Can I call 3 holsters and a belt a collection? Or, is it just a good
start?
I had a little Chic Gaylord speed scabbard back in the late 1950s. It only cost about 5 or 6 bucks then, plus maybe another fifty
cents for shipping. Funny how I remember details from sixty years ago, but can't remember what I had for breakfast. I didn't know that someday Chic Gaylord holsters would be collectible, or I wouldn't have let it get away from me.
A few years ago my friend turnerriver, aka John Witty, found a treasure trove of Chic Gaylord and Seventrees holsters. He generously let me have the small black speed scabbard shown below on the left, with my S&W Model 642-1.
It is also shown on page 160 in "HOLSTORY". You do have your
HOLSTORY don't you? It is the only black holster on that page and the only Chic Gaylord on the page as well.
I found it interesting that Chic Gaylord used this same style holster for his quick draw exhibitions He had a longer drop from his belt down to the holster so the grip would be close to his hand when he needed draw. He also had a strap on his holster, to fasten the holster to his leg. I guess it's called a tie-down thong?
He used a High Standard Sentinel revolver for his quick draw and speed shooting, that I believe was .22 caliber. It is illustrated in his book "HANDGUNNER'S GUIDE".
In September of 2017 I was looking in the forum classifieds and found a holster listed by member Lewel He referred to it as a Chic Gaylord "style". I thought it might just be the real McCoy, so I pounced on it. Member -db- who is quite good at identifying maker's work agreed with me that it looks like the real deal. Red Nichols authenticated it as a Chic Gaylord by the "stitch signature". It is shown below, 2nd from left, with my S&W Model 29.
It came to be called the Federal Speed Scabbard, that Chic said he designed at the insistence of FBI Agents. And in "HANDGUNNERS GUIDE, He said: "With a properly fitted scabbard you should be able to turn the holster upside down and shake it without the gun falling out".
He also wrote about the importance of placing the cylinder at belt level. And what I refer to as a "dog ear", Chic called a coat protector, to guard the jacket lining from the hammer spur.
One negative I can mention is the maker's mark. Chick Gaylord, Seventrees, and others put their maker's mark in the rough side of the leather. It doesn't take a lot of wear before the maker's mark wears off. But thankfully, we have guys like Red Nichols who can authenticate Chic Gaylord's and Seventrees holsters by the "stitch signature".
Not really a negative, just a sign of the times, was the width of men's belts back in the 1950s and 1960s. Some of Chic Gaylord's holsters were made to accept a maximum belt width of 1.25".
My friend Red Nichols was fascinated by a Chic Gaylord belt and holster that he found on ebay. I decided to snag them and give them to Red. A photo of the holster and belt with my S&W Model 10 is shown 3rd from left.
As it turned out Red wanted the belt and holster for "HOLSTORY",
and he did a beautiful job of rehabbing the holster to accept the correct gun that it was made for. The holster and belt are made for a left handed shooter. John Witty, co-author of HOLSTORY, did the photos which along with the story are on page 156 of HOSTORY. I ended up with the belt, a perfect fit for me, and a new name from Red. Lucky B------!
Chic made the belt "double thick" just in the area where the gun would be carried. On the opposite side he has what I call a keeper, to keep whatever from sliding up and down the belt. I used my holster to illustrate, but actually the gun would go on the opposite side of this left handed belt. Shown in photo 4th from left.
Just a few weeks ago I was looking through an old scrap book of holster ads and came across a couple of Charter Arms ads, I featured them in a recent thread that I called WHO MADE THESE HOLSTERS.
Doing a bit of investigating, I found a holster that looked like the same one that is in the Charter Arms ads. It was listed on one of the big auction sites.
At first I thought it might be Chic Gaylord's Treasury Thunderbolt. But upon closer examination I could see that the so called "Pull Through" snap was not used. Nor did it have the leather wedge in the bottom of the belt loop, designed by Chic, to keep the gun from tipping out from the body. So I was convinced, although a similar appearance, it is not a Treasury Thunderbolt.
I made a couple of offers, then some back and forth with offers
and counter offers, and finally got it, probably paying waaay too much. So here it is, 5th from left, shown with my Charter Undercover. I stole the idea from Charter's ad and showed it laying on my Harris Tweed jacket.
It was a struggle getting the holster on Chic Gaylord's belt even
though the belt measures exactly 1.25" and the belt loop also measures 1.25". Guess I need to go belt shopping.
Chic Gaylord really was a genius, way ahead of his time. I hope you enjoy these few examples of his work. Other interesting characteristics of Chic's holsters, have been written about by another gun leather genius, Red Nichols. Here are just a few:
The big pocket between the barrel and the welt is so the barrel can swing during the draw.
The hollow bucket rivet.
The stitch pattern.
The welt stitched upside down.
Heavy nylon parachute thread, that no one else used at that time.
MY CHIC GAYLORD COLLECTION
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