Posting for Joe Kent, who will likely chime in, pictures two of his Hamilton Bowen 38-44's converted to .44 Spl. and .45 Colt with Persinger Ivory steer head carved stocks ... and a 1955 nickeled Colt GM, also with Persinger ivory. Extra Fancy Floral carved holsters by El Paso.

Attached Images

	Bowen S&W, Ivories, 45 and carved El Paso Joe 4-09 c sm.jpg (123.0 KB, 4 views)
	Bowen S&W, Ivories steer head R Joe 4-09 4 sm.jpg (72.2 KB, 5 views)

SG-688, Thanks for posting my pictures. I had promised both Onomea and Jag-312 that I would get them on as soon as possible. Once again ,thanks. Joe.

Wow Joe !
all three are very nice.

Joe:

OUTSTANDING !

Great combination of revolvers, grips, and leather !

The ThreePersons holsters are my personal favorite as well !

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.38/44 Outdoorsman Accumulator

BEAUTIFUL!!!

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SWCA 2379

Absolutly Beautiful.

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Formerly know as Lucky Derby

I have consistently been impressed with Paul Persinger's work. He is not as widely known as some grip makers, but at the top rung as far as I am concerned. Nice photos of sweet guns and leather, also.
Mike

Joe, those Bowen HDs with the Persinger steerheads are truly beautiful! Well worth the wait. I really like the El Paso rig, too, and how you have prepared for any eventuality by being able to carry the .45 Colt and the 44 spl simulataneoulsy, or choose one or the other for your left hand, and go with the 1911 for your right. I can see you like being prepared, and i assume it must be your heritage as a Boy Scout!

Well done!

I am still struggling with whether I want the Threeperons or the 1930 Austin. How do they compare, in your view?

Say, Durco, who are these widely known gripmakers of whom you speak? In ivory, I only know Dan Collins, Jim Alaimo (sp?) of Nutmeg Sports, and a fella in Florida I recently discovered but whose name escapes me at the moment. Well, Roy Fishpaw, of course, though i think he may no longer be active. (Of course our own Keith Brown, whose wordworking, Ropers, magnas, etc., is simply outstanding, is well know to us on the forum as well.)

Joe, feel free to adopt me. I promise to call and write often, and I won't ask for money...just more ammo.

How's the retention of the Austin with the snap undone? I've always liked the look of that recurved throat, but would prefer an opentop holster.

Onomea, I very much like the Threepersons for using with revolvers but prefer the Austin with government models. In truth the appearance of both fit the time frame of the HDs and the 1911. For day to day carry I prefer the El Paso high slide for K's and L frame Smiths and a Bruce Nelson Summer Special or Askins Avenger for GM's or Browning Hp's.

James, the Austin retains a GM fine with or without the strap. Good to hear from you and hope all is well. As far as the adoption, son number 2 {my gunner} can deplete my meager ammo supply faster than a batch of belt-feds.

TxShooter, as further info on your question, I do not think that El Paso will make either model holster without some form of gun retention. I have in my collection some older SD Myers' Threepersons holsters that hold the revolvers ever so slightly deeper.

H.Richard as per your request, here they are.

Joe,
Very Nice,

Su Amigo,
Dave

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"IN GOD WE TRUST"

Three Outstanding Looking Handguns! Congratulations on 3 jobs well done!!!

RABULL, thank you for your comment. It's easy to have good looking hardware when you deal with superb craftsmen such as Bowen ,Persinger and ElPaso. All three are great to do business with and I look forward to more with all three. Again, thanks and all my best, Joe.

I have been waiting for these pictures. Beautiful, just beautiful. We belong to an exclusive club, those of us who have Paul Persinger's ivory grips. They are more than an accessory for a firearm; they are a work of art.

Yep!

JAG312, Onomea , you are 100% right, there most certainly is pride of ownership when we admire Paul's tremendous talent and I respect him even more after spending time with him at the last National Colt Collectors meeting in Houston. He is very unassuming and a pure pleasure to visit with. Needless to say, I will be ordering more from him. As I have said before, you both continue to be dangerous to my wallet. My friends, all my best, Joe.

I forgot to include in the above post that at the Colt Collector's Annual meeting in Houston I also got to meet the Master Engraver, Weldon Lister Jr. who was sharing a table with Paul. Gentlemen, his work is also of the Highest Caliber! The best part is he is much like Paul in his demeanor. His father was also there, he was the Master that taught his son. The Lister's work is pictured in the April/May issue of "Garden&Gun". You most certainly will love it.

BTT

Joe,

I've only looked at this post about 20 times since it showed up. I'm very impressed with the three sets of steel and leather you have put together, and really admire the work of the craftsmen involved. You - and a several other Forum members - seem to have directed some serious effort into "custom" S&Ws. It's a very interesting area of collecting - especially when the field of expertise in the artistic elements is so limited.

Congratulations & thanks for the post,

Jerry

Jerry

Holy cow, that's some beautiful EVERYTHING there. Beauty and quality all the way 'round.

Joe, to me, this is an amazing coincidence. I have mentioned a Detective Special project I am working on. My gunsmith, who is spiffing up the action and such for me, now has the Persinger ivory nude stocks, and tells me they are exquisite. I have been looking for an engraver, off and on, since last September or so, and Weldon Lister, Jr., is one of the guys on my short list after I have examined photographs of his work, read that article, and corresponded with him.

Here's the article: http://gardenandgun.com/articl...ather-gun?page=0%2C1

Small world!

Onomea, you will like his work even more when you get to see it in person. I was very impressed with the quality and the artist. Please keep me posted. Needless to say I am anxious to see the end product. As always, all my best, Joe.

Next to guns I guess I like quality leather and Joe you've got them both covered six ways to Sunday.

btt

I moved this up to show Persinger's work . I do not know how to move it to the lounge to attach it to a thread on carved steer head stocks. Sorry for the confusion. Joe

Joe, for some reason I haven't seen this one. Craig does a great job on the photography. See you this evening.

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H Richard
SWCA1967 SWHF244

Another post of Smiths in Threeperson designed holsters as made by ElPaso.

Beautiful guns and leather gear. I have EPS Austin holsters for three of my N-frames. Didn't want a floral carved model til now. I think my Colt Commander would look nice in one.

you know, if you google. "Paul Persinger Ivory" this thread comes up like 3rd..
I want a set of N frame steer head magnas just like that for my new triple lock.
those are really nice.

Nice guns, grips, and leather!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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dd884
JMHO-YMMV

ddixie884 , thank you for the compliment, its very easy to have nice things when you deal with very talented people and all three of them are. ElToro, give Paul a call and check his time frame. He is very easy to do business with and I can tell you , you will be very pleased with the outcome. All my best in your quest. Joe.

Very nice hardware - now I only wish Mr. Bowen would make sights for Square Tang Smiths...

Here you go Art, one more time on display. All my best, Joe.

Dick, as I promised, here is the thread again. Joe

Let's see some more fancy leather and custom revolvers. Gentlemen and Ladies how about showing some of yours.

just purdied up a bit. Model 45, old ivory, and a scratched up holster and to share the gospel not even sure anyone can come up with anything classy enough to share the same page with your masterpiece set.

Those are all beautiful.

But I still grimace when I think about the Persinger stocks on my SAA. He screwed up the medallion installation and being they were a gift from my wife I felt like I couldn't complain without upsetting her. So I decided to try to live with them. But obviously I am unhappy with them.

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No life story has happy end.

Not near as purty as yours, but......



A 629 in a carved '120'

It sure doesn't get much better than that!! Great pictures to boot.

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Ken

Here are two more examples. Sorry they are not Smiths.
The first is a stainless Blackhawk converted to .44 Spl. by Nu Line Guns. Handmade birdshead grip before there were commericial round butt grip frames available. Ivory grips by retired Border Patrol agent. Carved and dyed leather by El Paso Saddlery.
The second is a ParaOrdnance LDA Single stack in a carved and dyed El Paso Saddlery rig.
Both holsters have no retention strap or hammer thong. They both have what El Paso Saddlery calls their "88" retention device. There is metal between the leather and liner in the toe of the holster. This holds the gun in by friction against the barrel. I do not know if El Paso Saddlery will still make this custom modification to their holsters. The device is still used in their Model 88 holster.

Attached Images

	Ruger .44Spl Blackhawk.jpg (90.2 KB, 138 views)
	Para-Ord 7-45 LDA.jpg (86.5 KB, 206 views)

Moved to the top for boykinlp

Seems like you often get the short end of the stick. The undervalued RM, those grips, etc. I might even quit picking about those "pencil barrelled" M&Ps.

Nah.

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