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-   -   HH Heiser Holster... (https://forum.lugerforum.com/showthread.php?t=12091)

Pete Ebbink 05-23-2005 11:50 AM

HH Heiser Holster...
 
Seems I am beginning to build a small collection of HH Heiser holsters for lugers...this one will be coming to my home in a week :

http://forum.lugerforum.com/lfupload/hh_heiser_1.jpg

http://forum.lugerforum.com/lfupload/hh_heiser_2.jpg

http://forum.lugerforum.com/lfupload/hh_heiser_3.jpg

Rod WMG 05-23-2005 07:06 PM

That's a real nice one, Pete!

lugerholsterrepair 05-23-2005 07:21 PM

Pete, Naval or Artillery? They indeed made a quality holster. To produce one as nice today would be expensive...Jerry Burney

Pete Ebbink 05-23-2005 09:56 PM

Hi Jerry,

This one is for a 6" luger...it has the open toe design. I have a nice 1920's 6" shooter (7.65 mm) that has been waiting for the right holster...

I was pleased to see the black & cream enamel paint on the snap is still intact on this holster.

Pete...

George Anderson 05-24-2005 08:02 AM

Pete, you got spurs, boots and chaps to go with that?

Heinz 05-24-2005 08:20 PM

Pete, could you please elaborate on HH Heiser. Is this a US producer from pre WWII?

Thanks in advance

PS, Great holster!

Pete Ebbink 05-24-2005 09:21 PM

Hi Heinz,

I am away from my library, but here are a couple of threads from LF members back in 2003. I find myself buying any/all HH Heiser luger holsters in good condition I run across...this must be my tertiary luger infection...that no antiboitics can cure...

Ron Wood info :

" Bender does not give a chronological breakdown of Heiser holsters by style or style number. He does give a very detailed biography of Hermann H. Heiser, and some information can be inferred from that bio. The HHH logo came into being in 1878 and the firm continued in operation by the Heiser family until 1945 when the firm was sold to the Denver Dry Goods Company. Bender states that DDGC continued to operate the Heiser shop until 1950, but doesn't indicate if the HHH logo remained on their products.

With the advent of the automobile and tractor, sale of saddle goods declined, but the holster business flourished. From that you might postulate that the most probable date for a surviving Heiser holster might be from around 1910 to 1940, plus or minus on either end.

Heiser quality remained pretty consistent throughout all the years of production, so it is hard to detect variations in style, stitching, finish, etc., over the years. One marker that I have noted is that the earlier holsters used rivets bearing the HHH stamp. An example is shown in Bender of an artillery length holster with this type of rivet. That would seem to me to indicate that the HHH rivet was in use into the '20s since it is very doubtful sufficient artillery length Lugers would have been in the US to warrant production of such a holster until they became commercially available through Stoeger, A&F, Pacific Arms, etc. Since the holster you found has a plain rivet, it may or may not place manufacture in the late '20s early '30s timeframe.

Most of the Heiser holsters I have seen have had the inscription "Luger" and barrel length hand embossed on the back of the holster. But, this was not a consistent practice as Bender shows examples with and without this marking, so I can't attach any date correlation to this feature.

All of the foregoing is pure conjecture, so don't place any bets on its accuracy.

With regard to the Audley spring steel being really stout, it wasn't. The catch had to be easily depressed with the trigger finger to draw the weapon (if the pistol wasn't on "safe", such an action with the trigger finger may have resulted in the creation of "open toe" Audleys!). The downside of placing a really nice Luger in an Audley holster is the metal to metal contact of the catch and trigger guard, which could result in damage to the finish if the Luger is not very carefully placed into the holster. If inserted carefully, a Luger could be displayed in an Audley, but I certainly would not carry a nice Luger in an Audley hoster. They are still a very desirable holster to have in a collection. "

Rockin' Bob info :

"
* Heiser filed an application for his trade mark on Oct., 21, 1878. His death occurred Sept., 11, 1904. He was 68. The firm continued to prosper under the leadership of the founder's 3 sons. The firm was bought out in 1945 by Denver Dry Goods Co. which continued to provide leather goods with Heiser's name until 1950. The firm was than sold to Keyston Brothers of San Francisco.
* As to the date, I do not detect a specific date for design 435 given by Gene Bender. I infer from the text when saddle sales began to ebb due to the automobile, holsters flourished. Many of the great, top name Pre and Post WWI Wholesalers were customers of Heiser. Ambercrombie & Fitch, VL&D, Browning Brothers, Sears, etc.
* Your holster's date may be narrowed by a search for Heiser info, especially history or catalog, which would list the design 435 inception/span.
* Hope this helps. Don't tear the cover off your Benders when you get it back. "

Pete Ebbink 05-24-2005 09:26 PM

Here is another Heiser piece I own :

http://forums.lugerforum.com/lfuploa...rartillery.jpg
http://forums.lugerforum.com/lfuploa...artillery1.jpg
http://forums.lugerforum.com/lfuploa...artillery2.jpg

Pete Ebbink 05-24-2005 09:31 PM

And another :

http://forum.lugerforum.com/lfupload/heiser7.jpg
http://forum.lugerforum.com/lfupload/heiser8.jpg
http://forum.lugerforum.com/lfupload/heiser9.jpg

Heinz 05-25-2005 09:02 PM

Thanks for the education and the great pictures. Now I think I need one of those holsters and an eagle to fill it. Just when I thought I was cured!

Edward Tinker 05-25-2005 09:11 PM

Very nice Pete, is there a certain model number, so I can keep my eyes open too? :)


Ed

Pete Ebbink 05-25-2005 09:24 PM

Ed,

See Bender's large luger holster book, page 570, model # 738, flap stype with floral patten or page 567, model # 536, flap style with baket-weave pattern...both for 4-3/4" luger...are on my "next to find" wish list...

Regards,

Pete...:typing:

Edward Tinker 05-25-2005 09:27 PM

thanks, my Benders is in storage :D

Pete Ebbink 05-25-2005 10:36 PM

Ed,

Envision a short version of my 8" basket-weave holster above.

Also envision a short version of my new floral-pattern holster above...just add a full closure flap and a closed toe design with the rawhide running up both sides.

Pete...

Edward Tinker 05-25-2005 10:49 PM

Showed them to Terry, she said, oh, I like that basket weave!

So, will keep my eyes open, I think they all are outstanding.

Thanks for sharing,

Ed

Pete Ebbink 06-19-2005 03:11 PM

My new HH Heiser holster, home with my 1920's 6" shooter luger in 7.65 cal.

I have the gun's original grips (numbered) but use the Italian-made "swiss" grips from the 1960-70's for range use. I stained the grips and applied a spray-on urethane finish.

I also have the gun's "gemany" stamped magazine, but use a spare M1929 Swiss Bern magazine for shooting :

http://forum.lugerforum.com/lfupload...iser_1.jpg.jpg

http://forum.lugerforum.com/lfupload...iser_2.jpg.jpg

http://forum.lugerforum.com/lfupload...iser_3.jpg.jpg

drbuster 06-19-2005 03:42 PM

Very nice, Pete. I'm glad to see you're home on this Fathers Day weekend to be honored and to be united with this great looking holster.

Pete Ebbink 06-20-2005 11:48 AM

Family photo :

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

lugerholsterrepair 06-20-2005 05:07 PM

Pete, I just came accross a Top flap P-38 holster...Looks like a Heiser but made by Eubanks of Boise ID. Has the same basket weave and the rawhide lacing along the left side down to and including the toe. Really a high quality holster. I have never heard of Eubanks...I don't know what era they might have been operating. Jerry Burney

Pete Ebbink 06-20-2005 05:11 PM

Info. on Mr. Royal Eubanks...founder of Eubanks Leather Co :

" Message Board Post:

My name is Russ Eubanks and I am Royal's grandson, here is a quick summary about Royal Eubanks.

Born: November 2, 1896 in Centralia, WA (Lewis County)
Married: First wife and date unknown: one child: Jean
Second wife: Mary Eleanor Latimore, married March 20, 1937
Two sons: James Oliver (my father) and Thomas Royal
Royal died April 28, 1955 in Boise, ID (Ada County)

Royal was working in the mines in Silver City, ID when he married Mary Eleanor Latimore. After Mary spent the summer of 1937 with Royal in Silver City they moved to Boise, ID where Royal started Eubanks Leather and Mary was a substitute teacher.
Royal had learned the basics of leather working from his father and built a business of 10-12 employees. During World War II Royal supplied local and state police with leather goods. This was the only way he was able to stay in business while the war was going on. In 1949 Eubanks Leather was bought out by Pioneer Tent and Awning, a sportings good store based in Seattle. The contract stipulated a five year "No Compete" clause and Royal could never again use the name Eubanks Leather. Royal, Mary, Tom, and Jay traveled to Hawaii in Nov 1949 and to Alaska in June 1950 before they came back to Boise. Royal spent a year in Ely, NV working as a superintendent for the milling operation of a Tungsten Mining company. In 1954 Royal started Idaho Leather but died a year later. Mary sold the business to a family friend, Bud Wetzel. As of September 2004 Bud's son Ben still runs Idaho Leather in the same shop Royal had started Eubanks Leather more than 60 years previously.
Royal's leather products are still being sold on Ebay at the time of this writing in September 2004. Russ, Royal's grandson has collected over 50 items which were made by Eubanks Leather. "


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