Original German WWI P08 Luger Brown Leather Holster by C. Holste & Co. of München – dated 1915 Original Items

Original Item: Only One Available. This is a very nice example of a standard issue brown leather hardshell P-08 holster, which was used by Imperial German forces during WWI. In 1916 an order came for holsters to be changed to black, but this holster was made before the order was implemented, and escaped being dyed or painted after manufacture.

The holster is marked on the back between the belt loops:

C. HOLSTE & Co.
MÜNCHEN

1915

C. Holste & Co. was a known leather goods maker in Munich, Bavaria in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. They were known for making gloves, holsters, and other standard leather goods.

The overall condition of the holster is very good, with brown dyed leather and mostly intact heavy stitching, original loops, and pistol ejection strap. The original flap securing strap and buckle are present and in functional condition. Both belt loops are intact and complete, as is the take down / loading tool compartment on the inside of the lid. The leather is stiff, but does not show any dry rot, so some conditioning could definitely help it be a bit less stiff.

A really nice holster that will complete any WWI Era P08 Luger pistol. Ready to display or use!

The Pistole Parabellum—or Parabellum-Pistole (Pistol Parabellum), commonly known as just Luger—is a toggle-locked recoil-operated semi-automatic pistol which was produced in several models and by several nations from 1898 to 1948. The design was first patented by Georg Luger as an improvement upon the Borchardt Automatic Pistol and was produced as the Parabellum Automatic Pistol, Borchardt-Luger System by the German arms manufacturer Deutsche Waffen und Munitionsfabriken (DWM). The first production model was known as the Modell 1900 Parabellum. Followed by the “Marinepistole 1904” for the Imperial German Navy. The later versions included the popular “Parabellum Pistole Modell von 1908” or simply “P08” (Pistole 1908) which was produced by DWM and other manufacturers such as W+F Bern, Krieghoff, Simson, Mauser, and Vickers. The first Parabellum pistol was adopted by the Swiss army in May 1900. 1904 they were adopted by the German Navy. In German Army service, it was adopted in slightly modified form as the Pistole Modell 1908 (Pistole 08) in caliber 9×19mm Parabellum. The Model 08 was eventually succeeded by the Walther P38.

The Luger is well known from its use by Germans during World War I and World War II, along with the interwar Weimar Republic and the postwar East German Volkspolizei. The P.08 was introduced in 7.65mm Parabellum, though it is notable for being the pistol for which the 9×19mm Parabellum cartridge was developed, also known as the 9×19mm Luger. The pistol has been used in fictional works by many villainous characters over the past several decades because of its association with AH’s Germany.