arabensburg
Member
N. J. Rabensburg was the A. W. Brill holster maker from 1932 forward and not Arno W. Brill, as some pundits have reported.
N. J. Rabensburg was associated with the A. W. Brill Company of Austin, Texas, starting in the early 1920s. He became a full time employee by September 1932 and bought out the company in about September 1935.
With purchase, Rabensburg acquired the reputation, inventory, customer base, some employees and the E. 6th Street (leased) location of the former A. W. Brill Company. Also, included with the purchase was the possession and use of the A. W. Brill maker stamp.
N. J. Rabensburg made all of the A. W. Brill marked holsters from 1932 forward, unless, of course, Charles W. Kluge delayed his retirement until about September 1935. In that case, exclusivity began in about September 1935.
Arno W. Brill (Arno) was not a holster maker but served the A. W. Brill Company as “head road representative of the leather house”…… “Young Mr. Brill sells a large volume of leather goods to the retail trade in such towns as Brady, Mason, Junction, Llano, New Braunfels, Georgetown and Taylor”, according to the Austin Statesman newspaper dated May 18, 1924.
The A. W. Brill Company (the Company) was established by a 40 year old August W. Brill in 1912. August took over the Kluge Brothers, who continued to work for the Brill Company. The business location in 1924 was 218 E. 6th Street in downtown Austin.
On April 14, 1959, the columnist, Anita Brewer (Brewer) of the Austin American newspaper, wrote an article with photo on the holster career of N. J. Rabensburg. Noted in that article was the following: “Since 1932 he has worked in Austin, taking over the business of the late A. W. Brill (August).”
The newspaper photo of N. J. Rabensburg shows him tooling a belt with a 2nd belt and six holsters in view, which are tagged and ready for sale. The topmost holster, when enlarged, indicates the A. W. Brill maker mark.
The A. W. Brill maker stamp continues to exist and remains in the hands of the Rabensburg family. It measures 4 inches in length and cast in solid steel and will be donated in the near future to the Texas Ranger Hall of Fame and Museum in Waco, Texas.
N. J. Rabensburg marked his “N. J. Rabensburg” made holsters typically with the A. W. Brill maker mark both at the downtown business location and during semi-retirement at his Austin home workshop located at 1903 N. Lamar Blvd.
N. J. Rabensburg began his leather making career at La Grange Saddle and Buggy Company in La Grange, Texas after graduating from high school in 1906. He was 16 years old but turned 17 in August. In 1909 at the age of 19 years, he moved to Dallas, where he learned the wholesale trade. In about 1911, he accepted a job offer in Silver City, New Mexico but moved from there in August 1912 to purchase an existing saddlery in Price, Utah. He returned to La Grange in March 1915 at the age of 25 years and married the mayor’s daughter. In 1915, he bought a partnership in an existing saddlery, which became known as Zwiener and Rabensburg with a town square location.
In June 1920, N. J. Rabensburg took a leave of absence from the Zwiener and Rabensburg Company in La Grange and moved his family for the summer to Llano, Texas for health reasons, where he took employment with the Austin Long Saddlery.
Lillian Rabensburg was ill and probably suffering from respiratory issues but managed to recover with the move to the Texas Hill Country. Rabensburg made the quick decision to make an offer to Austin Long for his saddle shop, which was accepted. By July 29, 1920, N. J. Rabensburg severed his partnership with Zwiener and Rabensburg and was conducting business as the "N. J. Rabensburg Company" in Llano, Texas.
N. J. Rabensburg served the Llano Town Council both as an Alderman and as Mayor. He resigned as Mayor in August 1932 and made his move with his family to Austin where he accepted a position with the A. W. Brill Company. In Austin, N. J. Rabensburg and his wife Lillian and their three sons, Aubrey, Walter and Newton, took residence on the crest of a hill at 1104 W 7th Street.
In the late 1930s, N. J. Rabensburg built a new house on the side of a hill fronting Shoal Creek Drive in Austin with Pease Park across the street. Unfortunately, the front yard and a portion of the Rabensburg hill were removed by a new road during the early 1940s. The home address changed from 1903 Shoal Creek to 1903 (N.) Lamar Blvd. During his retirement, N. J. Rabensburg continued to make A. W. Brill holsters, belts and other leather products within his home workshop between 1950 and 1961.
By: A. Neale Rabensburg
N. J. Rabensburg was associated with the A. W. Brill Company of Austin, Texas, starting in the early 1920s. He became a full time employee by September 1932 and bought out the company in about September 1935.
With purchase, Rabensburg acquired the reputation, inventory, customer base, some employees and the E. 6th Street (leased) location of the former A. W. Brill Company. Also, included with the purchase was the possession and use of the A. W. Brill maker stamp.
N. J. Rabensburg made all of the A. W. Brill marked holsters from 1932 forward, unless, of course, Charles W. Kluge delayed his retirement until about September 1935. In that case, exclusivity began in about September 1935.
Arno W. Brill (Arno) was not a holster maker but served the A. W. Brill Company as “head road representative of the leather house”…… “Young Mr. Brill sells a large volume of leather goods to the retail trade in such towns as Brady, Mason, Junction, Llano, New Braunfels, Georgetown and Taylor”, according to the Austin Statesman newspaper dated May 18, 1924.
The A. W. Brill Company (the Company) was established by a 40 year old August W. Brill in 1912. August took over the Kluge Brothers, who continued to work for the Brill Company. The business location in 1924 was 218 E. 6th Street in downtown Austin.
On April 14, 1959, the columnist, Anita Brewer (Brewer) of the Austin American newspaper, wrote an article with photo on the holster career of N. J. Rabensburg. Noted in that article was the following: “Since 1932 he has worked in Austin, taking over the business of the late A. W. Brill (August).”
The newspaper photo of N. J. Rabensburg shows him tooling a belt with a 2nd belt and six holsters in view, which are tagged and ready for sale. The topmost holster, when enlarged, indicates the A. W. Brill maker mark.
The A. W. Brill maker stamp continues to exist and remains in the hands of the Rabensburg family. It measures 4 inches in length and cast in solid steel and will be donated in the near future to the Texas Ranger Hall of Fame and Museum in Waco, Texas.
N. J. Rabensburg marked his “N. J. Rabensburg” made holsters typically with the A. W. Brill maker mark both at the downtown business location and during semi-retirement at his Austin home workshop located at 1903 N. Lamar Blvd.
N. J. Rabensburg began his leather making career at La Grange Saddle and Buggy Company in La Grange, Texas after graduating from high school in 1906. He was 16 years old but turned 17 in August. In 1909 at the age of 19 years, he moved to Dallas, where he learned the wholesale trade. In about 1911, he accepted a job offer in Silver City, New Mexico but moved from there in August 1912 to purchase an existing saddlery in Price, Utah. He returned to La Grange in March 1915 at the age of 25 years and married the mayor’s daughter. In 1915, he bought a partnership in an existing saddlery, which became known as Zwiener and Rabensburg with a town square location.
In June 1920, N. J. Rabensburg took a leave of absence from the Zwiener and Rabensburg Company in La Grange and moved his family for the summer to Llano, Texas for health reasons, where he took employment with the Austin Long Saddlery.
Lillian Rabensburg was ill and probably suffering from respiratory issues but managed to recover with the move to the Texas Hill Country. Rabensburg made the quick decision to make an offer to Austin Long for his saddle shop, which was accepted. By July 29, 1920, N. J. Rabensburg severed his partnership with Zwiener and Rabensburg and was conducting business as the "N. J. Rabensburg Company" in Llano, Texas.
N. J. Rabensburg served the Llano Town Council both as an Alderman and as Mayor. He resigned as Mayor in August 1932 and made his move with his family to Austin where he accepted a position with the A. W. Brill Company. In Austin, N. J. Rabensburg and his wife Lillian and their three sons, Aubrey, Walter and Newton, took residence on the crest of a hill at 1104 W 7th Street.
In the late 1930s, N. J. Rabensburg built a new house on the side of a hill fronting Shoal Creek Drive in Austin with Pease Park across the street. Unfortunately, the front yard and a portion of the Rabensburg hill were removed by a new road during the early 1940s. The home address changed from 1903 Shoal Creek to 1903 (N.) Lamar Blvd. During his retirement, N. J. Rabensburg continued to make A. W. Brill holsters, belts and other leather products within his home workshop between 1950 and 1961.
By: A. Neale Rabensburg
Attachments
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N J Rabensburg 300 E 6th Street Austin Texas June 1942 (2).jpg -
N. J. Rabensburg Company 300 & 302 E 6th Street Austin Texas.jpg -
Rabensburg in shop (5).jpg -
AW Brill Maker Stamp Held in Palm of Hand 4 inches Long NJ Rabensburg Collection (2).jpg -
Newton Joseph Rabensburg Home Austin Texas 1903 N. Lamar (Shoal Creek) Photo 1942 or 1943 (2).jpg
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