At the SWCA annual meeting

[turnerriver]

A room full of the finest Smith & Wessons any of us are ever going to see. There's a great display by a Texas father & son of BBQ guns and leather
& some Old West memorabilia associated with the gamblers theme.
Here's a holster by a maker I haven't seen before.
Yes, you should consider joining and coming to Charlotte next year.


Regards,
turnerriver

 

[lawandorder]

Keep hoping those guys will posts some images of their great display.
Two fine fellows there.

 

[bamabiker]

I'd sure like to see it.
turnerriver, do you know anything about Birds Saddlery?

 

[charlie sherrill]

I just got home. The best S&W eye candy I've ever seen.

 

[turnerriver]

Charlie is being modest. He gave easily the funniest presentation I've seen at an annual symposium. He's as entertaining live as he is on the forum and I got to say hello too.
Regards,
turnerriver
I don't know anything about Bird's Saddlery yet but I'll get back to you.

 

[boykinlp]

Very Nice holster, John.

I see where there was a saddle maker from Mesa, but he marked his saddles with:
R.A. Bird
Maker
Mesa, Arizona

Here is his daughter's obit:

Ruby BOLDORAC Obituary - Mesa, AZ | East Valley Tribune

Maybe there were a lot of "Bird's" bending leather in Mesa at one time.

 

[LEO918]

John: Glad to have passed on a very interesting holster to a guy who can really appreciate it.

 

[Aggie Bill]

Nice Holster. I have a very similar one which came with a revolver I bought from a friend. I believe it is an M&P 1905, 2nd change made between 1906 and 1909. It was owned by a relative of my friends who was a railroad detective in Wyoming.

 

[turnerriver]

My old friend ordnanceguy and I spent the night in Douglas, Wyoming when we were 14 and traveling with his parents. We arrived in the early evening, noted the horses tied to a hitching post outside a saloon and found a closed gun shop. We spent quite a while with our faces pressed to the window remarking on the Colt single actions and Winchester lever guns festooning the walls. We left in the morning before it opened which I've clearly never forgotten. That's a fine holster with a great makers mark.
Regards,
turnerriver

 

[Skydivinglawyer]

I was the guy who 'closed' for Charlie at his presentation. He made me laugh a lot on the outside and cry a little on the inside, cause some I saw.
As for Charlie's presentation...I am reminded of the character Tommy Lee Jones played in No Country for an Old Man....when the Sheriff is in the Diner and reading out of the newspaper.
'You can't make this stuff up.....I dare ya to try.'

 

[boykinlp]

John,
Did you ever find out any more information about Bird's Saddlery?

 

[turnerriver]

No, my saddle maker and spur maker books didn't list Bird and I haven't found anything else yet.
Regards,
turnerriver