WWII M1916 Holster ("SEARS") & Lace, circa 1944-45 Superb!!

Description: WWII USMC M1916 Holster (undated) & Rawhide Lace Tie for the M1911 and 1911A1 .45 cal. ACP made by the "SEARS SADDLERY COMPANY" of Davenport, Iowa during the 1944-1945 fiscal year.Superb!!!+ These simply do not turn up often is this condition!!!! + This is one of the SCARCER UNDATED, late-war production Holsters from 1944 or early 1945,which is 'correct' for the Sears contracts for those last two years of the war as production was winding down dramatically! + Sixteen contractors, combined, manufactured a wartime total of 1,830,536 (almost two million!) M1916 Holsters at a per unit cost ranging between $1.55 and $1.68 each. + It is known that Sears Saddlery Co. produced only 100,000 holsters, only 5% of the total manufactured! By comparison Boyt manufactured over 430,881 holsters, Enger-Kress manufactured 341,000, and Graton-Knight manufactured 188,437! ***** + This particular Holster was produced contemporaneously with some of the bitterest fighting in both Southern France, Central Europe and the Pacific Campaigns -- and, yes, the M1916 Holster went aloft in the cockpits of USMC/USN aviators, AAF fighter pilots, and on the hips of bomber crewmen in every theater of the war. This M1916 Holster was worn by Marine and Army Officers, NCOs, personnel with crew-served weapons, Aviators and Pilots, many of whom chose to carry a large frame M1911 .45 ACP in a belt holster such as this one. The M1916 Holster was also worn by any Marine or Soldier who could lay his hands on a side arm! + NOTE: There were no M1916 Holsters specifically stamped on the Flap with “USMC” or “USN” during WW2. ***** PARTICULARS of CONDITION: + Deeply embossed "U.S." on the Flap! + Crisply and deeply stamped in san-serif font capital letters on the rear is the manufacturer's name of Sears Saddlery Company of Davenport, Iowa...but with no year!SEARS + FANTASTIC, warm light-russet colored, strong, flexible Cowhide! + Correct MINT CONDITION RAWHIDE LACE is present! + ZERO crazing’ at the fold of the Flap! + The Leather at the point of attachment of the M1910 Belt Hook is STRONG and 100% FREE of cracks, wear or 'crazing'! + ZERO breaks in the 'Hole' on the Flap for the blackened Brass STUD! + ZERO scuffs, stains, personalized markings, scratches, cuts, or crazing to the leather! This supple example has never been 'neatsfoot oiled' or 'saddle soaped,' both of which tend to break down the fibers of the leather! + The FLAP STUD, all four of the RIVETS, the two EYELETS for Rawhide Lace TIE-DOWN are still SECURELY SET! + Minimal 'authenticating' VERDIGRIS on the Rivets, Eyelets, and Flap Stud! + ZERO rust, bends, or damage to the period-correct blackened Steel M1910 BELT HOOK! + ZERO breaks in the CORRECT ORANGE LINEN THREAD! (Current Holsters and reproductions are seen with WHITE POLYESTER thread.)! * Both the leather-covered wooden BLOCK near the Trigger Guard (to cant the pistol Grip away from the wearer's body) is securely stitched in place and the wooden BLOCK at the toe of the Holster are present! ***** Sears Saddlery Co. (now Sears Seating) of Davenport, Iowa: Established in 1855 in Davenport, Iowa, by founder Isaac Howe Sears. The Sears Manufacturing Company pioneered the development of specialized seats for the agricultural, construction and material handling industries. Sears began by producing harnesses, saddles and other quality leather and canvas goods for the agriculture industry, but expanded to producing agricultural and industrial seats in 1947. Building a reputation for supplying technologically advanced products that offer unparalleled comfort and durability, Sears quickly became the leading manufacturer of suspension and non-suspension seating for the work vehicle industry. 1855 Sears is established in Davenport, Iowa, by Isaac Howe Sears and begins producing harnesses, saddles and leather goods for the agricultural industry 1914 Sears begins producing leather and canvas goods to support war efforts and receives the Army-Navy E Award 1947 The tractor is introduced to the agriculture industry and Sears begins to produce Agricultural and Industrial seats 1965 Sears introduces the first mechanical suspension seat for the Agricultural market 1976 Sears expands internationally and Sears Europe is established in the United Kingdom 1981 Sears expands into the heavy-duty truck seating market 1994 Sears expands its facilities in Davenport, Iowa, to include a new technical center to house a six-axis ride simulator and new test equipment 2005 Sears celebrates its 150-year anniversary by introducing Atlas “First in Class” truck seat and signing a manufacturing partnership in India 2006 Sears establishes a joint venture in China with GSK 2009 Sears is elected to the John Deere supplier “Hall of Fame” 2010 Sears introduces a new revolutionary C₂ truck seat for the Waste Management Industry and Sears expands business in Brazil 2013 Sears opens an office in Tokyo, Japan 2018 Sears Seats become standard in all Mack Anthem trucks. Sears builds a cutting edge ComfortLab 2019 Sears produces the next generation in off-road seats and suspensions - Nexus and TLS ***** EXCEPTIONAL research by Scott Meadows, “A Word on Holsters: Part 2” at “pre-98” HISTORICAL CONTEXT AND ACTUAL USE "From the time that war broke out in late 1941 until sometime in late 1943 almost all the holsters used by the American Forces in the field were leftover from WW1 as were most of the pistols. It is very common to find a vet brought back WW2 Colt in a WW1 era issued holster. From an historical context a holster was a holster, they used what was available in the supply chain. 70 years later we collectors like to tidy things up a bit and stick WW2 made pistols in WW2 made holsters." WHAT’S RARE? ...The most commonly seen were made by BOYT as well, dated 42 and 44. Because of how the contracts were awarded production dates of 1942 and 1944 are most commonly encountered while 1943 dated holsters are scarce and 1945 marked holster are as well, primarily because many makers stopped dating holsters sometime in 1944. All WW2 made holsters were constructed of russet tan oil finished leather. There were 16 known US contractors for these holsters having their maker marks stamped on the back of the holster. Some are very common and some are rarely seen. Manufacturers: A.L.P. CO. (Atchison Leather Products Co., Atchison, Kansas) BRAUER (Brauer Brothers Mfg. Co., St. Louis, Missouri) BOYT (Boyt Harness Company, Des Moines, Iowa) CRAIGHEAD (John R. Craighead Co., Inc., Denver, Colorado) CRUMP (Benjamin T. Crump & Co., Richmond, Virginia) ENGER-KRESS (Enger-Kress Company, West Bend, Wisconsin) FINK (Fink Leather Shops, Kansas City, Missouri) GRATON & KNIGHT CO. (Graton & Knight Manufacturing Co., Worcester, Mass.) HARPHAM BROS. (Harpham Brothers Co., Lincoln, Nebraska) MILWAUKEE SADDLERY CO. (Milwaukee Saddlery Co., Milwaukee, Wisconsin) JOSEPH H. MOSSER (Joseph H. Mosser Co.) S-B CO. (Straus-Bodenheimer Saddlery Co., Houston, Texas) SEARS (Sears Saddlery Co., Davenport, Iowa) TEXTAN (Texas Tanning & Manufacturing Co., Yoakum, Texas) WALSH (Walsh Harness Co., Milwaukee, Wisconsin) WARREN LEATHER GOODS CO. (Warren Leather Goods Co., Worcester, Mass.) ***** The G.I. .45 in World War II by Bruce Canfield, appearing in American Rifleman, April 6, 2010 "...a handgun was essentially a supplemental sidearm and was generally employed in actual combat action only when the more effective rifles and automatic arms were unavailable, out of ammunition or damaged. An Oct. 23, 1943, Marine Corps document titled “Report on Infantry Weapons in Combat” gave a brief synopsis of the various arms used by a Marine Raider Battalion on New Georgia Island. The section pertaining to the .45 ACP simply stated: "Held up very well, but used very little.” "Many .45 pistols were acquired by troops who were not officially authorized to be issued them as called for in their unit’s TOE (Table of Organization and Equipment). However, such regulations were rarely enforced in combat zones, and many G.I.s and Marines who could acquire a .45 did so, and considered themselves lucky. "A leather hip holster, the Model of 1912, was standardized soon after the M1911’s adoption. This holster had a swivel attachment to make it better adapted to cavalry use. Just before America’s entry into World War I, the Model of 1916 holster was adopted, which differed from the M1912 primarily in the deletion of the swivel feature. Both were fitted with wire hooks that attached to the grommets on the bottom of the standard webbed pistol belt or cartridge belt. There were sufficient numbers of World War I-vintage M1916 holsters to meet the demand until the U.S. became actively involved in World War II. The M1916 holster was put back into production and almost 3 million were made by 16 different commercial firms between 1941 and 1945. These holsters were embossed with a large “U.S.” on the cover flap, with the name of the maker and year of production on back. "A leather shoulder holster for the .45 pistol, designated as the “M3,” was adopted in 1942 for use by aviators, tankers and others who preferred carrying the pistol over the hip holster. An improved shoulder holster design was standardized in 1944 as the "M7." The pistol was secured in the shoulder holster by means of leather strap with a snap fastener. The shoulder holsters were also embossed with a large “U.S” on the front, with the identity of the manufacturer and year of production on the back. "...It was not uncommon for soldiers and Marines to be armed with both carbines and .45 pistols. Nevertheless, the desire to replace the pistol with the carbine continued throughout the war. This was evidenced in a Jan. 26, 1943, Marine Corps document... "Despite this official stance, pistols were issued in ever-increasing numbers during the war. As an example, the U.S. Marine Corps’ TOE (Table of Organization and Equipment) in 1942 authorized 798 .45 pistols for a Division but, by 1945, the authorized figure had been increased to 1,707. So much for efforts to get rid of the pistol. The situation was much the same in the U.S. Army where the carbines and .45s were procured and issued side by side in large numbers. The total number of M1911A1 pistols manufactured during World War II was 1,878,742. Clearly, the .45 was an integral part of America’s World War II infantry small arms arsenal!"

Price: 185 USD

Location: Little Rock, Arkansas

End Time: 2024-11-13T17:39:04.000Z

Shipping Cost: 12.85 USD