1935 Holster

[KEN]

Hi:

I'm looking for a 1935 Luger holster original and no rework. I know its rare. Any help as to who might have one.

Thanks,

Ken

These holsters are, as you say, rare and so appear in random places at unexpected times. Manyon's in Kansas City had one two years ago (in good minus condition, it sold for around $650 to a guy in Rhode Island). One appeared on eBay a few years ago but I don't recall the final price. The military's are the rare ones (Henichen Dresden) whereas the police versions are fairly common as police luger holsters go.


Check the nationally advertised gun auctions as advertised in Shotgun News. Good luck in your search.

[Mark McMorrow]

OK Luger guys, why are '35 holsters rare? What would make them more rare than, say, '36 holsters?


Mark

Where did the military carry all there "G" date lugers?

[bill m]

There are actually two variations of the 1935 Military holster. The most common has the maker mark on the back, WaA, and date, all in a line. Marked C. Henichen, Dresdan, WaA, 1935. The second and rarer variation is marked like a K-date holser inside, and marked Carl Henichen, Dresdan, WaA, and 1935. The 1935 military holsters are very hard to find, but not impossible as I have 5.


My thoughts are that most of the early G-date Lugers were issued with a 1934 holster, a few in the middle with 1935 dated holsters, and the later G-dates had the 1936 dated holsters.

The Germans had vast piles of leftover WW1 holsters it seems. I have seen nice ones with WW2 lugers inside as brought back from the war. In May, a local bought a byf41 luger from the vet's son and it was stuck in a near new 1915 holster. The gun hadn't been looked at much since the war and probably was never fired here in the US. There were lots of leftover LP08 holsters that were modified into police holsters. There are very few new military luger holsters dated in the 1920's. I see a few more of the early 1930's police holsters but the first new contracts of any size for military luger holsters seem to have been initiated in 1935. The 34's are different in design and not very common. It is possible only Heinichen was able to get holsters out in 1935, suggesting the orders were placed for no sooner than late 35 or early 36 deliveries. IN 1936, you see lots of new mil holsters from Auwarter and Bubeck and some from other makers (I can't think of now).


My theory is the large new orders for mil luger holsters were not made till 35. Up to that point, old holsters and very small lots of new holsters were used.

[Thor]

Bill or mlm, Any theory on why there are a few 1937 dated holsters and quite a few 1939 dated ones, but very few 1938 ones? Not too many people mention this, but I have been looking for a nice one for my plum colored Luger for a couple of years now. I have a very nice 1936, 1939, 1940, and 1941 but the 1938 has eluded me! I did find one about 8 months ago, but bought for my father in law! ~Thor~

[Johnny Peppers]

U.S. leather like the Model 1916 holster and Model 1907 sling which were still being manufactured in WWII are somewhat the same in that 1942 and 1944 dates are much more common than 1943 or 1945 dates.

Tracy, You and many others, seem to be under the misperception that all new production PO8s were issued with new production holsters. This was not the case. Most of the new holsters made in 1935 went to the police and the clothing depots issued the military whatever was available from their inventory of left-over WW1 & Weimar made holsters. When you find a holster of the same date as the luger that it contains, I can almost guarantee you that some collector has matched it up. I've never obtained a PO8 from a vet in a matching date holster.

I am going to conduct some wild speculation and say that, maybe, it is because you are looking for plum colored 38's. The manufacturer's that made the plum colored ones might not have gotten a contract in 38. I also suspect the contracts for these were not made on a regular basis but a large lot ordered then none until there was a big push to order supplies. That is how it is in militaries--when the money comes, you order stuff. After the first big push to build up equipment, stuff was ordered then there was some time before a new push to increase equipment stocks.


Another way to say this is I think the 1936 deliveries were sufficient until the quartermasters could get time, money and demand coordinated sometime around 38. I don't see many 37's but from 38 on, there are lots of luger holsters. Seems the buildup was in full swing beginning in 38. The arms deliveries steadily increased from 1934, but arms are higher priority when you have used holsters laying around.


Pure theory based on my experience with the US defense industry and company ordering systems.

This is a good point. I have seen "matched date" rigs only rarely. I have one dated 1941 (lots of holsters and lugers in1941 so not a surprise though I have seen a 41 luger in a 1915 holster that was a bring back) and I recently saw a complete 1936 rig that included a 1936 holster (this was in possession of the son of the soldier who brought it back this way). Otherwise, it seems lugers and holsters were fairly randomly brought together.

[bill m]

I have a slightly different opinion on the dated holsters. I think most of the left over WWI holsters were used in the Weimar military and police. I personally do not think a 1915 dated holster was ever issued with a byf 41 Luger. My opinion is that the date of the holster should be fairly close to the date of the gun and perferrable the same date. As I mentioned in my above message, I think the 1934 holsters were issued with the G-date Lugers (1935), but from then on, things were usually one date ealier or one date later. There are no doubt exceptions to all of this, but to have a 1940 code 42 Luger issued with a 1936 holster just doesn't seem reasonable to me. There were thousands of Lugers made each year and thousands of holsters. If they were being issued, the overlap would not be 100,000's of thousands of holsters. I'll stick with the same year date as it makes it all very simple.

[Mark McMorrow]

Yep, my 1937 Luger came in a 1936 holster (WILH. BRAND HEIDELBERG) - and that's just the way the vet got it.


Mark

[Thor]

Nope, my Luger is plum colored, but I dont care what color the holster is, just has to be excellent and clearly marked! Thor

Tom was trying to make a point for all the people who have been saying that only a holster of the same date as the Luger makes a matching rig. I should have added "Tongue in Cheek."