Years ago I was passing through El Paso, staying in a motel room, and bored to death. I knew a lot about the S.D. Myres Saddle Co. history and background and decided to see if it still existed. It didn’t, at least in El Paso, but I did locate Bill Myres, Sam Myres son, who had also been active in the business. He had recently left a hospital after a long stay, and apparently anxious to find someone to talk to. My casual search had turned up a gold mine of information, from an impeccable source, who knew just about everything there was to know.
Besides the famous Threepersons holster (which had been largely designed by the shop’s foreman based on a concept that Threepersons contributed), Myers also made most of the personal leather used my General Patton as well as many other Army officers. He also made the first border patrol holsters designed by Charles Askins and Bill Jordan. Ed McGivern of Fast & Fancy Revolver Shooting, also preferred Myres products. I could go on and on…
The S.D. Myres shop also was a major suppler of rigs used by Texas lawman, especially the Texas Rangers, and the holster you have for the 1911 pistol was very popular with them during the 1930’s – 1950’s era. It is not however a true Threepersons design rig.
Myres leather – both gun rigs and saddles – have become collector’s items, and are therefore valuable and becoming more so. You have a lucky find.
) I only touched the tip of the iceburg. He personally knew most of the famous Texas border lawmen of his era, what holsters (often called "scabbards") they used, and why.
