Back in May of 2020, I penned a review of Holstory, the premiere reference to gunleather of the Twentieth Century, cowritten by R.E.D. Nichols and John Witty. I was seriously impressed with the book, which represented the most detailed study of gunleather I’d encountered to date, and was grateful for the significant effort that Nichols and Witty put into it. It has remained a treasured reference in my library.
In 2022, the team released a Second Edition of Holstory, which improved on the first by adding two additional chapters, and in late 2025, the Third Edition of Holstory was published, which is the topic of today’s review.
VALUE ADDED
The Third Edition of Holstory adds a Prologue and Epilogue to the already sizeable work, and enriches the value of this reference.
While the First and Second Editions of Holstory restricted their focus to 20th Century makers, designs, and developments, the Third Edition expands the breadth of the study to include important information about 19thCentury gunleather that was previously unreported.
This additional study is found in the Prologue of the Third Edition, which is 23 pages long. The Prologue divides its attention between two very different categories of makers: The mail-order, industrial giant of the time, who served a national market, and; The small, independent saddleries that served local clients. We’ll discuss this in greater detail, momentarily.
The Epilogue in the Third Edition showcases highlights of Nichols’ rich career in the gunleather business, starting from the days where he first tinkered with leather, to the days when he advised some of the industry’s largest companies as an expert consultant.
These Third Edition elements nicely complement the additional chapters from the Second Edition, and add great depth to the history of holsters and their makers—to the holstory, using Nichols’ term.
SECOND EDITION ADDS
I want to discuss the Third Edition Prologue and Epilogue in a little more detail, but first I want to address those two new chapters from the Second Edition, since I never reviewed that version in these pages.
The first, Chapter 10, adds more details about the histories and chronologies of some of the best-known companies and makers of the Twentieth Century. Nichols’ and Witty’s investigative talents are on full display here, as they sift through the mythology and legend to clarify the true course of holstory.
In the chapter, the reader will discover such nuggets as the origins of the Berns-Martin holster company and James Bond’s famous shoulder holster, the chronology of the Dirty Harry shoulder holster, the interesting connection between makers Chic Gaylord and Paris Theodore, and a guide to the confusing history of the Bucheimer, Clark, and Bucheimer-Clark companies. The reader will also learn about the five maker’s marks found on Hoyt breakfronts, the true history of the Brill holster, an updated Heiser Co. catalog chart, more background information on the clamshell holster design, and the wandering chronology of the S.D. Myres holster company and its various owners.
Chapter 11 is a feast for the eyes of holster nerds, showcasing one-off custom holsters from a variety of makers. Here, the reader will spy such novelties as one of the original Seventrees prototypes, (my departed friend) Tom “Tommygun” Campbell’s competition chest rig for his prototype S&W Model 47 pistol, one of the first Bianchi Auto Mag holsters, and the only known example of a particular Clark maker’s mark. You’ll be further treated to the only sharkskin holster ever made by Chic Gaylord, the only-known surviving example of the Berns-Martin IWB holster, and the only plain-finish A.W. Brill scabbard that’s known to exist.
That may not blow the average gun-guy’s socks off, but it’s pretty neat stuff for people like me who look at a holster and see much more than a convenient bucket for your gun.
THIRD EDITION PROLOGUE
As previously mentioned, the Prologue to the Third Edition expands the scope of Nichols’ and Witty’s study, by looking at significant 19th Century developments.
The bulk of this section discusses the previously overlooked contributions of the Wyeth Hardware & Manufacturing Co., which was the first of the large, mail-order catalog companies, starting around 1872. Wyeth Hardware & Manufacturing made and sold a wide variety of products, to include gunleather that was made in-house, at the world’s largest saddlery in that era.
Nichols and Witty describe two key products made and sold by Wyeth, that made a huge impact on the industry—one a holster, the other a gun belt. Nichols expertly dissects the products to show the key details of their construction, to include the processing of the leather used to make them, and the pros and cons of the stitching pattern used to construct them.
Importantly, the authors discuss how Wyeth’s products were ubiquitous throughout the American West of the latter 19th Century, and constituted the bulk of holsters sold, even though holstorians were largely ignorant of their significant market presence until recently. The study of Wyeth is a study of burgeoning American commerce and the development of critical infrastructure like the railroads and postal service, and I found it fascinating.
Nichols and Witty also provide a quick reference to some of the most well-known independent saddleries of the era, which were the other source for gunleather in this period. Holster-savvy readers will certainly recognize some of the names, but will enjoy learning of the others. A special treat is lurking at the rear of this chapter, where you’ll see “Transitional Lawman” (h/t our own RevolverGuy Historian, Tony Perrin) Tom Threeperson’s dual rig for his Colts–one of which is a single action revolver, while the other is most decidedly not (Hint: John Moses’ slab-sided masterpiece).
THIRD EDITION EPILOGUE
The Epilogue to the Third Edition begins with a brief history of Nichols’ development as a maker and designer of gunleather, starting with his boyhood fascination with guns and holsters, and tracing through his first attempts to work in the medium, using supplies obtained from the Tandy Leather Store.
Nichols tells us about his first sales of leather goods while he studied as a police sciences student and worked as an armed, uniformed security guard, and the story of how he landed a job at John Bianchi’s company. His fruitful career at Bianchi is illustrated through the march of holsters, designs and patents that defined his tenure at the company.
We also get some insight to Nichols’ work as an industry consultant, seeing the product of his collaborations with outfits like DeSantis Gunhide, Aker Leather, and Australian maker Hellweg. Nichols’ purchase and resurrection of the Berns-Martin label is also depicted in the colorful images.
KEEP A SHARP LOOKOUT!
I thoroughly enjoyed this updated, Third Edition of Holstory, and will be proud to have it join my First and Second Editions in my library. My interest in gunleather exceeds my expertise in the area, and I consider all three editions of Holstory to be essential references.
Sadly, Nichols has retired from the business and has closed his informative HolsterGuy website. That’s a loss for RevolverGuys interested in learning more about the history and process of holster making, but we’re fortunate that he left his informative books behind for us to enjoy. He’s no longer selling copies of Holstory, but you can still find all three editions at BookBaby Bookshop as print-on-demand books.
If you have any interest in gun leather at all, I would encourage you to add this latest Third Edition to your library. Even if you’re not a leather nerd like me, you’ll appreciate the illustrated trip through the history of 19th and 20th Century guns and gear, like any good RevolverGuy would!
RevolverGuy would like to wish Mr. Nichols a great retirement, and thank him for his efforts to research and preserve holstory. We appreciate the education he provided and wish him well.
