Saw this little holster and the first thing that came to mind was my Lemonsqueezer... I wondered if it woud fit.

Has anyone ever seen one like it?

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Linda
SWCA #1965, SWHF #245

Haven't seen one quite the same but I sure do like it!

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Pace

Linda,

That is a very nice one. I've never seen one like it. It looks professionally done; any maker's marks on it? Perhaps John Witty will be along and tell us something about it.

Just an observation: The hangers don't look like they were made for a belt but rather for buttons or an elastic strap. The fact that both sides of the holster are "polished" from contact makes me think that it was a concealment rig of some kind. Perhaps hung on a garter belt, under a hoop skirt, or under a coat.

Bob

I think it attaches to the suspender buttons on pants. Perhaps someone has a picture of one in use

Hung from the buttons on suspenders/braces. Nice rig. Mike #283

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Mike Maher #283

Mike,

That's what I envisioned, too. The straps would bend over the waist band to the buttons and the holster inside the pants would be below the waistband so what we would call "deep concealment" today. Not fast, but stealthy!

Bob

That was the first thing I thought of. It could have been custom made by some local bootmaker or saddlemaker. Some of those guys did first-class holster work back in the day.

Thanks for all the comments!

There's no makers name on it but it does reflect the quality of days past! I thought the same thing about suspenders buttons but didn't even think about the loops folding over and having the holster inside the pants.

I'm glad it fit an existing gun I had..... I think... Otherwise I was going to have to go gun shopping!

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Linda
SWCA #1965, SWHF #245

Very fine holster you have there and all of the discussion sounds right on the money.
The closest thing I've encountered is the middle holster in the Heiser catalog cut below.
Regards,
turnerriver

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turnerriver

John,

Thanks for the pic of the Heiser advertisement! The description sure sounds right for suspender buttons.

If this is correct, the holster appears to be for a left handed person. The spacing between the slots is approx. 2 3/4". Since the two straps are a bit on an angle, it's a little adjustable and will fit button spacing from 2 1/4" to 3" apart.

Thanks again for posting!

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Linda
SWCA #1965, SWHF #245

I decided to do a little searching on "suspenders" or "braces" as they are also known...

Here's something I found which might help date the holster:

After losing popularity during World War I, as men became accustomed to uniform belts, suspenders were still standard throughout the 1920s. Because of their image as underwear, men switched to belts during the 1930s as the waistcoats (vests) which had hidden braces became worn less. This also signaled the switch of position of the buttons from the outside of the waistband to the inside.

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Linda
SWCA #1965, SWHF #245

Linda,
Your comment, ".. the holster appears to be for a left handed person." I think is incorrect. I vaguely remember a distant relative having one on his left side with the butt facing forward as a cross-draw holster. It was also outside his trousers but attached to the inside of the waistband. He was proud of his "Smith & Western". Mike #283

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Mike Maher #283

There was a brief revival of interest in suspenders back in the mid-1980s, and they became fashionable among certain yuppie groups. I remember it well.