Texas hardware store Colt Government Model holster

turnerriver

turnerriver

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Here's a very nice example of an early 1900's holster for the Colt Government Model .45 pistol. Stamped MORROW-THOMAS HDWE. CO AMARILLO,TEXAS. as shown on the rear. It is a left hand holster, in excellent condition, made of medium weight leather with border tooling and basket weave finish. A cut or several above most hardware store type holsters from that time period. The Morrow-Thomas Co. was in business throughout the early to mid 1900's-I found references from about 1900 up to the 1960's. I would date this holster to the first half of the twentieth century with 1920's or '30's being my guess. I found reference to a c. 1910 catalog in the Smithsonian collection and I'm confident there's a forum member or 2 who might have shopped there. Enjoy the photos.Regards, turnerriver

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Very interesting holster you have found. Your research on Morrow-Thomas Hardware is pretty accurate. I think they opened in the late 1800's on Polk Street alongside Amarillo Hardware, both close to the original Amarillo Hotel at 3rd and Polk Street. Later Morrow-Thomas moved over to what we called the warehouse district by the Santa Fe RR tracks and became a big wholesale supplier. I don't know just for sure when they closed (60's-70's) as the time gets away so I don't recall for sure. Your research is probably pretty accurate. In the early years and until the time they closed they handled everything you could think of so there is no telling about the background of the holster. That is neat looking and maybe you can track the maker down. Sorry I am no help in that respect. I have lived in Amarillo all of my 72 years so I am familar with the company you speak of. I have no idea who the maker might be.

I forgot to mention after thinking about this that it is possible that one of the local saddle makers here could have made the holster you have. We have always had lots of saddle makers around here due to the Amarillo Stockyards and lots of cow and horse people. I failed to mention that I had been in the store years ago (probably late 50's or early 60's) but was shopping for furniture at the time. They got real picky and were wholesalers and you had to have a dealer take you to the store and pick out something and then buy it thru them.


I just went back and took a shower after posting this and got my brain wet and it came to me that I had given you the background of the Amarillo Hardware Company instead of Morrow-Thomas Hardware Company. I was wrong and wanted to correct this mistake. I don't remember when Morrow-Thomas closed or how long they were in business and can't find much in my searches. I know this has no bearing on finding out anything on your holster but I wanted to correct this.
 
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I too am familiar with Morrow Thomas Hardware. My father bought for me, a Winchester Model 62 from them in 1955. He got it wholesale through a friend and think the price was $35 and change. With regard to the holster, I'm guessing it was made by the Bud Dolcater Saddle shop on 4th Street. I have a holster for my K22 Outdoorsman that looks very similar in construction, but it is stamped Bud Dolcater, Amarillo Texas. I may very well have gone to school with James since I was born and raised in Amarillo and will turn 72 next month.
 
This is my only holster for my worked over remington rand. I do like the austin that el paso builds but I just havent wore the gun enough to justify the money.


 
UPDATE:

This holster now resides about an hour from Amarillo. An attempt to have a modern right handed version made didn't turn out exactly as planned. Considering what to do next.

Thanks to all who posted the original information in this post.

rayb
 
For many years individual stores as well as chain stores had suppliers put the store name on products for their stores. That is probably the case with the OP's holster, part of a batch of holsters ordered at wholesale from the maker.

As recently as about 1980 this marketing practice was common. I have seen holsters by Hunter, Bucheimer Clark, Bianchi, and others stamped with dealers' names and logos. Probably still going on here and there.
 
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