I have owned two TE holsters, the one pictured in Vanderlinden's book and another that I passed on to a friend. One had the initials on the flap and the other did not. Other than that, they were exactly alike in all respects down to verdigris and smell.

Eric, I never hear of Vanderlindens' book, or the term, 'verdigris' lastly your right, the inside leather, does have a distinct smell, totally desernable from that of the fakes, I have great examples of a fake eagle holster, ont and back,which I will try to post, and if i cant, ill ask Ed for the favor, its a must see. eric

Not all of the Test Eagles went to Cav units in the field. Some went to West Point, the Prasidio, Springfield Arsenal and a fort whose name escapes me right now (It's tough being on the road with a lousy memory and no access to my reference library). It is doubtful that these guns saw much harsh use.

All of the TE holsters on their BACK sides have the initials of EHS" stamped below the RIA stamping.

M. Reese indicated in his little book on the Test guns that "EHS" stood for the inspector E.H. Schmitten.

Regarding the other initials that appear or may not appear on the bottom portion of the front flap :

Just a WAG...but rather than being another set secondary inspectors' stamps, might these be the "added" initials of someone to whom the gun and holster was issued to during the Trials ?

If the front flap initials are another set of inspector stamps, it seems difficult to believe some left the factory with a secondary set of inspector's stamping while other holsters left the leather factory without them. As I recall all 1,000 holster were ordered and made very quickly and in short order.

An officier/soldier adding his own initials makes more sense...at least in my mind.

Also...some photos in various Luger books shows this flap-initial stamping rightside up and others upside down.

Initials observed on the front flapss of some of these holsters in some of the Luger books include "HD", "AJL" (upside down), "WC" (upside down).

Not sure if inspectors stamping the front flap at the factory would place their initials upside down...

I would suggest reading the facinating reading of the purchase and distribution of each of the early lugers, including Luger model 1900, 1902, prototype, 9mm, etc 'SPRINGFIELD ARMORY NATIONAL HISTORICAL SITE' and I thank Pete and Ron for your sharing invaluable informaation.

I can offer an alternative WAG. The observation the inspector initials are a bit haphazard, i.e. two initials or three, upside down, off center, etc. is certainly the case. My guess is that these may be an inventory inspector marking when the holsters were bundled with the Lugers to be shipped to individual field units, while those going to state-side garrisoned units may not have had the same requirement for accountability and therefore are sans initials. Furthemore, the "HD" initials seem to be recurring unless the same holster has been published in multiple references.

RON, Ifound the distribution on the Springfieldd site, in its examination of GERMAN PISTOL LUGER MODEL 1900 7.65MM SN#7018, 'Following inspection at Springfield Armory in December an March 1902: 1 to Rock Island as pattern for a holster (23 January 1902); 10 to the U.S. Military Academy,West Point, New York; 15 to the U.S. Musketry School, The Presidio, San Fransisco: 10 to Fort Hamilton, Brooklyn, New York; 40 The Calvery Board, Fort Riley, Kansas; and 625 to calvery units, in the field. See National Park Service Records,

Photo scan of the holster George mentions he owns and is shown in the new book by Vanderlinden :

http://forum.lugerforum.com/lfupload...st_holster.jpg

Photos of a repro TE holster made by El Paso Saddlery of TX...these early ones were made without the El Paso stamping on the back :

http://forum.lugerforum.com/lfupload...er_1_copy2.jpg
http://forum.lugerforum.com/lfupload...er_2_copy2.jpg

eric,What new book by vanderlinden, You know Im a book junky.

The El Paso Saddlery holster is a nice copy in overall configuration, but has sorme easily spotted differences. The RIA marking is stamped much higher and does not match the original exactly (character spacing, particularly "ARSENAL", is different).

Eric, Anthony Vanderlinden produced a 200 page book on Holsters and Shoulder stocks of the World. A must have book in my opinion. $45.95 the last I saw.
You can contact Wet Dog Publications
336 275 0405
www.fn-browning.com


Jerry Burney

About 35% of the Luger holsters in Anthony's book were provided by George Anderson and me. The book is a great reference.

Tom A

Here is what the book looks like, in case you run across it at gun shows for a used price...

http://www.rayrilingarmsbooks.com/cg...cgi/12284.html

Flap hole in the "repro" where the stud runs through does not seem to be of a tear-drop shape on the EPS offerings...

Eric,

As far as Luger holster books go, this is one you may want to add to your collection if you do not have it already. It is a big book at 600 pages...worth the price for a new copy.

I see them used at gun shows for $ 65 or so...

http://www.simpsonltd.com/product_in...oducts_id=2630

ERIC, I never knew there were right and left handed holster, i guess mine is left, i tried to dowload a early century us calvery, A,S,CAV 50, rock island arsenal, 1904, with initials, 't.c.' with the bold, US, IT COMPLIMENTS THE HOLSTER, lEATHER HOLSTER AND AMMO POUCHEES TELL THERE OWN STORY,

I wish we new how and my whom a leather accessory was manufactured, inspected and distributed, Please email me, its worth the look,i taken great closeup to the initials, marking, and most importantly the wear impessions' If no one has an extra, lying around,, anIm ordering thereferenced book today, I cant wait, eric 'snookem13@aol.com 772-336-5312, or maybe I can find a used book, old leather, like aged wine, has its own distinctine aroma, Thank You
http://forum.lugerforum.com/lfupload/untitled_copy3.jpg

warning, Please get a second opinion, during the normal three day inspection period, It so happened that I was lucky to have some of our present, formost authorities, to scruitenise The Test Holster, but even we can be wrong, Remember their opinion, is only as valid, as the photograph submitted, Unless, your familiar with the seller, and they agree to an independant inspection my an 'old timer or expect' and it passes the smell, feel, and expected wear in all the right places, err on the side of safety, cause iI promise, there will always be another, this way you can avoid, I TOLD YOU TO GET IT CHECKED OUT'

I forgot, the Luger has a serial number, #6786 both frame and matching barrel, and and a wooden bottom barrel, unnumbered and marked only with a 'flaming round bomb', that I will provide a sample, Its seem to me to be the easiest wooden mag to counterfeit,