Western pistol
Moran Bros. was the premier saddlery of the famous frontier cattle town of Miles City, Montana Territory. They formed a short partnership with J.S. Collins of Cheyenne and Omaha during the first half of 1887. This Montana-style single loop holster is a rare product from that brief partnership. The holsters produced were of the highest quality.
This California-style holster has a contoured main seam and recurved throat that make a slim and handsome silhouette.
This classic Texas jockstrap-style has a meticulous floral carving. S.D. Meyers of El Paso, is credited with creating the holster design. The forward rake that set the pistol grip ahead became a popular feature of both Texas and Colorado holsters in the 1920's.
Pocket holsters were popular from 1900-1920. This Mexican-made clip holster could be worn inside a pocket secured to the outside by the metal spring.
In the late 1870s and '80s, saddlemakers began making cartridge belts, an innovation which significantly changed the design of cowboy gunleather. The "half-flap" Mexican single loop holster was popular throughout Texas. This holster was made by Corpus Christi saddlemaker H. Keller in 1880.
The Mexican loop design spread rapidly among frontier saddlers and became commonplace on the Great Plains from Texas to Canada in less than a decade. Made by J.S. Collins in 1880, this Mexican double loop holster has the recurved bulge between the loops that secures the holster to the back. The design detail is particular to Cheyenne area holster makers.
A Navajo silversmith decorated this single-loop holster. Indian silver embellishments were popular in the Southwest prior to 1900.
The Buscadero gun belt and holster was designed for Texas lawmen and Hollywood cowboys in the 1920s. These rigs combined a carved leather belt and one or two holsters, all in one unit. A cowboy slid his gun into an opening in the belt. Hollywood's Edward H. Bohlin, around 1940, made this buscadero rig for actor John Carroll. Bohlin advertised himself as the "Saddle Maker to the Stars."
American Indians embellished holsters and belts to give them a unique appearance. This exceptional holster is on its original tack belt. The holster is fully beaded and decorated with fringe.