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ORIGINAL 19TH CENTURY FULLY BEADED
HOLSTER - NORTHERN PLAINS – EARLY SLIM JIM STYLE - A
STRIKING VERY ATTRACTIVE HOLSTER IN VERY GOOD CONDITION:
This is a very attractive original 19TH
Century Beaded Holster, measuring just over 9 ¼” long
and 3 ¾” across at the widest point. While difficult to
identify to a specific tribe, the beadwork incorporates
geometric designs popular among such Northern Plains
tribes as the Lakota Sioux, Cheyenne, and Arapahoe
peoples on the western plains.
This holster fits a Model 1851 Colt Navy sized-revolver
and fully covers a 7 ½” barrel. The percussion
revolvers and cartridge conversions of those early
pistols saw continued use among the Indians long after
they’d been replaced in the market place by the newer
cartridge pistols.
Most notable is that this holster shows distinct
evidence of use and having been worn over a prolonged
period of time, which sets it apart from the far more
commonly seen “like new” beaded holsters of the later
single action period, which were produced during the
post-1900 reservation era and were sold to tourists and
the Wild West show performers.
Instead, this holster has taken a “set” in the shape of
the revolver, and it exhibits points of wear around the
mouth of the holster where the hammer and trigger guard
wore against the hide, and in particular, at the bottom
of the holster where the edge of the barrel wore against
the rawhide where it chafed against the wearer’s leg or
clothing. This sort of shaping and wear doesn’t occur
with brief or occasional use, rather it is the aging and
character that comes from carrying the weight of the
pistol as a constant companion over many miles.
The holster was constructed with the beaded native brain
tanned hide front panel sewn to the body, which was
fashioned from light weight rawhide.
The geometric style
beadwork was skillfully executed with sinew in small
seed beads utilizing the very desirable early 19TH
Century colors in various shades. The “greasy” yellow
background is unusual, but not unheard of when applied
to what were obviously special pieces which were held in
high regard – a holstered pistol would certainly
qualify. The beadwork was applied in well executed
lanes which seem to have taken the contour of the
revolver into consideration so that the shape of the
pistol would not put undue strain on the beadwork –
something which attests to the skill and experience of
the woman who made this holster.
The beadwork is tight with some minor bead loss around
the top of the holster where it would have received wear
as the pistol was drawn and inserted. The bead loss
does not dramatically affect the appearance of the
sheath, and only serves as evidence that it was
subjected to normal use.
The beads and hide show aging and patina consistent with
old beadwork and evidence that this sheath was worn and
used, and not fabricated for the tourist trade. There is
a pair of slits on the reverse of the holster, each
approximately 2” long, for threading the holster on to a
belt.
In spite of the obvious signs of age and use, this
Beaded Holster has survived in very good condition and
displays very well. One cannot overstate how scarce
these 19TH Century beaded holsters are – very
few have survived when compared to the majority of
beaded holsters seen today which date to the post-1900
era. There is no doubt that most of these early
holsters were consumed due to heavy use in the years
when the tribes were still free and not yet confined to
the reservations. With such a striking appearance, this
Beaded Holster will be a dramatic addition to your
collection, and it is unlikely that this opportunity
will be seen again any time soon.
(0408)
$2750
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