Real or Reproduction?
 

Hi,

I have this "gyo" manufactured "41" "WaA98" marked holster, received with a recent Luger purchase:

It's stitching looks similar to a know reproduction holster that I have, yet other features (the pull on the loop; stitching pattern holding the loop; buckle hardware) look like the genuine holsters I have. The formation / stitching of the bottom of the magazine well also matches the genuine holsters.

Leather age looks genuine, including cracked buckle strap; rub patterns and scratches.

Does this one look like a reproduction?

Thanks, Marc

Looks good to me.

One dead give-away is usually the quality of the tool pouch. Since it is hidden, fakers don't always lavish much attention on them. Whenever I see a tool pouch whose edges stick out a good bit from the profile stitching or whose corners are not well formed and use cheap, thin leather it always raises doubts.

I agree. Seems real enough to me!

Doug and Gerban, thanks for your feedback on this.

I'm actually less confident at this point evaluating a holster than a Luger itself.

It's a long and fascinating learning curve.

I don't have a picture, but my reproduction holster has a very sloppy placement of the tool pouch, with stitching overlapping the stitching that holds the top flap to the holster body.

Marc

Marc, Your holster is without doubt an authentic period holster. It has a feature that is found in your second photo that you will not see on earlier holsters or reproductions. This is mostly found on later Luger holsters...Can you find it? This contest is open to all.

jerry

Is it the black painted metal hardware?

Marc

Black painted buckles are relatively common among all kinds of holsters, both real and repro..nope! Keep looking. It's right there in plain view.

details..details..learn to LOOK grasshopper!


Jerry

Perhaps the very thick tapering third piece of leather sewn between the front and rear pieces, as a finished surface backing for the inside of the holster?

Your keen but unworthy student...

That's it! For some reason later holsters had this spacer inserted..ostensibly to give a tad more room in the pistol handle area. I have never seen this feature on a repro.

Good job and a keen eye.

Jerry Burney

Jerry,

Thank you Master... Seriously - for your expertise, and willingness to share it.

Those kind of details are key to understanding the originality of things.

I recently bought the book "The Art of the Faker" by Frank Arnau. It's mostly about art forgeries, but extends discussion into physical objects. Many of his observations apply to our field of collecting and interests...

I consider these interests to be as much about history and education as they are about things that go bang!

Marc

Hi Marc

I don't know much about authenticity of holsters, but the "byo" code you quote looks, in your photographs more like "gyo" to me, which suggests, assuming it is authentic, that it was made by Hans Dinkelmaeyer Lederwarenfabrik, Nuremberg

Cheers from down under,

Geoff

Geoff,

Thanks for your review and posting. That was a typo on my part in the first posting. It is, in fact, "gyo" and I appreciate knowing the manufacturer.

Marc