American Eagle Test Luger with Holster
 

Gents:
Here are a couple of photos of Test Luger #6944 with the holster it came in. The holster is very worn and fits the gun like a glove. It is marked HSB&Co, for Hibbard, Spencer, Bartlett and Co. of Chicago, a period sporting goods dealership. The holster was originally stitched up the side, all long since gone, now wrapped with leather boot strap. The sewn-on belt loop is also missing, and replaced with 2 vertical slits for sliding the belt thru.
The pistol itself is quite amazingly mismatched, sort of like it was a challenge to someone to see how many different guns could be represented in one pistol. And it is well used with little bluing remaining. And of course there was the little thing about someone, presumably Mr. Fletcher Stines, scribing the words "Fletcher Stines" on the left side. A bit of research on him showed him to be born in New York, later settling some land in Montana, and currently resting in a soldier's cemetry out there.
Well, if I can figure out how to post my first pictures, I'll get to it..
DJU

Very cool AE thanks for posting. How about some closeup photos. Regards Randy

I've noticed that my closeups are a bit lacking, bt will try soon.
DJU

Living in Montana am curious what cemetary he is in. Probably Missoula or Miles City? Bill

This site shows him owning land in Flathead County: http://files.usgwarchives.org/mt/flathead/land/s.txt

While this one shows him as residing in the Soldier's Home Cemetry:
http://www.digisys.net/users/scarlett/soldiers.txt

http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~mt...mtdeath50S.htm
Here's the Montana Death Records for 1950, again mentioning Flathead Co.

Other than his birthplace in NY, not seeing much on him. No apparent family.

Fun to keep looking however.
DJU