Ideal Holster/Stock

[jpamselle]

Mr. Ross Merritt Griswold Phillips migrated from Iowa to California with his mother and his younger brother and in 1884 he joined the Los Angeles Police Department at the age of 21. While serving as a police officer he invented a new type of lantern which was adopted by the Police Department in 1899. He then proceeded to work on a revolver holster and shoulder stock combination inspired by the Mauser wooden pistol case of 1896. Mr. Phillips produced some prototypes and in September 1901 he filed for a patent as assignor to the Ideal Holster Company of Los Angeles, California. The patent was eventually granted on June 1904 but in the interim proceeded to produce and sell the Ideal Holster with the inscription “PATENTS PENDING”.

In 1902 Mr. Phillips left the Police Department after developing a revolutionary air-cooled automobile, and in September 1905 he incorporated the Golden State Motor Car, partnering with champion rifle shooter John Hauerwaas, gunsmith and inventor Joseph Singer, and patent attorney Francis M. Townsend. *

John Walther in his book “Luger”, published in 1977 (page 154) says “Various patterns of the Ideal-holster stock are known, …. Two types of grips, one chequered and one plain wood, are known to have been made.” Moreover, Charles Kenyon believes that an earlier model of the Ideal Stock Holster may exist (see Gun Report, February 2001). Thus, it is conceivable that the one shown below attached to a DWM 1902 American Eagle “Fat barrel” could be an earlier version of the traditional Ideal Holster Stock shown below it with a 1900 American Eagle Commercial. Note that the one above is not inscribed “PATENTS PENDING” and the belt attachment is absent. It would appear that the closing flap in that design would provide more shoulder comfort and protection than the final patented one below, but this is at the expense of lesser structural support to the leather holster itself. The patented design has a metal bracket fully supporting the shoulder part but has no closing flap, thus apparently offering less shoulder comfort.

Comments from the learned ones would be appreciated