1900 - 1920 style holsters

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bulletslap

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With my recent acquisition of a Model of 1899 hand ejector, I started looking around for a period correct holster.

I am familiar with the 1892 style military holster, however what types would a Civilian or Peace Officer used ?

I imagine what was in use would vary quite a bit by geographic region.
 
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bulletslap said:
With my recent acquisition of a Model of 1899 hand ejector, I started looking around for a period correct holster.

I am familiar with the 1892 style military holster, however what types would a Civilian or Peace Officer used ?

I imagine what was in use would vary quite a bit by geographic region.
Click to expand...

Giving rifle-shot advice on that is harder than one expects. Essentially, the modern holster began at precisely that time -- the turn of the century -- so the old Mexican loop was still appropriate, but the market was moving forward and away from that.

The companies that we think of, as holster companies, weren't in that biz until then: Heiser we believe started making holsters at precisely that moment, Myres not until the '20s, Lawrence too.

Texas was first: for the Rangers, the Brill was invented then. Made by a dozen Texas companies that I've identified so far, and little likelihood that it was used outside of TX (yet I see that's where you are, so perhaps perfect!).

When one reviews Packing Iron by Rattenbury (he and I have been in touch recently) one realises that, although it is titled as being about holsters of the frontier west (which is 19th century), virtually all his civilian holsters are from the 20th -- all the way up to Ojala in the 1960s! Yet there are no Brills, and no Threepersons. Nevertheless you would get a good idea of what you like, and would be appropriate, from his book (expensive).
 
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I've always liked vintage holsters. I enjoy trying to match up some of the older revolvers with a holster that seems appropriate in both wear and time frame or style.

"Packing Iron" is a great book and has some fantastic photos of some very nice holsters!

Here's a photo I posted sometime ago in a thread I started on "Steel & Leather"... unfortunately many of the photobucket photos are no longer there. I'm not sure if this holster was an actual police holster or not... but it does have the "look".



digi-shots-albums-steel-and-leather-picture11878-a.jpg
 
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Here is an old embossed Brauer Bros. holster. I've tried to find out
how old, but no luck. The S&W K Frame 4" barrel fits just right.

PS I read somewhere this morning that Brauer Bros. "invented"
the snap on retention strap, so maybe this holster was before
the retention strap?
 

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My suggestion would be to look for mail order catalogues from that time period (Sears Roebuck, Montgomery Ward, etc). You will probably find illustrated ads showing several of the most popular products in just about any category (including firearms and accessories like holsters).

Some people lived in cities, but the majority of early-19th Century Americans lived on farms or in small towns. Shopping was done locally for everyday needs, occasionally on trips to cities for specialized need, and just about daily with the Sears and Monkey Ward catalogues.
 
You are correct Ray. I remember a story about a guy who wrote a letter
to Sears asking about "bathroom tissue". They wrote back and told him
he would find it on page xxx of their catalog. He wrote back and said if
I had your catalog I wouldn't need the "bathroom tissue."
And that is correct too. I remember hiking down the trail to our 2 holer
until I was about 8. Then we moved to the city and were amazed by the
inside facilities.
 
I agree, I think the old catalogs might be a good place to start.

I've gone through quite a few police photos looking for images with holsters. Many photos show an officer carrying a billy-club and wearing a "long coat" or tunic - but no gun. My guess is he's got one under the coat or just not carrying. Photos of mounted police (horse and/or motorcycle) will usually show some type of service gun belt rig.

Here's a shot of a holster I found on ebay a few years ago... probably one of the earliest IWB (in the waist band) holsters. The 2 leather straps have a slit in them that attach to suspender buttons on the inside of the trousers. Nowadays, some suit pants have these same buttons for your suspenders or "braces" as they're known. The "safety hammerless" fits perfectly.


digi-shots-albums-steel-and-leather-picture13929-s-w-safety-hammerless.jpg
 
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Thank you all for the good advice, and especially the photos.

They are immensely helpful to my search.

I am very fortunate to have access to knowledgeable and helpful people like you.
 
LoboGunLeather said:
My suggestion would be to look for mail order catalogues from that time period (Sears Roebuck, Montgomery Ward, etc). You will probably find illustrated ads showing several of the most popular products in just about any category (including firearms and accessories like holsters).

Some people lived in cities, but the majority of early-19th Century Americans lived on farms or in small towns. Shopping was done locally for everyday needs, occasionally on trips to cities for specialized need, and just about daily with the Sears and Monkey Ward catalogues.
Click to expand...

Here's one in my image files, and the earliest. I have more that are later starting 1920s.

abercrombie 1910.jpg
 
bulletslap said:
Red that Holster in the middle looks a lot like an Audley to me.
Click to expand...

Indeed it is described as from Audley, on the right hand page. A much older, advanced design than the average gun person would realise. This ad you would have noticed, is from 1910. One more reason to say that the modern holster began at the stroke of midnight on the 19th century.

It is my view that innovation in gunleather came to a screeching halt in 1980. For that we can point to first the padded fabric holster, then the kydex holster. Though the latter have deconstructed into the "article carriers" like tape measure holders, that they have always been categorised by the USPTO. "Just 'cause a cat has her kittens in the oven, that don't make 'em biscuits" :-)
 
rednichols said:
Here's one in my image files, and the earliest. I have more that are later starting 1920s.

View attachment 326256
Click to expand...

Red, I think I've got a couple similar ones.. the top left is stamped "LAVA - Police Supply NYC". Frank Lava ran a NYC gunshop and supplied many of the NYC police with personal carry guns and equipment.


digi-shots-albums-steel-and-leather-picture17899-early-20th-century-holsters.jpg


digi-shots-albums-s-and-w-misc-plus-factory-items-picture17900-frank-lava-gunsmith-nyc.jpg
 
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Linda those wonderful photos of yours will help me with my search, immensely !

Thank you.
 
Bulletslap, you’re welcome! These last ones I posted are all k frames.

I’ve found most of these on eBay... I try not to pay too much for them. You’ll see them from time to time in various conditions.

Two of these last holsters have leather tabs with a slot and were likely used in the back pants pocket. The “slot” is actually a button hole and is buttoned over the button on the rear pants pocket.
 
It seems that Bauer Brothers was in business during this.
Does anyone have a catalog or holster of theirs from this era ?
 
bulletslap said:
It seems that Bauer Brothers was in business during this.
Does anyone have a catalog or holster of theirs from this era ?
Click to expand...

I've images from a 1965 Brauer Bros catalogue that help you almost not at all: claims founding in 1898.

But. Brauer was a shoe 'manufactory' when incorporated 1902 and at least until 1940. I haven't located anything relevant after that point.
 
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