1944 S. D. Myres Saddle Company Catalog

This facsimile reproduces the 1944 sales catalog of the S.D. Myres Saddle Company of El Paso, Texas, titled Art Leather, Holsters – Belts. Founded by Samuel Dale "Tio Sam" Myres in Sweetwater, Texas in 1898 and relocated to El Paso in 1920, by the mid-1930s Myres had partnered with his son William and nephew Dace Myres to expand into volume production of high-quality holsters and gun belts that became as celebrated as the firm's saddles. By the time this catalog was issued, Myres had designed and produced the first belt holster for the FBI, and his leather goods were standard issue for Texas Rangers, sheriffs, police officers, and federal agents across the country. Published at the height of World War II — when civilian saddle demand had collapsed and the firm had reoriented around law enforcement, military, and defense work — this catalog captures the wartime evolution of one of the most renowned names in American leather craft.

Summary of Contents

The catalog presents extensively photographed entries with detailed descriptions and prices, focused on the firm's signature line of decorative hand-tooled "art leather" goods. Coverage includes gun holsters in shoulder, belt, and concealment patterns; cartridge belts and dress belts with ornamental buckles; briefcases and billfolds; knife sheaths; and related accessories for peace officers, federal agents, military personnel, and sportsmen. Many of the photographs depict the items in use, worn by men in uniform, illustrating proper carry and fit.

An essential reference for collectors of vintage Myres-marked holsters and gun belts, historians of twentieth-century American law enforcement and military leather equipment, leatherworkers studying mid-century hand-tooling traditions, and researchers of the wartime adaptation of Western American craft industries.

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