OP
digi-shots
SWCA Member
Here's close-up shot of the "belt keeper"...
-
Forum Update: We've upgraded the software to improve security, performance, and the overall experience.
👉 Read why we made the change | Support the Forum
Vintage steel & leather (pics)
- Thread starter digi-shots
- Start date
I've posted these before but it's been awhile.
Outdoorsman in a Heiser/VL&A holster
Early post-war K-22 in a Heiser triple loop holster
Model 27 in a Berns-Martin Buscadero rig made for the man who bought B-M & moved it to Elberton, Georgia in the 1960's.
Regards,
John Witty
turnerriver
SWCA,CCA,NRA Life member
Outdoorsman in a Heiser/VL&A holster
Early post-war K-22 in a Heiser triple loop holster
Model 27 in a Berns-Martin Buscadero rig made for the man who bought B-M & moved it to Elberton, Georgia in the 1960's.
Regards,
John Witty
turnerriver
SWCA,CCA,NRA Life member
Nice rigs, John!
I was wondering if you'd chime in here and show some of your beauties.
BTW, I picked up a plain brown B-M rig for a 3.5" .357 the other day, first one in that size I'd seen.
I was wondering if you'd chime in here and show some of your beauties.
BTW, I picked up a plain brown B-M rig for a 3.5" .357 the other day, first one in that size I'd seen.
Originally posted by oldflatfoot:
Linda;
I have the same holster for my BSR, as you probably picked out in one of the previous photos I posted in this thread. Mine is darker, almost saddle brown, no markings...but the same. Others on the Forum have suggested in previous discussions that these particular flap holsters were made by Brauer Bothers for the Victory's. The Canadian belt is very, very nice indeed. I especially like the brass findings used for the waist size adjustment. Is that a serpent or some sort of mythical sea horse type creature? Wondering if that might allude to it being Naval in origin? Also wondering if the metal hanger lines up correctly with the grommets of the belt? Very cool period accessory!
Yes, this holster is the full flap Navy holster for the Victory correctly unmarked. I have no evidence it would be a Brauer Bros production anyway it doesn't match very well with this old style canadian belt. The Army Victory holsters for 4" and 5" are half flap with the big US and manifacturer's name on the back.
OP
digi-shots
SWCA Member
Sorry, I'm running low on S&W's...
Here's a 1937 vintage Railway Express .38 COLT Police Positive and holster:
Here's a 1937 vintage Railway Express .38 COLT Police Positive and holster:
Very early pre-Model 27 .357 Magnum w/3.5" barrel in an early Berns-Martin (Calhoun City, MS) breakfront rig.
Great Berns-Martin, John-great revolver as well.That size revolver is hard to find good leather for.
Here's another Calhoun City B-M,followed by a George Lawrence holster for a Combat Masterpiece.
Regards,
John Witty
turnerriver
SWCA,CCA,NRA Life member
Here's another Calhoun City B-M,followed by a George Lawrence holster for a Combat Masterpiece.
Regards,
John Witty
turnerriver
SWCA,CCA,NRA Life member
Deacon KC
Member
This post just keeps getting better.
OP
digi-shots
SWCA Member
John & John.... nice looking Berns-Martin's !
Can you help with this one? It's got the Evaluator's Ltd. stamping. Can you estimate a date for it?
It's a little worn with some missing stitches. I'm still looking for the right gun to go in it!
Thanks!
Can you help with this one? It's got the Evaluator's Ltd. stamping. Can you estimate a date for it?
It's a little worn with some missing stitches. I'm still looking for the right gun to go in it!
Thanks!
If you go to this link: http://www.hanoverbrass.com/ , then OUR BUCKLES, then on to page 5, you'll see some orginal and reproduction snake buckles. Look for these numbers:
G-36 Snake Buckle
(Blockade Buckle)
circa 1861-1865
TG-36(A) Snake Belt Plate
Original dug Cold Harbor, Va.
TG-36C Snake Belt Plate
TG-36B Snake Belt Plate
original dug (Seven Days Battle, Cold Harbor, Va.)
G-36 Snake Buckle
(Blockade Buckle)
circa 1861-1865
TG-36(A) Snake Belt Plate
Original dug Cold Harbor, Va.
TG-36C Snake Belt Plate
TG-36B Snake Belt Plate
original dug (Seven Days Battle, Cold Harbor, Va.)
I don't know a date, but that's fine lookin' rig, Linda!
Linda,see the referenced Forum thread for some information on Evaluators,Ltd.I have a S&W All Models circular dated 1959 with an Evaluators,Ltd. stamp on it & a copy of a US Navy field trial involving revolvers & Berns-Martin & Heiser holsters supplied by Evaluators dated June 1953(a copy provided to me by Rick Nahas-as Charlie Flick states in the referenced thread, he knows more about General Van Orden & Evaluators,Ltd. than anyone else I know).My guess is that your holster was made in the 1950's.
The rawhide thong on your holster was provided as a means to attach the holster to a standard US web pistol belt; I've seen this on a number of Berns-Martin holsters although I also have a B-M holster with a standard belt hook for use with a web belt.Looking at the photo of your holster & the one of John's 3 1/2" N frame holster,I noticed that the distance between the spring stitching & the top back of the holster enclosing the trigger guard is smaller on yours-I would guess that your holster fits a 3 1/2" or 4" K frame S&W or similar sized Colt revolver.You can measure the distance from the inside bottom edge of the cylinder impression to the bottom of the holster & get a good idea of the barrel length.
http://smith-wessonforum.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/540103904/m/419102978
Finally, here's a copy of an entry on a Knife Forum that has some information on General Van Orden, proprietor of Evaluators,Ltd.I found references to a General Van Orden all the way back to the War of 1812-Van Orden is a name long associated with our country's fighting forces.I can't vouch for the information below & have not corrected any errors in syntax,spelling or grammar.
" Wiggington Van Orden
Not a hard name to forget but a difficult one to find. Some time back I wrote an article for Knife World about the first pilot’s survival knives. Marbles played a big part in designing those knives, pre Jet Pilot knives, and their name for the knife was the Wiggington Van Orden Survival knife. I have tried for quite some time to place that name. Well I found him. An e-mail sent to Knife World was forwarded to me by the editor Mark Zalesky. He was Brigadier General Van Orden USMC Retired. It seems BG Van Orden designed this knife and had it sent to the Marine Corps for testing, it was denied. Not to be outdone it was placed into production and sent to the Navy test board and excepted! After the General retired he opened a small store in Virginia outside of the base and supplied young Marines with all the equipment they would need at the cheapest price possible. General Van Orden was very fond of his young Marines and very often they were indebt to him. He would not let them ship out without being fitted out properly even if they couldn’t afford it. Seems to me we could use a few more General Van Ordens today."
Regards,
John Witty
turnerriver
SWCA,CCA,NRA Life member
The rawhide thong on your holster was provided as a means to attach the holster to a standard US web pistol belt; I've seen this on a number of Berns-Martin holsters although I also have a B-M holster with a standard belt hook for use with a web belt.Looking at the photo of your holster & the one of John's 3 1/2" N frame holster,I noticed that the distance between the spring stitching & the top back of the holster enclosing the trigger guard is smaller on yours-I would guess that your holster fits a 3 1/2" or 4" K frame S&W or similar sized Colt revolver.You can measure the distance from the inside bottom edge of the cylinder impression to the bottom of the holster & get a good idea of the barrel length.
http://smith-wessonforum.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/540103904/m/419102978
Finally, here's a copy of an entry on a Knife Forum that has some information on General Van Orden, proprietor of Evaluators,Ltd.I found references to a General Van Orden all the way back to the War of 1812-Van Orden is a name long associated with our country's fighting forces.I can't vouch for the information below & have not corrected any errors in syntax,spelling or grammar.
" Wiggington Van Orden
Not a hard name to forget but a difficult one to find. Some time back I wrote an article for Knife World about the first pilot’s survival knives. Marbles played a big part in designing those knives, pre Jet Pilot knives, and their name for the knife was the Wiggington Van Orden Survival knife. I have tried for quite some time to place that name. Well I found him. An e-mail sent to Knife World was forwarded to me by the editor Mark Zalesky. He was Brigadier General Van Orden USMC Retired. It seems BG Van Orden designed this knife and had it sent to the Marine Corps for testing, it was denied. Not to be outdone it was placed into production and sent to the Navy test board and excepted! After the General retired he opened a small store in Virginia outside of the base and supplied young Marines with all the equipment they would need at the cheapest price possible. General Van Orden was very fond of his young Marines and very often they were indebt to him. He would not let them ship out without being fitted out properly even if they couldn’t afford it. Seems to me we could use a few more General Van Ordens today."
Regards,
John Witty
turnerriver
SWCA,CCA,NRA Life member
victorylarry
Member
This is a great thread. Turneriver-I'm always impressed with your vintage leather and your knowledge of the field. Here is my first Heiser Holster I found in Tulsa last year...
Here are a pair of Colt Officer's Target Models purchased at the same time in 1932 (22 cal and 38 special) along with their Boyt Sheepskin Rugs. The seller was seperating the two guns for sale and I made sure they stayed together
.
This last shot is of a Heiser belt buckle that went to one of our own forum members along with a pre war outdoorsman. Notice the indian shooting an arrow on the lower left of the buckle...
Here are a pair of Colt Officer's Target Models purchased at the same time in 1932 (22 cal and 38 special) along with their Boyt Sheepskin Rugs. The seller was seperating the two guns for sale and I made sure they stayed together
This last shot is of a Heiser belt buckle that went to one of our own forum members along with a pre war outdoorsman. Notice the indian shooting an arrow on the lower left of the buckle...
Regarding Evaluator's Ltd., in the early 1950's Mrs. Florence Van Orden, Gen. Van Orden's wife, suggested the name "Highway Patrolman" to S&W's Carl Hellstrom for the gun that evolved into the Model 28. She also worked at their store in Quantico, Va. As I recall, she was related to Carl Hellstrom or someone else in S&W management.
OP
digi-shots
SWCA Member
Turnerriver,
Thanks John for narrowing down the time frame and the background info on Berns-Martin.
You're right about the size, it looks like it was made for the K-frame, somewhere between 3" to 4" length barrel.
VictoryLarry... that's a good looking Heiser holster.
Thanks John for narrowing down the time frame and the background info on Berns-Martin.
You're right about the size, it looks like it was made for the K-frame, somewhere between 3" to 4" length barrel.
VictoryLarry... that's a good looking Heiser holster.
Larry,thanks or your comments. That's a very fine Heiser holster & the belt buckle is intriguing & unusual. Your pair of Colts are outstanding & the Boyt rugs are great as well. I run into a surprisingly large number of vintage holsters made for Colt Officers Models & Official Police revolvers.
Giz, your Calhoun City stamp & a similar Elberton, Ga. stamp are the standard Berns-Martin stamps; the Calhoun City stamp is the earlier one-roughly 1940's & '50's. The Evaluators stamp is a retailer's stamp-I find both Berns-Martin & Hieser made holsters with ther stamp, as well as some lesser quality holsters with the Evaluators "Quick Draw" or "FBI Quick Draw" stamps. Evaluators marked holsters have been of interest to me for some time-I pick them up when I find them, which isn't very often. Obviously, this is my kind of thread-keep 'em coming.
Regards,
John Witty
turnerriver
SWCA,CCA, NRA Life member
Giz, your Calhoun City stamp & a similar Elberton, Ga. stamp are the standard Berns-Martin stamps; the Calhoun City stamp is the earlier one-roughly 1940's & '50's. The Evaluators stamp is a retailer's stamp-I find both Berns-Martin & Hieser made holsters with ther stamp, as well as some lesser quality holsters with the Evaluators "Quick Draw" or "FBI Quick Draw" stamps. Evaluators marked holsters have been of interest to me for some time-I pick them up when I find them, which isn't very often. Obviously, this is my kind of thread-keep 'em coming.
Regards,
John Witty
turnerriver
SWCA,CCA, NRA Life member
OP
digi-shots
SWCA Member
John,
Great info on "Berns-Martin"... I'm glad you're here to keep us straigtened out!
Here's a pic of one I picked up at a local show for $5.00! The stamping on the backside is a little weak but you can make out the city, Elberton and Berns-Martin.
This little .38 S&W Terrier is really getting a work out with my pics. I really need to get some more snub noses..
The camera, off to the side, is a 1946-47 stainless steel "Micro 16" spy camera.
Great info on "Berns-Martin"... I'm glad you're here to keep us straigtened out!
Here's a pic of one I picked up at a local show for $5.00! The stamping on the backside is a little weak but you can make out the city, Elberton and Berns-Martin.
This little .38 S&W Terrier is really getting a work out with my pics. I really need to get some more snub noses..
The camera, off to the side, is a 1946-47 stainless steel "Micro 16" spy camera.
Like John W., I pick up every B-M holster I run across. They were very innovative and ahead of their time. 1970-1980 era police breakfront holsters by Bianchi, Safety Speed, Hoyt, and other makers were direct descendants of the B-M holster design.
Thuer
Member
I know. I am a terrible photographer.
But I like to sho you some holsters from my collection.
This is my Uberti Schofield with a Holster made by Bert Lange.
[IMG:top]
[/IMG]
But I like to sho you some holsters from my collection.
This is my Uberti Schofield with a Holster made by Bert Lange.
[IMG:top]
[/IMG]
