Cowboy Era Gun Leather

[curmudgeon]

I'm in the process of building a period correct (1867-1895) gun belt and holster. My research has proven that many of the makers during this period used various hand made stamps to create patterns and designs on both belt and holsters. And i have found examples of the use of molding tools to again create patterns on these leather pieces. What i'm trying to find are true leather workers from this period that did actual leather tooling on leather pieces.

Any help will be really appreciated. And i thank you, Curmudgeon

[King's X]

I have a coffee table book that has that period holster/gun belts. Let me find it and I can give you the title/author. We don't own a coffee table. Sorry

[Mike Craw]

I'm guessing that's "Packing Iron" by Richard C. Rattenbury. Fantastic book!

Mike

[King's X]

that's it. It is place in storage and in brand new condition. I would consider selling it to you for your research if you are interested. PM me.

[Chief31794]

While I think there are certainly some carved or stamped holsters and belts from that era, I can't believe they would have been the norm. They were probably reserved for rich gentlemen ranchers and only a few of those. I think that most holsters were plain, well made, utilitarian necessities and I think holsters without ornate carving are extremely beautiful when constructed and finisthed properly. I could be wrong about the carved equipment from the era, shoot that's happened before.

Ken

[ChuckBurrows]

While I think there are certainly some carved or stamped holsters and belts from that era, I can't believe they would have been the norm. They were probably reserved for rich gentlemen ranchers and only a few of those. I think that most holsters were plain, well made, utilitarian necessities and I think holsters without ornate carving are extremely beautiful when constructed and finisthed properly. I could be wrong about the carved equipment from the era, shoot that's happened before.

Ken

Actually Ken you are wrong - the vast majority of civilian holsters from the period being discussed were tooled - either carved, stamped, plated, or roll marked. It's a matter of different aesthetics for that period - for most gunleather plain unadorned leather was just not in style. Tooling was in fact fairly cheap to do - often done by lowl paid apprentices and journeymen. Most of the saddle shops were not one man concerns, but small businesses often with several workers and labor was cheap.

As noted the book Packing Iron is a good start on researching gun leather of the period. Zon Publishing's other book, Cowboys and the Trappings of the Old West, also has a good section on gun leather. These two books include full color works byt major makers of the period such as F.A. Meanea, Moran Brothers, Collins, and many others. They also show how both tooling styles and pattern styles changed over the years - what was popular in 1865 was not the same as 1890.

Other online sources are the various auction houses such as Cowans, Butterfields, Greg Martin, etc. These auction houses often have period leather examples. Then there are some online museum type resources.

Overall it's not a simple subject - been studying it for 50 years and I'm still learning.

[David]

Chuck is being very modest.

If you would like to see the state of the art in Contemporary Gun Leather done it the period correct manner. Visit his site Wild Rose Trading Company.

I always come away from there ready to start making western gun leather; only to have another order for a motorcycle seat appear in my email.

Someday.......

Dave Theobald

[Chief31794]

Actually Ken you are wrong - the vast majority of civilian holsters from the period being discussed were tooled - either carved, stamped, plated, or roll marked. It's a matter of different aesthetics for that period - for most gunleather plain unadorned leather was just not in style. Tooling was in fact fairly cheap to do - often done by lowl paid apprentices and journeymen. Most of the saddle shops were not one man concerns, but small businesses often with several workers and labor was cheap.

Chuck,

Thanks for the update. I have not researched the books you mentioned but they sound interesting. I have read quite a bit on gunfighters and gunfights in the old west. I was confused by the material I've seen in museums (mostly Texas around Fort Worth), while I saw some tooled holsters and thought that those would have been preserved and sought after more than plain, I saw a lot of holsters like the ones I've attached:

I was also considering military rigs, you mentioned civilian holsters. During my readings it seemed to me that many of the post war veterans retained as was or modified there mililtary holsters for everyday use. While there aren't a lot of pictures showing people form the era wearing rigs, the one I have seen is Buffalo Bill in his performance outfit and that is a plain belt with no tooling. The other thing that came accross was that many people carried their handguns in their waistband or pockets as they couldn't afford or find a holster for sale. I did seem some end of the 19th century holsters that were claimed to have been "mail ordered" from Sears and Roebuck in the infancy days of their cataloging days. I sould have done more thourough reading and research and will. Thanks for letting me know. I've been to your website, you do beautiful work.

Ken

[St8LineGunsmith]

Chuck is being very modest.

If you would like to see the state of the art in Contemporary Gun Leather done it the period correct manner. Visit his site Wild Rose Trading Company.

I always come away from there ready to start making western gun leather; only to have another order for a motorcycle seat appear in my email.

Someday.......

Dave Theobald

All I can say is Holy Smokes!

after checking out Chucks site made me think wOw!

that is some of the most beautiful gun leather I have ever laid my eyes on