I’ve just got an honest question about holsters. I have a ton of them and was wondering how did the floral design/pattern start out on leather? Was there a particular maker who started the trend and others copied it? Or was it something that just evolved from another pattern, like say the basketweave design?

I don’t know how true this explanation is as it was told to me through word of mouth. An older gentleman I know says that the patterns came from guns that were engraved. A lot of engravings used a leaf and scroll design. When someone had an engraved gun they wanted a holster for it that was just as detailed. And so the carved patterns came to be.

Anyway just want to hear thoughts. If you have a nice carved up holster, share it!

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Ephesians 6 (Armor of God)

Personally I don't get it.

If I want flowers associated with my guns I'll use my wife's Vera Bradley stuff as a range bag.

I would think that your explanation is as good as any. Have heard the practice may have started in Mexico as they seem to have a good handle on leather crafting.
Not only is it attractive, I wonder if the carving also strengthened the leather?

This link expands the subject a little. Does not really say when or where the practice began. Looks like it's just decorative in nature. Some like, some don't.

I'm a fan of basket weave more than the more ornate floral.

my .02

Leather crafting - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I'd prefer cartoon characters. Spongebob Squarepants leaps to mind.

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Why, I aughta.....

Good post, I've often wondered the same thing.
I'm not into any depictions of floral anything on my gear, but keeping in mind, in the late 19th/early 20th century, it may have been a small representation of an appreciation for 'finer things'.

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Ret'd LEO
SWCA #2275

LOL. I like Foghorn Leghorn and the Warner Brothers sheepdog.

I've wondered the same thing before, it's pretty odd and kind of funny when you think about it.

From The History of Western Gunleather page at Cochise Leather Company.

I don't know when or why the practice started but leather certainly seems to lend itself to the carving patterns. I like floral carving- here are a couple examples.
S.D. Myres


(Yes, I know they're Colts)

Heiser



Lawrence

Berns-Martin

Colorado Saddlery

Regards,
turnerriver

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turnerriver

The answer is actually pretty simple. Read the stuff above and realize, quite obviously, that since guns were worn openly back in the day the gun wearers were none too shy about decorating their leather. Floral or any kind of carving, conchos, whatever. It likely started in Mexico but it's just art - it's not particularly useful - it just looks good. Carved leather saddles looked good - why not gun leather? It wasn't rocket science or the 19th century equivalent to figure out that guys like fancy stuff, not all guys, but a lot of them.

That's historical fiction for the most part.....

The real reason for all that fancy carving? Barbeque of course!

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Quando omni flunkus moritati.

Flowers look a lot better than weeds.

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Endeavor to persevere. <><

Perhaps they use a different thickness of leather for carved holsters but I always thought the few carved holsters I've handled felt stiffer than plain leather holsters. I presume carving the leather presents more surface area, would the added ridges, lines, valleys, etc. make the holster stiffer?

Just wonder if perhaps this was really a case of form following function, or vice versa, as it may?

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BCCI Life Member #2068

Stamping designs in leather compresses the fibers in the hide and makes the piece stiffer, so it holds it shape better, in addition to adding some artistry. Adding carving to the stamped piece allows more detail in the design. When you combine the two you get the beauty in the pieces like those that Turnerriver has shared.

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Tim
SWCA #2697

After handling Holsters from Heiser,Lawrence Leather and Myres I think that the Artists at Lawrence Leather did the best Floral carving.It always has a great depth to it and is very detailed.

It's because designs of spiders would be just "icky'

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Bud
Lots of S&Ws

If not basket weave or floral what would you suggest?

I agree. I have theorized that it was popular in a time frame when gunfighters tended to be more gentlemanly. Days when men wore hats and suits with ties as normal fashion. How do you think gunfighting legend Delph Bryce got the nickname "jelly"? I really think floral leather was also a way for a pistolero to impress the ladies. I own a couple of the holsters 05CarbonDRZ posted, and the reddish and black floral one for the 4" N frame caught my girlfriends attention immediately. I am a hobby gun writer and professional firearms trainer as well as a leather snob. I have guns and holsters all over the house. Seeing that floral holster was the first time she ever said "wow, that is a gorgeous holster"....which I translated into "chicks dig it". This is a good thing in my book.

Thanks for the Story,That made my Day.The fact that my Leather is good enough for a self confessed Leather Snob AND his Girlfriend puts a smile on my Face.I think the Floral carving is also like a Pink Shirt,It says "I am comfortable enough with my Manhood to have a Flower on my Holster".

Definitely looks better than skulls and crossbones. Thr Road Runner was my childhood hero. Persistence pays off.

Penguins! (for those of you who don't get it, you can read the tread drift thread and then you'll understand.)

In all seriousness though, I like the basket weave better but don't mind the floral. Think it would be neat to see some with animals as well.

What else? - Birds?, Snakes?, Steer heads?, Horses?, Motorcycles? ---

I tried a deer and a horse. To me they ended up looking like something out of an alien movie.
No I will not show a picture. I'll leave the creatures to someone else.

I lost my wife to breast cancer. I am the king of Tough Enough to Wear Pink, and have spent a lot of time in pink shirts at rodeo's.

Your stuff is great, and kindles thoughts of a simpler time.

There are some good theories offered but, in reality, Quien sabe?. For my part, it is good looking, classy, and traditional=that's all it takes. Here's three of mine (ps: I also like basketweave and fishscale):

Third generation SAA in 32-20:


First generation Bisley in 41 long Colt:


Colt Python:


All holsters are by EPS.

Well, tooled leather lasts longer.........

And I know why it does



,.

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"IN GOD WE TRUST"

We have a neighbor in the mountains who is a retired US deputy Marshall. All of the holsters he wears are floral carved, as are his belts and accessories. He told me it was to remind the people he went to arrest just how close they were to being six feet under a pot of flowers.

turnerriver's post answers the question for me.

Silver conchos.

Why do we need them?

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Be Well

It's called being in touch with your feminine side and chicks really dig that. And if anybody laughs you can blow their head off. I'd like rosebuds myself. For some reason a rose conveys strength for me.

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"He was kinda funny lookin'"

Got a problem with my holster, PUNK?

VERY well put

Not long ago I had lunch with him. A local LEO walked over, put his hand on the man's arm, and said "old timer, are you carrying a pistol on that left hip"? His reply was "yes, and if you want to become an old timer you need to learn to not call people names and keep your hands to yourself."

Yup,
Some of these youngins now and days got no idee.....


I'm not so much a floral kinda guy....

More like Oak leafs and acorns, sans the olive branches




.

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"IN GOD WE TRUST"

Just a guess but many be Paisley and Peace signs were not in back then?

I remember that, back in the day, the Daytona Beach Police Dept. leather was black with a floral pattern. IIRC the leather was done by S.D. Myers. I always thought it looked classier than basketweave and seemed to hold up better.

A gift from a friend

Attached Images

image.jpg (157.0 KB, 86 views)

Here's a very nice H. H. Heiser holster I picked up that is
marked " MAG 6 1/2" on the back near the maker's mark. It's
in excellent condition with no cracks, splits, dings, and the
stitching is perfect. The carved ammo belt loop is not a Heiser
item, but I picked it up to compliment the Heiser holster. It
represents a bygone era where there was pride in craftsmanship.

Now, I just have to find an early pre-27 with a 6.5" barrel.

Attached Images

Carved Heiser holster and carved ammo belt slide 001.jpg (112.9 KB, 75 views)

three little letters... B B Q. would you tote a kydex rig with a G19 to a BBQ? not around my fam. when you need to dress up, you need a dressy rig to match. i have one in black, and one in brown. the '62 Hi-Power i have looks every bit the part in my "fancy" floral leather. dress up, and look sharp while being vigilant.

Glad to see I am not the only one who at times buys guns to fit a cool holster.

Why not? If you cannot afford or do not care for a engraved hand gun a carved holster makes for a nice touch if you want to spiff things up a bit. I do like basket weave and those fish scale jobbers that El Paso Saddelry offers is just neat.

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Stay safe people!

Interesting thread, for sure!

As for the floral v. geometric designs, it reminds me of how some of the tribes did their beadwork in floral designs as opposed to the geometrics that we often associate with the craft.

I guess whatever strikes an artisan's fancy is what's made into the finished product. Vive la difference.

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Ukraine -- now more than ever

And?????????????

Bear,
Whenever a piece of hide is tooled, backgrounded, beveling, pear shading, etc....

It compacts the grain structure of the leather and tightens the fiber overall....But, don't tell anybody, ok.

Dave


.

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"IN GOD WE TRUST"

This is a must have book for anyone interested in old leather.
In it the auther tells of ornate carving and tooling first surfacing in California in the gold rush days.....very much Mexican influenced. I couldn't find any mention of "compressed fibers", etc. but I agree that it does strengthen the leather somewhat.
I would also offer that it helps camouflage scratches, nicks, etc....especially on saddles.

A couple of folks asked about tooling patterns other than floral or basket weave. patterns

Why floral carvings on holsters?

To soothe the bed-wetting antis, of course.

Basketweave was a way to make the leather a little fancier but it was easier to do. It can even be done by machine. Basket weave and floral carving both make the leather a little stiffer. It also does not show little scuff marks as bad as plain leather. It was common practice to recycle worn out boots by making the boot tops into holsters. If the boots had fancy tops, that just made the holster look fancier.

Always been a fan of the black background patterns. Still need to fork over for a nice one for my 686. Carved holsters and stag grips just go together. And BBQ, of course.

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Fight socialism. Never stop.