Tom Threepersons' Holster, California Style: UPDATED

Surely it's not coincidence, that a Bucheimer-Clark holster of the early 1960s is the closest production replica to Tom Threeperson's personal holster. The B-C conforms to the actual holster that was Tom's, and without matching the incorrect legend promulgated by Charlie Askins that it 'rode high with the butt canted forward'.

Only today I noticed that the longtime, incorrect bio of Tom's on Wiki that was drawn from the incorrect legends finally has been replaced. Unfortunately for researchers that new bio is still (very) wrong but at least it's finally being acknowledged that there were two Indians in rodeo using the same name, and their being confused with each other is what has made 'our' Texas Tom's backstory unknowable. It draws heavily on my friend Skeeter Skelton's incorrect biography of Tom's that appeared in a 1980 Shooting Times magazine.

Personally I refer readers to my book "Holstory", which contains the only completely accurate telling of the two Tom's biographies; available in a link at the top of this website. In the meantime below is the latest, incorrect bio on Wiki:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Threepersons

Above, the Bucheimer-Clark made during the company's Los Angeles period, which was all of the 1960s, and below an example of the holster itself: Notice the holster also has a low cut front, which feature Arvo Ojala didn't add to his holster until about that year (an Andy Anderson feature) but already was present on Tom's own, courtesy of Tom's penknife (some of the leather engraving has been trimmed away).

Above and below, Tom's own personal holster. The 'HM' scratched into it is the brother of the riflesmith who was given the holster by Tom himself, at an Arizona rodeo in the decade after Tom had left law enforcement. Notice also the holes near where the pistol's hammer will rest; for a hammer thong and another to tie to the gunbelt.

Notice that Tom's hangs virtually straight down, and rides below the belt. So does the B-C, which the company called 'The Rebel' (likely after the TV show of the era). Notice also that Tom's has an integral leg thong, and so does The Rebel's. Tom's welt stack is contoured unlike the straight welt stack of the Myres introduced with his blessing in 1930, and the B-C has that same contoured welt stack.

Above and below, the earliest known Myres Threepersons Style for the SA; unless one also considers the equally early Myres for Texas Ranger Captain Tom Hickman, which is engraved. No thongs.

Tom's muzzle is fully closed and rounded, unlike a Bianchi for the same SA revolver on which the muzzle was fully open:

Above and below, a Bianchi Holster for the SA, with the contoured welt stack but riding far higher and angled than Tom's; and with an open muzzle. It w/b properly referred to as a 'modified Threepersons' for those several reasons. The Bianchi is also from JB's 1960s period that included his prior identities "Combat Action" and "Safari Ltd" during which this model also appeared in his catalogues. No leg thong.

Ironic that we would consider choosing a vintage Bucheimer-Clark, which operator catered to the LEO market, for the most accurate execution of the now 100 year-old Threepersons' design. While JB was such a Wild West fan that he opened his own Wild West museum! Perhaps the B-C designers -- the Clark brothers and sons of founder E.E. Clark -- had access to the original, which was in a private collection in Arizona. Such trivia is in a holstorical class that I like to call, 'funtawondah' because it can't and won't be proven one way or the other. But it's 'fun to wonder about it' :-).

The holster used in the TV series is attributed to author Tommy L. Bish, who we oldies know from his gun magazine days during that time.

A close replica with the metal on the outside was made as a toy.

To read more about it all in my book titled "Holstory -- Gunleather of the Twentieth Century

-- the Second Edition", click on the new link at top of page.