This holster is not a fake. If you will take a close look at the closure strap and the back belt loops you can probably see that they are replacements. This makes the holster look suspicious. The body however is original German period made.Huggiebear is right in one respect and it is important to look at the stitching on holsters very carefully.
Some of the more salient points to watch out for are found on the back of the holster.
Where the stitching extends beyond the left belt loop on the right bottom to hold the closure strap on the interior panel. On fakes this is many times found stitched either high and to the right, often seperated from the belt loop by a quarter to half an inch. On Originals it is simply a straight line extension.
Another stitching fault that is most noticeable on fakes is in the upper left corner of the back. This stitching is at the top of the hinge and magazine pouch area and goes over far enough to form a cross box on original holsters. On fakes they rarely bother to complete this and it will not intersect to form the complete box.
If you are able to see the holster close up you will notice that fakes will be sewn with either cotton or synthetic thread. Cotton is fuzzy and synthetic is slick looking with thin strands. Original pre 45 German holsters were always sewn with linen thread. It is like old time rope. It is formed with many cords and is easily detected. It will have a smooth surface with no fuzz. Cords will be evident at every place you can see it on the surface unless it has been severly worn down roughly and has become fuzzy because of this. It is also noticeably thick as well.
Most fake holsters such as the CMR brand are made of leather that might be twice as thick as original. I recently had a CMR Artillery in my shop for repair and the holster must have weighed two pounds. I measured the leather and it was exactly twice as thick as an original Artillery.
Another sometimes very obvious sign on the front is the placement of the pull-up strap hole. On fakes they don't seem to care where it goes and it is often found either way too close to the top edge or in the center of the holster. Many examples I have examined also do not tie the proper knot in the end of the strap but fold it over and stitch it.
Another tell tale most often recognized from a front on photo is the large boxy magazine pouch. On fakes they make them oversized and they stand out.
This is just a short overview and a few of the many examples of what to look for when examining a holster for authenticity. There are many more but this should suffice to get many of you started thinking of what to look for. Many fake holsters are advertised as such on eBay and you can hold one of your originals in your lap and pull one of the fakes up on your computer screen. Examine them both together and these obvious faults will jump right out at you.
As with most any antiquity, it is important to look for age and patina, wear and use. You must familiarize yourself with what it ought to look like in order to see faults. Good luck! Jerry Burney
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