the loop covered the top number, they then lowered their stamp after that in a proper position so the belt loop wouldn’t obscure it like on mine.

rednichols · #18 10-25-2018, 02:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wyatt Burp

My “4” behind the belt loop is in an almost identical position as the last “2” in your “622” pictured. If Elmer Keith’s prototype is unmarked, and my holster is a very early post 1932 with only the “E.E.Clark” patent number, I wonder if mine was stamped, B-M then saw that when stitched the loop covered the top number, they then lowered their stamp after that in a proper position so the belt loop wouldn’t obscure it like on mine.

Further to that -- in a lot that was part of the Keith auction, is one of the Clark forward draws; I doubt there is (a) another in the world or (b) that the buyer knows what it is. There is also a rare Berns-Martin shoulder holster in the lot . . .

poulin keith numbered (1).jpg

Wonder if anyone can spot one or both? BTW, that shoulder holster with the E.K. stamped into its middle is one I made for him while at Bianchi; swivels where it connects to the harness. Lawrences, Gaylords and Sloans are also hiding in that lot.

45Wheelgun · #19 10-25-2018, 04:02 PM

The cover is beautiful.

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Wyatt Burp · #20 10-25-2018, 05:17 PM

So, Elmer had a Triple Lock Target .44 and an Outdoorsman .38 for this rig with loops for BOTH calibers. I never knew that about the rig until this book. Then he scored another .44 along the way somewhere. I wonder how those holsters were stitched on the belt. Seems like the force of constantly pushing the gun out the front would be hard on stitching.
I think those guns and rig now reside not far from me. What a ton of history wrapped up un them.

rednichols · #21 10-25-2018, 07:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 45Wheelgun

The cover is beautiful.

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I've learned from turnerriver, that it is Dave who has featured The Book in this thread. Dave, I am so honored that The Book has received this treatment. We are hoping that the guts of it will justify the attention, for collectors; it is largely handsome pictures of special gunleather from turnerriver and two dozen more people including forum members, and detailed biographies of the men and women behind them. They are all listed on the Acknowledgments page; likely you won't recognize their real names there so I will let them 'out' themselves if they choose.

The pair of Triple Locks on the cover are owned by a forum member and he took the image himself! When I learned -- through the forum -- of his acquisition I contacted him and when he sent along this and other images, I knew it was 'the one'. Inside the holster is Ed McGivern's that Elmer traded him out of with a long-action K22 and a gold coin; the other revolver has a provenance, too, though I don't know the person. On the page in the centerfold that features both revolvers, there is a second image that is the list of all his guns in 1972; a magnifying glass will show you the details there.

The holster set if from 1931/2, so the .38 cal there would have been for his new (in 1930) 38/44 and his hot loadings that led to the .357 in 1935. I believe from the images that the springs are 'sprung'; and if I've deduced correctly, then perhaps having to do with heat treating or lack thereof. On the evidence these were made while both Berns and Martin were still in the Navy; so would have taken some skill or the right connections by one of the three men to get the springs ideally heat treated in that situation.

The Centerfold chapter (yes, it's really in the center of The Book) contains Jerry Campbell's revolvers thanks to a forum member; Keith's Triple Locks with Kearsarge grips and McGivern sights; and for the first time ever, all four of Tom Threepersons' guns, all of which finally resurfaced late 2016 at the exact moment that his holster did (which I ALSO located through a post on this forum).

bruce5781 · #22 10-26-2018, 09:33 AM

"They are all listed on the Acknowledgments page; likely you won't recognize their real names there so I will let them 'out' themselves if they choose."

This one is my nightstand rig.

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-db- · #23 10-26-2018, 11:27 AM

I recognize these

:

http://smith-wessonforum.com/139626525-post20.html

Doc Barranti · #24 10-26-2018, 11:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rednichols

Further to that -- in a lot that was part of the Keith auction, is one of the Clark forward draws; I doubt there is (a) another in the world or (b) that the buyer knows what it is. There is also a rare Berns-Martin shoulder holster in the lot . . .

Attachment 363769

Wonder if anyone can spot one or both? BTW, that shoulder holster with the E.K. stamped into its middle is one I made for him while at Bianchi; swivels where it connects to the harness. Lawrences, Gaylords and Sloans are also hiding in that lot.

The winner of that lot is a good friend of mine, and he knew exactly what he was getting (except maybe the fact that you made the shoulder rig). He’s a sly one who knows what to chase!

rednichols · #25 10-26-2018, 02:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Doc Barranti

The winner of that lot is a good friend of mine, and he knew exactly what he was getting (except maybe the fact that you made the shoulder rig). He’s a sly one who knows what to chase!

Doc, I would really appreciate your putting the two of us together, for photos of each of his catches; not ever to be shared by me without his express permission (which is what John and I did for those that appeared in The Book). Would you? Their provenance is relevant to our research :-).

rednichols · #26 10-26-2018, 02:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by -db-

I recognize these

:

http://smith-wessonforum.com/139626525-post20.html

Yes! And you would have noticed the photo credit to you, on the copyright page; 'iv' for the readers. Yours was the ideal/perfect 'roundup' pic for that position in The Book, thanks so much :-).

beetledude · #27 10-26-2018, 10:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 45Wheelgun

The cover is beautiful.

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Quote:

Originally Posted by rednichols

They are all listed on the Acknowledgments page; likely you won't recognize their real names there so I will let them 'out' themselves if they choose.

guilty!

Wyatt Burp · #28 10-27-2018, 10:25 AM

I’m thrilled to have a couple holsters in the book with pictures enhanced by my son who’s into photography. I don’t want my real name posted here, but I got a kick out of the book because my first name is wrong in the beginning of it! LOL! But I like it because the name is actually my late big brother’s name instead and that gave me a real good feeling seeing that.
My favorite chapters: Brills, Berns-Martin, and the western fast draw era.
I’m glad the fast draw holsters were appreciated so thoroughly as they aren’t practical uses like defense, police, etc. but a sub culture within the holster world.

rednichols · #29 10-27-2018, 02:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wyatt Burp

I’m thrilled to have a couple holsters in the book with pictures enhanced by my son who’s into photography. I don’t want my real name posted here, but I got a kick out of the book because my first name is wrong in the beginning of it! LOL! But I like it because the name is actually my late big brother’s name instead and that gave me a real good feeling seeing that.
My favorite chapters: Brills, Berns-Martin, and the western fast draw era.
I’m glad the fast draw holsters were appreciated so thoroughly as they aren’t practical uses like defense, police, etc. but a sub culture within the holster world.

We misspelled Wyat? Looks OK to me. Seriously, PM me with correct spelling and then there won't be more of 'em during interviews with, say, the Nobel committee :-).

Massad Ayoob · #30 10-27-2018, 07:30 PM

Loved the book, Red. Entertaining AND most informative!

boykinlp · #31 10-27-2018, 08:25 PM

I ordered mine last night and it did NOT get delivered today!

I really look forward to reading it. "Packing Iron" has always been a favorite of mine, but I think this one will replace it.
Larry

rednichols · #32 10-27-2018, 10:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by beetledude

guilty!

The owner of the guns and the holsters on the cover AND took the picture itself! The Book project really took off when we circulated a mockup of the cover, with this image in it, around to all the folks needed to pull this one off. Turnerriver and I owe a big debt to all of you, and especially to 'whatsisname' here.

rednichols · #33 10-27-2018, 10:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Massad Ayoob

Loved the book, Red. Entertaining AND most informative!

Thank you so much, Mas.

Mas is the reason there are more than 1000 footnotes in The Book; an early draft to him of quite a different approach to a holster book contained an historical approximation (which I will define as 'close but still completely wrong'); and I knew then that for The Book, only thorough research and matching footnotes would be suitable. One of my team disliked the notion of footnoting as distracting but I made a 'captains call' and included them; to his credit he wanted the index and I didn't; so I included it and am very, very pleased that it is there (p.s. the indexing system in the software wouldn't look at the captions; so makers in the Honorable Mention chapter at the end don't necessarily appear in the index).

I find the result, with footnotes, to be quite like a pro reads a patent: look at the patent's drawings (images) first, then the patent's claims (footnotes) then the patent's specification (story text).

The database is added to quite often; the research process has not stopped.

crazyphil · #34 11-03-2018, 06:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wyatt Burp

So, Elmer had a Triple Lock Target .44 and an Outdoorsman .38 for this rig with loops for BOTH calibers. I never knew that about the rig until this book. Then he scored another .44 along the way somewhere. I wonder how those holsters were stitched on the belt. Seems like the force of constantly pushing the gun out the front would be hard on stitching.
I think those guns and rig now reside not far from me. What a ton of history wrapped up un them.

It was particularly interesting to me to read that the B-M holsters
were stitched to the belt. I'm just vain enough to think that I
had invented that concept. Long time ago I fastened the Slim
Jim and the home made knife sheath to the cartridge belt with
Chicago screws. Photo below.

rednichols · #35 11-03-2018, 12:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by crazyphil

It was particularly interesting to me to read that the B-M holsters
were stitched to the belt. I'm just vain enough to think that I
had invented that concept. Long time ago I fastened the Slim
Jim and the home made knife sheath to the cartridge belt with
Chicago screws. Photo below.

If you read The Book a bit more closely, you'll notice mention that the holster was sewn to the belt BEFORE the lining and even the springs were inserted! Detail pics below -- these holsters don't even have belt loops (also mentioned in The Book):

bm szeto (5).jpg

bm szeto (6).jpg

So your invention might be safe.

tipoc · #36 11-05-2018, 11:33 PM

Stands alongside a few other books that have chronicled the development of the holster. None though, follows the evolution of the 20th century holster and gun leather as well as this one. A significant contribution.

I'm looking forward to reading the reviews in the gun mags and online.

Thanks Red for letting me help a bit.

tipoc (Raul)

rednichols · #37 11-06-2018, 04:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tipoc

Stands alongside a few other books that have chronicled the development of the holster. None though, follows the evolution of the 20th century holster and gun leather as well as this one. A significant contribution.

I'm looking forward to reading the reviews in the gun mags and online.

Thanks Red for letting me help a bit.

tipoc (Raul)

It's a special honor to have tipoc's images in The Book because their contents could not have been assembled for pics by anyone else -- original Nelsons. Often copied, never duplicated.

boykinlp · #38 11-07-2018, 11:42 AM

Have the new books come in yet? Thanks.
Larry

turnerriver · #39 11-07-2018, 12:51 PM

Any day now- they are printed and should be here shortly. Rest assured that the orders will be mailed the morning after I receive them.
Regards,
turnerriver

boykinlp · #40 11-25-2018, 01:30 AM

Got mine in the mail today. Just had time to quickly flip through it. Pictures are terrific. Will start studying it in more detail tomorrow. Great work Red and John!

jimgoldth · #41 11-25-2018, 06:07 PM

I got mine yesterday and it is even better than I would have thought it could be. Thanks RED and turnerriver. Your efforts have been rewarded.

Massad Ayoob · #42 12-07-2018, 11:08 PM

A review of this excellent book, here:

THE WHOLE STORY ON “HOLSTORY”

As noted in the review, John Witty tells me that if you order soon, copies can be delivered in time for Christmas ... hint, hint... :-)

tipoc · #43 12-27-2018, 01:31 PM

Thanks for the link to the review Mr. Ayoob!

If others come across reviews links would be appreciated.

tipoc

SFC Rick · #44 12-27-2018, 04:14 PM

rednichols, thanks for the tips on my holster making and now I will get your book for more holstory!

rednichols · #45 12-29-2018, 05:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tipoc

Thanks for the link to the review Mr. Ayoob!

If others come across reviews links would be appreciated.

tipoc

It's also reviewed in American Handgunner, having appeared in the magazine's January 2019 issue :-). It also will appear in a review by John Taffin in Guns magazine early in this next (2019) year. John was more than kind, as were Mas and Roy.

All the reviews have contributed materially to The Book's sales and yet the clear winner has been the endorsement by this Forum (at the beginning of this thread, which Crazy Phil was kind enough to kick off for turnerriver and me). Many, many thanks.

crazyphil · #46 12-29-2018, 06:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rednichols

It's also reviewed in American Handgunner, having appeared in the magazine's January 2019 issue :-). It also will appear in a review by John Taffin in Guns magazine early in this next (2019) year. John was more than kind, as were Mas and Roy.

All the reviews have contributed materially to The Book's sales and yet the clear winner has been the endorsement by this Forum (at the beginning of this thread, which Crazy Phil was kind enough to kick off for turnerriver and me). Many, many thanks.

I was happy to kick off such a fine holster book. And it was an
honor to help you, a little bit, with some of the research. I wish
you a lot of success with the book. I suspect it will be a source
of research for centuries to come. With my little book, Renowned
Gun Leather, my experience was similar. Lots of sales from
Roy's endorsement in American Handgunner, but many more
from our fellow member's support here on the forum, due to
John's great endorsement.

PS I don't subscribe to GUNS, but Taffin is a friend and I enjoy
his writing, so I will pick one up off the rack.

Doc Watson · #47 02-07-2019, 03:16 PM

great book, very interesting read. I am getting ready to read it again as I am sure I missed something!

rednichols · #48 02-07-2019, 07:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Doc Watson

great book, very interesting read. I am getting ready to read it again as I am sure I missed something!

Thanks so much for that :-). I, too, look it over from time to time; in part to see if I've acquired anything in my continuing research that adds or corrects anything in it. So far so good!

A comment was made to Witty that The Book is a bit heavy on the 'genealogy' and when I re-read the Heiser chapter I could see the point! Just about put me to sleep, the focus on the minute details that nevertheless quantify the when and where of Heiser's contribution to Holstory.

Usually I don't get much past the Brill (chapter 1) and Threepersons (chapter 2) portions which are more historically revealing. The Berns chapter, the Ojala chapter, and the Gaylord chapter remind me of how little was known about these chaps before The Book.

Captiva · #49 07-11-2021, 11:57 AM

Does the book cover Milt Sparks Holsters out of Idaho?

6518John · #50 07-11-2021, 01:01 PM

I just grabbed my copy from the coffee table. There are 14 separate page references to Milt Sparks. The book is truly outstanding, both the writing and photographs.