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brown vs. black leather holster question

5K views 9 replies 6 participants last post by  ted 
#1 · (Edited)
Why are some holsters brown and others black? Are those colors designed to match a type or style of uniform or branch of the German service? Or military vs. police vs. commercial or year made?
 
#3 ·
Ted, the answer is yes and no. Prior to the weimar era, holsters and gear were brown (someone correct me if I am wrong)

Common feeling for many years is that brown equaled Luftwaffe and black was army.

I think that is fairly correct, but what can be said is that for army, they were told to make their holsters / gear black at some point (I don't remember when). The police, you see the rural police with brown gear and city police and others with black gear.

My gut feeling is that a larger percentage of gear to include holsters were black, as you don't see brown as often and costs more.

Ed
 
#6 ·
Headline is Luger holsters 1933-1945.
Armyholsters: You will find both, brown and black. Görtz reported that officers used brown holsters until 1940 or 41 if I remember correct.
Navyhosters: Have only seen black
Luftwaffe, Krieghoff: I would say darkbrown.
Landjägerei: allways brown
Schutzpolizei: black
Commercial: most are black
(all comments for holsters 1933- 1945)
 
#9 ·
Imperial leather was brown until the Ministry of Defense directive stating that they all were to be black beginning in 1916. The brown stuff was dyed black...except for the pieces that managed to be skipped. That's why you see a lot of holsters that are brown on the back side (original), and black on the front side (dyed after 1916). Luger holsters, of course.
 
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