Originally Posted by arabensburg

I grew up unaware of the “Brill” design. This is a new subject for me. I knew my grandfather was popular because I continued to get a few forwarded requests for holster orders from as far away as Detroit, Michigan for several years following his death. The Brill name was also a familiar subject including the store location on 6th Street in downtown Austin. Arno Brill III, who was a guest of mine in La Grange, Texas several years ago, was unaware of N. J. Rabensburg and his connection with the A. W. Brill Company. This caught me off-guard since my grandfather supposedly had a strong connection with the Brill company and a probable ownership position. However, Brill III denied any such connection with Rabensburg. The Brill Company website also makes no mention of N. J. Rabensburg and yet displays his holsters as their own. I believe I can readily identify my grandfather’s designs, and many on the Brill website are his work. I have in my possession the A. W. Bill Company leather stamp used on probably many of these same holsters.
I did, however, meet from Mrs. Arno Inks Brill at my grandmother Rabensburg’s home on W. 29th in Austin during the late 1960’s. She had decided to return my grandfather’s writing/spool draw desk, which had been given to her by my grandmother following my grandfather’s death. I gladly accepted the gift. I did see the same Mrs. Brill along with her daughter Nellie (Idanell) Connally during the mid-1980’s in Houston at a local country club. My parents and I were waiting in the Lobby for our car from valet parking. The meeting with Mrs. Brill, Mrs. Connally and my father was a happy reunion.
My grandfather, Newton Joseph Rabensburg, was born in Floresville, Wilson County but raised in Fayette County in the Ellinger area. His mother was Wilhelmina Ehlinger married first to Henry B. Rabensburg, a saddler, born in Bastrop, Texas and, second, to Charles Girndt, who would later become Fayette County Sheriff. The year 1907 appears to be pivotal because Newton departs the Ellinger area and moves to La Grange, the county seat of Fayette County. As a young adult of 18 years, he starts his saddlery career with La Grange Saddlery located on the southwest corner of the town square. I now understand that in 1907 N. J. Rabensburg contacts August Brill, who is a clerk with the W. T. Wroe Saddlery in Austin and submits a design for what became known as the “Brill”, which was approved by Captain Hughes and adopted by the Texas Rangers during the years 1913 to 1955.