Help! Anybody out there have any pictures of Brill's work?

Thanks w8lftr

The holster in the foreground is a Brill.....

1st Brill is from the Herb Peck collection;2nd floral carved Brill fits a Colt Government Model .45 auto. Hard to find holsters-I sold a duplicate I had recently;I don't run across many Brills.





Regards,
turnerriver
SWCA, CCA, NRA Endowment Life member

__________________
turnerriver

Last year, I looked at a PAIR of Brills at a gunshow. Black, full floral carved. They were short, stubby little things. My mind raced- pair of 3-1/2" Reg Mags?????
I took a 3-1/2" Pre-27 to the man's table and asked if I could try it. He said OK. Wouldn't fit!!
We tried to guess what they were for. They seemed too big for a 4" K. We settled on maybe a Colt OP.....
They were fabulous.

__________________
Regards,
Lee Jarrett

Brill holster and belt (Holster for single action army Colt.) Got this about 4 wks ago at a local show. the guy wanted $25.00 for it, so I didn't haggle with him. ($200.00 would have been my limit)

Your local show must be in Texas in about 1938 or so-$400 or $500 would have been my limit. You've got the deal of the year there.
Lee,I think I saw that pair of Brills as well.If they'd have been priced like this rig,one of us would be posting a photo...
Regards,
turnerriver
SWCA,CCA,NRA Endowment Life member

__________________
turnerriver

Thanks everyone for responding.
Anyone know anything about when he operated his shop?

Also, for turnerriver or jwh32 is there anyway I could pester you for a few more pics and maybe some description of his work, I'm thinking of having a rig made to match Brill's work.

Thank you,

w8lftr

Wasn't Gov. John Connally's wife Brill's daughter?


T-Star

Yes, Nellie Connally was Nellie Brill until she married John Connaly.

__________________
Kevin Williams SWCA1649 HF208

(with eyes squinted and hand scratching head)
'How does Kevin know this kinda stuff????'

An email I recently sent handejector re: A.W. Brill-

Sorry for the delay in responding.One of my cowboy reference books lists A.W. Brill as "1890's-1950's"-a pretty broad stretch. I've found a record of an A.W. Brill graduating from Steven Austin High School in 1945-maybe Brill Jr.- & have also found reference to Brill's daughter Nellie marrying Texas Gov. John Connally;they were married in 1940.My best guess is 1930's-1950's but that is,unfortunately, a guess.
Regards,
turnerriver
SWCA,CCA,NRA Endowment Life member

__________________
turnerriver

Arno W. (William, I think) Brill born 13 November 1896, died 2 August 1968

On the two floral carved holsters, does anyone know what type of flower Brill was carving?

Also, were thinner gun belts like the one in jwh32's post more common for Brill's rigs, or rigs from Texas about 1930-50? That particular belt looks like it's only about 1.75".

Thanks,
w8lftr

here's my only other AW Brill holster. check El Passo Saddlery Co. listing for their "1930 Austin". IMHO it looks to me like a replica of Brills stuff made in "Austin"

john

Tom Threepersons, Texas lawman, went to El Paso
saddlery to have a holster made. It was cut down quite a bit from what was then current, full flap holsters for lawmen. Look him up.
Very interesting lawman.
Another lawman, Lee(can't remember last name), went to A.W. Brill to have a holster made, cut down much like Threepersons.
Although Brill kept the back skirt and the Threepersons,El Paso didn't. Both were concurrent innovations.
I had a picture posted last year?? of mine, but
lost the thread. Third model HE. 44, nickle, silver grips with gold bucking horse and steer head. Just found the thread,maybehttp://smith-wessonforum.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/540103904/m/2241044222/p/1

Roper the Lee you are refering to is Texas Ranger La Fetra E."Lee" Trimble.Joined the Rangers in 1918 and saw a lot of service along the border.

Thanks for the memory jog.
Note, some histories of Tom Threepersons
mention that he was in Canada. I have seen
where this is refuted. Someone made the leap
through the name. The Canadian Threepersons
was a great rodeo hand.
Haven't seen much on Lee Trimble?

Hi everyone, I am researching an A.W. Brill hoster I just recieved in a trade. The holster is identical in both style and condition to one posted by Turnerriver, post #3, the top holster with the S&W M&P. I would like to know if it is collectable, and a value range.
Thank you.---sonny

Collectible- yes, Brill holsters are very collectible.
Value- variable based on condition & what it fits-
$75 & up for most Brill holsters I've run across.
Regards,
turnerriver
SWCA
SWHF

__________________
turnerriver

From Wikipedia:

The lawman named Tom Threepersons is frequently confused with the Kainai rodeo star, Tom Threepersons, who was born in Canada.

__________________
Peace Thru Superior Firepower

Let's bring this this thread back to life!

Here is a Colt Official Police riding in its' duty holster from A.W. Brill. This one letters to U.S. Customs in Tampa Florida in 1936.

This one has seen some range time. Still works.


Charlie

Always liked the Brill's



I gave this to a 'collector' friend of mine recently as he didn't have a Brill for a 1911.

__________________
Sheriff Russell Cottle. ret

TURNERRIVER, just an observation. I like the old leather and the style and quality. I noticed in the first picture of the Herb Peck holster that the mass of the cylinder is above the belt loop. In my experience that is not a good thing as it causes the holster to want to flop and puts undue wear on the belt loop and pretty soon nothing about the holster fits so well. In all of the other revolver holsters you can see where the mass of the cylinder is more in line with the center of the belt loop causing it to hang properly and putting the weight more in line with the strong part of the holster. Am I on track here or as my wife might say, out in left field? All the holsters are Brill, I was just curious about that first one you showed and how it was different in construction from the others.
Thanks
Bob

Nice holsters everyone.

Not much detail here but here is a Brill that my wife's grandfather, Quillie Gaddis, carried as a sheriff. It's holding a M1911 .38 Super that was shipped, with the ivory grips to the Sheriff's Department, Titus County, Texas in 1936. The .38 Safety Hammerless, 4th Model was Quillie's backup. He also had a nickel N frame (probably a M1926) that got away from me.

He was not a large man but, as you may be able to tell from those eyes and his diamond stickpin, he wasn't a man to be messed with. He was also a railroad dick for the Cotton Belt RR and a Texas Special Ranger. It is my understanding that he arrested the first man to be executed in the electric chair when it replaced the gallows. BTW, there was still a gallows in the old Titus County jail when it was demolished a few years ago.

Bob

I have made similar Holsters where the Cylinder rides up high.I use very thick high end Leather(Hermann Oak 8-9oz) and have never had a problem.In fact they hold very tight to the Body and seem to reduce the felt weight of the Gun on your Belt.Here is a link to One I made showing how it rides:
Leather from 05CarbonDRZ

If You look the Belt loop rides right in the center of the Cylinder.