WW1 conversion

[rhinemann]

I bought a G date luger and it came with this holster which was a artillery holster modified from my conversation with Jerry (Luger Holster Repair). What has me curious is that below the manufactures name is a droop eagle stamp with the code ZaJt indicating that it served a second life in the 3rd Reich. If there was manufacture date when it was a artilerty holster it has disappeared over time.
Did companies who reworked earlier holsters put the eagle stamp and their code on holsters that they modified? I cant believe that a leather company would not mark their work and I figure they would have been issued a code.
Because of the early eagle stamp would this be correct timeline for a G date Luger?
Also what is the double W stmp also located on the back stand for, rework?

Comment are welcomed.

Best regards

Jeffrey

[lugerholsterrepair]

Jeff..This is a fascinating holster..Did companies who reworked earlier holsters put the eagle stamp and their code on holsters that they modified? I cant believe that a leather company would not mark their work and I figure they would have been issued a code.
Because of the early eagle

Any company that re worked these Artillery holsters would have been decades away from and German 3 letter codes! Codes were required in 1940. This holster likely was reworked no later than the mid twenties.
Many re works were probably done pretty much by cottage industry saddlers not very large companies.
The interesting droop wing eagle stamp with the code ZaJt you see is a military acceptance. I can't remember ever seeing one on a re worked Artillery before.

[rhinemann]

Hi Jerry,
I agree with you about the holster being sent out to a cottage industries for alteration to its current configuration. But could it have gone back to a armory or authorized repair facility for minor repairs or inspection where the droop eagle stamp was applied for re issue to the new army being built up? I wonder how many times holsters get pulled back for repairs and sent back out or replaced to supply the needs of the army. I am guessing that repairs were made sometimes in the field if not they would have to have been sent to somewhere to determine its use for the military. And it repairs or inspections were done would they apply new stamps for re issue? I have no proof or documentation of this theory. Just observations of arsonal stamps applied to arms and equipment.
Best regards,
Jeffrey

[Edward Tinker]

I have not seen new stamps for acceptance on holsters. New unit marks, sure, but not acceptance stamps.

[lugerholsterrepair]

I have not seen new stamps for acceptance on holsters. New unit marks, sure, but not acceptance stamps.

Ed, Neither have I but this one here looks authentic. I don't have my copy of World of Lugers here..can you look up the significance of this stamp? Droop wing eagle ZaJt It's not a pure WaA or it's an early one without numbers or I have seen it before..I am sure it's in WoLugers. Around 1934-36?

[rhinemann]

Hi Jerry and Ed,
I think I found the mark in the World of Lugers book on page 126 at the very bottom. Frank Costanzo has it as; Droop eagle ZAJE.
quote; 1939 Waffen Amt military proof. Noted on reworked Lugers and Holsters.

I think from what I can see this is what we are looking at on this holster . The only slight difference is that the book says ZAJE and my holster stamp looks like ZaJE with the top of the E missing.
Comments always welcomed,

Best Regards,
Jeffrey

[lugerholsterrepair]

Ha! Much later than I thought! I was thinking by 39 it would have been a stick wing..Shows you what I know. Well I can tell you..this is not a marking you see very often on anything. I see an amazing amount of holsters every year for the last 15 years and I don't remember EVER seeing it on a re worked holster. Neat one Jeff!