arabensburg
Member
To cast N. J. Rabensburg into a "Brill era" is misleading.
Rabensburg worked for himself for most of his career as the N. J. Rabensburg Company. He was employed by the Brill family for a brief 3 years, but that time frame was used to take care of his due diligence prior to purchase. He was never a Brill company man.
Rabensburg's leather making career spanned from 1906 to 1961 or 55 years. Excluding his 3 year apprenticeship in Austin and La Grange, his 2 years in Dallas, Texas and Silver City, New Mexico and his 3 years at the A. W. Brill Company, Rabensburg's total time left as a full owner or partner leaves a balance of 47 years.
In contrast, the A. W. Brill Company was in existence from 1912 to 1935 or 23 years. The N. J. Rabensburg Company including 5 years as Zwiener and Rabensburg was, thus, actively in operation for twice the number of years as the A. W. Brill Company.
To place N. J. Rabensburg into a Brill era is in error because he was never a part of the Brill family network except in wholesale and retail exchange during the 1920s.
The three year plan between 1932 to 1935 was to determine suitability and to experience operation. He was there to test the larger Austin market for his leather products including his holsters and belts, and it worked because he closed the deal in about September 1935.
The alternative was not to purchase A. W. Brill but to open his own shop and start from scratch or find another existing saddlery business to purchase, which was more suitable.
The "A. W. Brill" name could have faded into distant memory after 1935 if Rabensburg had chosen to do so and marked the same holsters as we know and see today with "N. J. Rabensburg maker, Austin, Texas". But he did not. Instead, he continued using the A. W. Brill maker stamp because holster name recognition made good sense during a period of hard times.
During my lifetime, the "Brill" name as a business connection was never discussed in the Rabensburg family except as a purchase happening in the distant past. The Brill and Rabensburg families, on a personal level, were close friends and were seen and heard on many occasions.
Rabensburg sold his belts and holsters under the name "N. J. Rabensburg" as evident by the 1950 outside signage at 1903 N. Lamar Blvd. There was no mention of "A. W. Brill" even though the holsters would carry the A. W. Brill maker mark.
There is no mention of A. W. Brill holsters in the 1959 American newspaper article by Antia Brewer on the holster career of N. J. Rabensburg. Only the purchase of the company. The Brill name did become evident in an enlargement of the newspaper photo, but this could not be seen by the readers of the article.
No, N. J. Rabensburg was never a part of the Brill operation, even between 1932 to 1935. The production of his holsters at that time was a test of the market for himself even though his holsters were required to carry the A. W. Brill mark. Rabensburg had no plans for purchase unless there was customer acceptance, and there was.
The only people who were a part of the A. W. Brill network for handgun holsters were Charles W. Kluge and the "mystery man".
The one and only "Brill" era was, thus, from 1912 to 1935. N. J. Rabensburg was never a part of 2nd "Brill" era. Such a connection was never discussed in the Rabensburg family or can be found in 20th Century documentation.
The A. W. Brill mark on many Rabensburg-made holsters was a Depression marketing tool. It carried over into World War II and the Korean Conflict years.
Rabensburg could have finally changed the mark on his holsters to his own name around 1950, but then he was at the age of semi-retirement and such a need had now expired.
20th Century customers knew that Rabensburg-made holsters and the A. W. Brill name had become synonymous, that is, one and the same. A pseudonym.
By Neale Rabensburg
Rabensburg worked for himself for most of his career as the N. J. Rabensburg Company. He was employed by the Brill family for a brief 3 years, but that time frame was used to take care of his due diligence prior to purchase. He was never a Brill company man.
Rabensburg's leather making career spanned from 1906 to 1961 or 55 years. Excluding his 3 year apprenticeship in Austin and La Grange, his 2 years in Dallas, Texas and Silver City, New Mexico and his 3 years at the A. W. Brill Company, Rabensburg's total time left as a full owner or partner leaves a balance of 47 years.
In contrast, the A. W. Brill Company was in existence from 1912 to 1935 or 23 years. The N. J. Rabensburg Company including 5 years as Zwiener and Rabensburg was, thus, actively in operation for twice the number of years as the A. W. Brill Company.
To place N. J. Rabensburg into a Brill era is in error because he was never a part of the Brill family network except in wholesale and retail exchange during the 1920s.
The three year plan between 1932 to 1935 was to determine suitability and to experience operation. He was there to test the larger Austin market for his leather products including his holsters and belts, and it worked because he closed the deal in about September 1935.
The alternative was not to purchase A. W. Brill but to open his own shop and start from scratch or find another existing saddlery business to purchase, which was more suitable.
The "A. W. Brill" name could have faded into distant memory after 1935 if Rabensburg had chosen to do so and marked the same holsters as we know and see today with "N. J. Rabensburg maker, Austin, Texas". But he did not. Instead, he continued using the A. W. Brill maker stamp because holster name recognition made good sense during a period of hard times.
During my lifetime, the "Brill" name as a business connection was never discussed in the Rabensburg family except as a purchase happening in the distant past. The Brill and Rabensburg families, on a personal level, were close friends and were seen and heard on many occasions.
Rabensburg sold his belts and holsters under the name "N. J. Rabensburg" as evident by the 1950 outside signage at 1903 N. Lamar Blvd. There was no mention of "A. W. Brill" even though the holsters would carry the A. W. Brill maker mark.
There is no mention of A. W. Brill holsters in the 1959 American newspaper article by Antia Brewer on the holster career of N. J. Rabensburg. Only the purchase of the company. The Brill name did become evident in an enlargement of the newspaper photo, but this could not be seen by the readers of the article.
No, N. J. Rabensburg was never a part of the Brill operation, even between 1932 to 1935. The production of his holsters at that time was a test of the market for himself even though his holsters were required to carry the A. W. Brill mark. Rabensburg had no plans for purchase unless there was customer acceptance, and there was.
The only people who were a part of the A. W. Brill network for handgun holsters were Charles W. Kluge and the "mystery man".
The one and only "Brill" era was, thus, from 1912 to 1935. N. J. Rabensburg was never a part of 2nd "Brill" era. Such a connection was never discussed in the Rabensburg family or can be found in 20th Century documentation.
The A. W. Brill mark on many Rabensburg-made holsters was a Depression marketing tool. It carried over into World War II and the Korean Conflict years.
Rabensburg could have finally changed the mark on his holsters to his own name around 1950, but then he was at the age of semi-retirement and such a need had now expired.
20th Century customers knew that Rabensburg-made holsters and the A. W. Brill name had become synonymous, that is, one and the same. A pseudonym.
By Neale Rabensburg
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