Holster help… Webley auto loader

digi-shots · #1 06-25-2022, 03:38 PM

A friend of mine showed me a holster today that I had never heard of…. Said it was a private purchase for a semi auto Webley.
(Webley .455 auto loader 1913)

The holster looked like a standard model 1912 cavalry holster (without US stamping) but the inside was modified with a block of leather that only permitted a narrow barrel to be inserted. A full size normal 1911 would not fit.

There was a small manufacturer’s stamp… “CROSS” which I believe is the stamping for the English company, Mark Cross Leather.

Has anyone ever seen one like this?

digi-shots · #2 06-25-2022, 04:42 PM

Here’s an image of a Webley auto loader

2152hq · #3 06-25-2022, 05:59 PM

I think Mark Cross a Boston company.
I'd guess from the quick look of the interior of the holster,,
the bloc is installed so the holster would fit a Luger pistol.

US did test trials that included the 9mm Luger very early (1900?) and later (1907/08?) that included the very rare 45cal Luger pistol of which only a very few were made.
I think some of the 9mm pistols were actually issued to a small group of US Cavalry for test purposes. Found to be unsuitible for field use.

Just my guess about the holster and Luger pistol.
I think the 9mm Lugers that were issued for field trial use had a different flap holster that was issued looking more like the German style Military issue holster,

digi-shots · #4 06-25-2022, 06:10 PM

2152hq.. thanks for the heads up on Mark Cross in Boston.. here is their logo.. looks just like the partial one on the holster

I know someone that has one of the US Lugers but not sure I can get both the gun and holster together to see if it fits

ordnanceguy · #5 06-25-2022, 06:40 PM

Hi Linda:

Yes, I have seen a couple of Mark Cross private purchase holsters over the years. Below is an image I received from another collector who was querying me about the Mark Cross brand and a Cross marked holster he was considering. It was a M1912 holster for the M1911 pistol.

I told him then what I knew about the Mark Cross Company. The M1912 holster in question had been made in England by the Mark Cross Company, an American company with offices around the world at that time. It was a famous maker of very high quality leather goods. It specialized in things like briefcases, luggage and handbags. It had a fine reputation. (Indeed, my wife still owns a Mark Cross piece of luggage that she does not use but keeps because it is so beautifully made.) A corollary company today would be Hermes or Louis Vuitton. The Company was shut down some years ago but the trade mark was sold and I think it has been revived for the sale of newly manufactured items.

The London mark tells us that the holster you are asking about was made in England. My guess would be that it was made during WW1 and probably in the 1917-18 period when the USA had entered the war. It may have been sold to a US officer in the AEF while in England. I doubt that it would have been made any later than 1918 since the Model of 1912 holster had been superseded in U.S. service by the Model of 1916.

I hope that additional information is helpful to you.

Regards,
Charlie

digi-shots · #6 06-25-2022, 08:34 PM

Thanks, Charlie.

What do you think about the leather “wedge” inside? It’s similar to the pieces usually seen inside 1911 holsters but it’s not quite the same. We tried a standard US m1911 and it would not fit. The fellow told me that he thought it was for a Webley auto loading pistol. I don’t know for sure since I don’t have one.. same goes for a U.S. “American Eagle” Luger which also has a long narrow barrel.

It looks like it’s for a military handgun but no proof marks or broad arrows. I know British officers bought their own weapons and holsters.