Holster from German South West

[Chris Boonzaier]

Man, if this piece could talk !!!

The boers were very mobile folks indeed....

What looks here to be a regular 1890s British holster....

[Chris Boonzaier]

Actually has a stamp of an English saddle maker in the Orange Free State...

[Chris Boonzaier]

But to confuse things.... this dedication, from the deepest desert of German South West africa....

[David Gregory]

Amazing piece!

Where did this turn up?

[Chris Boonzaier]

It was on a German Ebay Auction.

I was outbid by a german gun author, who said he would think of me if he ever moved it on. I forgot all about it until out of the blue he mailed me about two weeks ago.

At the same time an American collector wanted it from him and he passed his address on to me as well. Once he heard I was not selling he kinda ignored my offer to him to visit GMIC

[David Gregory]

At the same time an American collector wanted it from him and he passed his address on to me as well. Once he heard I was not selling he kinda ignored my offer to him to visit GMIC

He doesn't know what he is missing ...

[Daniel Murphy]

The British Empire and Imperial Germany were on good terms during this time (1897). Since it was not unusual for officers and or royalty to be invited to military events in friendly countries, I would say it was presented with a revolver to an officer during an event like this. Since it came out of Germany, I would say it was given to a German officer. Perhaps the commander of the Garrison in Omamru. By the way, I do not know who the commander of the garrison in Omamru was in 1897, but later in 1904, it was Hauptmann Viktor Franke. He was an officer in the Schutztruppe in DSWA dating from 1896 and was awarded the Pour le Merite in 1905 for his actions in the native uprisings. He went on to become the last military commander in DSWA when the military forces surrendered in 1914 to, interestingly, the South African's. Naw, couldn't be........

Dan Murphy

Edited December 29, 2005 by Daniel Murphy

[Chris Boonzaier]

The British Empire and Imperial Germany were on good terms during this time (1897). Since it was not unusual for officers and or royalty to be invited to military events in friendly countries, I would say it was presented with a revolver to an officer during an event like this. Since it came out of Germany, I would say it was given to a German officer. Perhaps the commander of the Garrison in Omamru. By the way, I do not know who the commander of the garrison in Omamru was in 1897, but later in 1904, it was Hauptmann Viktor Franke. He was an officer in the Schutztruppe in DSWA dating from 1896 and was awarded the Pour le Merite in 1905 for his actions in the native uprisings. He went on to become the last military commander in DSWA when the military forces surrendered in 1914 to, interestingly, the South African's. Naw, couldn't be........

Dan Murphy

It becomes a tad more complicated though. Odendaal is not a German name, it is one of those adapted "Ex-European" names (Like Boonzaier, which is far removed from its original Dutch spelling) that you find in South Africa. They (Odendaals) seem to be centered in the free state area.

Lets not overlook 2 things here... Bloemfontein(the stamp on the flap) is BOER territory, not british, there were no British troops in this area, in fact, in less than two years they would be at war with Britain. The saddlemaker whose stamp is on the holster must have been one of many private english speaking citizens living in Boer territory.

It must be remembered, at this stage the Boers (Transvaal and Free State) are on the eve of a war with Britain. From 1899-1901 (more or less) the Kaiser was a big supporter of the Boers in the war against Britain.

So, that just makes the history of the holster more foggy ;-)

[Chris Boonzaier]

Was recently told the Stamp of the saddle maker probably refers to it being sold by him as opposed to made by him.

Best

Chris