I just got my camera back today and wanted to show a Berns-Martin holster I picked up at the B'Ham gun show Saturday.
The man said he got it from an estate sale where it was said to belong to an old gentleman that kept a S&W 44 Special in it from back in the 1930's.
It looks like it has not been used much at all and I don't know if it is that old but I like it.
I put my 4" Highway Patrolman in it and it seems to fit but I'm wondering if this type holster was made more for a fixed sight gun. The rear sight blade seems to grab and scratch the leather on the inside when drawing.
The only thing I see stamped on the back is, Berns-Martin Calhoun City, Miss. I tried to photo the makers stamp but I'm no photographer.
Is there a way to date it?
Does it look right for a 4" N frame?
I'd appreciate any info someone can give me and if you have an idea of the value throw it in to.
The holster.

The holster with the HP in it.

The back.

The makers stamp.

Thanks in advance.

Very nice. I was at that show and missed it. You did well!

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Very nice find.
I think that if the gun fits you could use it & not worry.
There are several pictures of Elmer Keith using the Berns-Martin holsters in his book SixGuns by Keith.
FWIW
The old Bianchi break front holsters that were very popular in the 70s are a takeoff of the Berns-Martin.
Frank

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That is one fine looking holster you have there.What a find!

Berns-Martin was originally located in Calhoun City, Miss. When it was sold it was moved to the new owner's hometown of Elberton, GA, so the late B-M rigs are so marked. A friend had a Berns-Martin catalog dated 1960 which listed Mississippi as the location; the move to Georgia must have been after that.
Yours is a nice example of floral carving, and I'd value it at $100 +.

Here's some historical information from Wikipedia:
Berns-Martin - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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John

Bianchi actually bought Berns-Martin and advertised as Quality Leader In Fine Leather for Fifty Years, 1925 - 1975, counting from the beginning of Berns-Martin.

If I remember correctly, Berns-Martin moved to Georgia in 1964. It was certainly sometime in the early half of the 1960s, so the holster is at least that old. If recent eBay auction prices are any indicator, I suspect this particular example, in what appears to be great shape, would bring close to $200, if not more. A plain version of the same holster in lesser condition recently sold there for $120.

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SWHF #448

That is an absolutely gorgeous example of the holster maker's art. I have owned one actual Berns-Martin and one Bianchi made example, the former plain black for a 2" K-frame, the latter a 4" K-frame in basket-weave black. Your brown floral is a very unusual and to my eye, quite nice. Congratulations on a great find.

Froggie

Thanks for the info and comments.
The guy I bought it from said the floral work is called primitive tooling because it's not as detailed as some.
I have to give a big thanks to VM for negotiating a better price and while I may have paid top dollar I'm still happy to have it.
The man also had a plain one and I'm thinking I should have taken a closer look at it also.

You did fine on the price - they ain't makin' any more and it's the first one we've seen for sale (and it's Purdy!).
It was a good weekend all-around!

Reference-Fixed or adjustable rear sight-I used a Berns-Martin duty rig (black basketweave) with a Model 19 4" with negative issues.

That's a beautiful example of an extremely hard to find model. Even if you think you paid too much,I'm bettin' you didn't. If you get buyer's remorse,I'll swap you two Hunter's and a Triple-K for it.
f.t.

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South Carolina-God's country

Thanks for the offer F.T. but I think I'll keep it. I like things that are kind of different and this is one you don't see every day.

Beautiful looking holster, thanks for sharing. Teamwork with a good friend at the local gun show is a great way to spend the day. Enjoy.

Shine a light down inside & see if there is any writing, usually in
pencil. It's often just features on the holster but sometimes there is info
about what gun the holster was made for. If your adjustable sights are
cutting the holster chances are good it was made for a fixed sight
revolver.

Nice holster- all the above comments are on the money.


Regards,
turnerriver

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turnerriver

I was just re-reading parts of "Hell, I Was There" last night & saw a 1930's photo of a young Elmer Keith wearing a Berns-Martin two-gun rig, pin-striped trousers, big hat-- and necktie! According to the book, Elmer worked with John Berns developing this holster which Berns later put into production along with Jack Martin.
Of course, in this book Mr Keith states that he was in on the design of the Winchester model 70, S&W models 29 & 58, the 357 41 & 44 magnum cartridges, Lawrence holsters # 120 & 34, Milt Sparks' tension-screw holsters.............. all of which may even be true!

The Berns-Martin holsters are also briefly discussed in the Bill Jordan's "No Second Place Winner".

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Have guns...will shoot'em.

Nice looking holster you have there. A friend of mine does leather work & has recently gotten into floral carving, so I've been eyeballing a lot of it lately. I don't know about "primitive", but I notice that the leaves are much more detailed than the flowers- the opposite of what you usually see.

Ah Grasshopper, you have done well! Thanks for shareing that beauty.

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If the adj. sight is scuffing the leather, maybe Magna stocks in lieu of target stocks might help. Just a guess. The gun might fit the holster better.

Bamabiker:
I sold an identical holster for a five inch N frame to Bill Powell some years back for $500.
He saw the holster in my collection and wouldn't take no for an answer when I told him it was not for sale.
Later we went to lunch, and it was there in the restaurant he started again by piling up $100 bills, until I gave in at $500.
If any of you knew Bill, you knew that once he made up his mind to buy something he bought it.
May he rest in peace.
DBWesson

Bamabiker:
That was the only Berns- Martin I ever had and I did not like dragging a nice gun out of that holster the way you had to do with that type of rig.
My holster came with a 5" 1950 .44 Target and I never put the gun into that holster and I did not notice any scuffing from the sight.
I bought the set in 1995 at an antique gun show in Atlanta GA.
This guy was just setting up and he was wondering if he should put out a U.S. Army 1917 Smith.
I suggested that he take the chance until they told him to put it away.
He then asked if I would be interested in another Smith that he had under the table, well it turned out to be the 5" 1950 Target in 98+%. After some discussion about the price I gave him $800, he then pulled out the B-M holster and gave it to me.
The gun lettered as a special order 5".
I now only have $300 in the gun.
Thank you for the pictures they bought back some good memories.
DBWesson

DB, I'm glad you and the others enjoyed seeing it and thank you for the story about the one you had.
I did take a flashlight and look inside and could see what looks like some writing but I cannot make it out enough to tell what it says.
Since I'm some what of a leather guy I'm going to keep it and just enjoy it for being the well made, kind of unusual, old holster that it is.
Thanks for all the replies.
Greg