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Rare and Desirable G.H. & J.S. Collins Omaha, Nebraska Marked Colt SAA Holster and Cartridge Money B

Currency:USD Category:Antiques / Firearms & Armory Start Price:2,500.00 USD Estimated At:5,000.00 - 10,000.00 USD
Rare and Desirable G.H. & J.S. Collins Omaha, Nebraska Marked Colt SAA Holster and Cartridge Money B
A rare, early 'Mexican Loop' holster and cartridge money belt rig for a Colt Single Action Army revolver. The holster and belt are both stamped with matching "G.H. & J.S. COLLINS/OMAHA, NEB.", maker's cartouches. This early example of the classic Mexican Loop holster was manufactured before J.S. Collins, one of the premier western saddle makers, moved from Omaha, Nebraska, to Cheyenne, Wyoming, around 1880. The holster is nearly identical in configuration to the G.H. & J.S. Collins, Omaha-made, Mexican Loop holster illustrated on page 99 of "PACKING IRON" by Richard Rattenbury. The holster is made of medium weight, russet skirting leather. The holster body has a recurved throat, tapered main seam and sewn-in toe plug. The full profile skirt has two integral, diamond-shaped skirt loops. The holster body and throat loops are decorated with a lightly rolled, cross-hatched border. The "G.H. & J.S. COLLINS" cartouche is boldly stamped on the upper skirt loop. The matching, russet leather, cartridge/money belt has the "G.H. & J.S. COLLINS/OMAHA, NEB.", cartouches stamped on the tongue billet. The belt has a nickel-plated rectangular buckle and thirty-three cartridge loops. The three-inch wide belt body is folded and sewn along the ends and top to create an interior pocket. The tongue and buckle billets are sewn to the belt body and lack the rivets found on later Collins cartridge/money belts. This belt is nearly identical to the "J.S. Collins & Co./Cheyenne, Wyoming" marked belt shown on page 179 of "PACKING IRON".
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Fine. The holster and belt leather is a dark russet color and shows moderate wear. The leather on the belt and holster is supple and smooth. There are a few very shallow flex cracks on the holster body. The maker's cartouches on both the holster and belt are fully legible. All the stitching on the holster body, belt seams remains intact and tight. The cartridge loops show some edge wear but are solid. The belt buckle has about 50% of the original nickel-plated finish. This is a rare and very fine example of a classic, matching, Mexican Loop holster and cartridge belt/money belt rig from the late 1870s made by one of the most famous 19th Century Western saddle makers.