A Great Old Holster

[Marshal Will Wingam]

At the match, a pard there was selling a bunch of cowboy-related stuff. He had an old holster and we agreed on a price ($10).

I got home and got into my Packing Iron because I thought there might be something similar in it. Yep. Page 113, there's a Frazier that is VERY similar. The border is exact and the tooling is a similar style. The top edge of the pouch has been trimmed some but not enough to make it hard to tell the original shape. It'll be fun to make a copy.

I haven't found a maker's mark on it yet. I even looked betwen the skirt and the pouch but couldn't see anything. Maybe after I clean the 100 years' worth of dust out of there, I may.

Anyone with any knowledge that can help identify it, by all means chip in. Here's a pic.

[Drayton Calhoun]

I love the border and I have seen one very similar and, due to aged brain cells, cannot for the life of me remember where. It was a sweet find if only for a pattern.
  Ok, I think I remember now. I saw one similar at the, I believe it was, the Pony Express Museum in Reno.

[Skeeter Lewis]

Nice buy, Marshal! It's an oldie for sure. What revolver do you think it would fit?

[santee]

Great old holster. What does that leather thong do? Is it a tie down?

[KidTerico]

Nice find Marshal.  Its in nice shape. KT

[David Carrico]

Want your money back??!! Nice piece!

[Ten Wolves Fiveshooter]

   Great fined Will, it has to be well over hundred years old IMHO, and in very nice condition, I'll look forward to seeing a copy of this holster from you in the future.

                Thanks for sharing

                  tEN wOLVES 

[Marshal Will Wingam]

Thanks, pards.

Skeeter, it looks like it would fit a large frame DA, possibly a Colt or Smith but not a Schofield. Something without a side ejector. A long-barreled (4 1/2") ejectorless Colt SAA would go into it nicely, too. A 1917 Colt would probably also fit.

I hope later today to get it cleaned up so I can see if there's a maker's mark hidden on it anywhere.

TW, I'll definitely post a pic of a copy when I get one made.

[Dalton Masterson]

Very nice Will!
It sure is fun recreating ones like that. It makes for a nice challenge.
I await your progress.
DM

[Buck Stinson]

Marshall,
That is a very nice holster.  Over the years, I've had several of these in all three of the Colt SA barrel lengths as well as several different DA's.   You won't find a makers cartouche on this one.  This is a what is referred to as a "catalog" holster.  It is pictured in both the Sears & Roebuck and Montgomery Wards catalogs just before and after the turn of the century and was listed as "fancy Cowboy holster".  The price ranged from $1.40 to $1.90 depending on the year of the listing in the catalog.  It may or may not have numbers stamped on the back of the skirt to indicate barrel length.  These holsters appear to be hand carved, but in fact the carving pattern was embossed with a larged steel die.  Hope you'll find this of interest.

Adios,
Buck

[GunClick Rick]

I'll give ya 20 Don't clean "er too much..

[Marshal Will Wingam]

Thanks for the information, Buck. I thought it might be a mail order holster. The overall look of the design looks roll stamped although there are some irregularities in the deco work. Were these partly stamped by hand to finish them off?

There are no BBL length numbers on the back of the skirt. In looking it over carefully, I found there's about 3/4" of cotton stuffed in the toe to keep a smaller pistol from going too deep in it. That has served to keep the toe in better condition than it might have been otherwise. The skirt also has two slots cut in it so it could be put on a narrow belt and not ride up when the pistol was pulled. The tie-down may have been added later, too. The laces are short enough to be useful only if this was a shoulder holster but I can't imagine how it would have been attached to a harness.

The leather is in good condition and a little conditioner would bring it into useable condition.

At $1.40 - 1.90, it looks like I over paid for it at $10.00.  

Now I need to find a catalog picture of it.

[GunClick Rick]

Check this out Marshall

https://www.vintagegunleather.com/sold-items.html


These don't look any better than your'n

[Marshal Will Wingam]

Thanks for the link, Rick. I didn't know they had a "sold" page. Some of those are very nice holsters. I don't know that this one is in the same league. Much appreciated.

[Django]

At the match, a pard there was selling a bunch of cowboy-related stuff. He had an old holster and we agreed on a price ($10).

I got home and got into my Packing Iron because I thought there might be something similar in it. Yep. Page 113, there's a Frazier that is VERY similar. The border is exact and the tooling is a similar style. The top edge of the pouch has been trimmed some but not enough to make it hard to tell the original shape. It'll be fun to make a copy.

I haven't found a maker's mark on it yet. I even looked betwen the skirt and the pouch but couldn't see anything. Maybe after I clean the 100 years' worth of dust out of there, I may.

Anyone with any knowledge that can help identify it, by all means chip in. Here's a pic.

Marshall, check PI again, the BELT is Frasier and the holster is EL PASO SADDLERY
Django

[Marshal Will Wingam]

You're absolutely right. I misread that. Thanks.