US Model 1916, Colt 1911-A1 Leather Holster, Boyt 1942

For this morning's posting, I dove into my treasure trove of odds and ends and pulled out a mint condition, WW2 vintage, US Army, Colt .45 holster.

This holster was manufactured by Boyt in 1942 and was specifically made for the Colt .45, 1911 and 1911-A1 pistols.  The holster is officially classified as the US Model 1916 Holster.  The majority of these holsters from WW2 are dated 1942 and 1944.  The 1941 and 1943 dated holsters are much rarer.  The holster is designed to slide onto a leather belt, or to hang from the attached metal web belt hanger.  The holster was normally worn on the US Web belt along with the other field gear.


I will let the pictures speak for themselves:

Here is a classic photo of a number of US Army tankers from WW2....... Battle of the Bulge.  You can see the tanker, second from the left,  wearing the Colt .45 pistol  in the leather holster:

Czechoslovakian M85 Combat Shirt, Czech Paratroop & Recon Jacket

Last week I stopped by our local Seattle Children's Hospital Thrift Store in Port Townsend while Sweet Pea was giving fiddle lessons at the house.  I found a beautiful Czechoslovakian Model 1985 combat jacket-shirt....... in unissued and brand new condition!  I paid a bit more for it than I normally would, but it was for a good cause and was way too cool to pass up!

The jacket is sewn out of heavy brownish-green canvas and includes the soft shoulder boards as well.  It is loaded with pockets........ two breast pockets, two rear pockets, a pocket on each shoulder and a double pocket inside the jacket, on the front.  Each outer pocket has a flap with two types of button closures.  As you can see in the photos, the flap can be buttoned with the single, middle bottom, and-or the two side buttons.  VERY secure!  There is also a mid-rib cinch cord made out of heavy elastic cord.

The jacket has two soft shoulder boards that slide of the shoulder straps and button in place.  They show the rank of a private.  The shoulder boards are fastened with plastic buttons that have the iconic, Czech military crossed sword device on them.

This style of Czech uniform was designed in 1985 while Czechoslovakia was still communist.  They were used until the revolution and break up in 1989.  This jacket shows the manufacture date of 1988, making this one of the last communist Czech uniforms produced.

This jacket will work perfect for wearing around town or even as a great townie-bike jacket!  The back pockets make it perfect for cycling around town!  It also has that great vintage Pacific Northwest look when worn with a Filson hat or Irish cap.  Here are some additional photos of the jacket:

Arm Pit vents

Inner Pockets

Here are a few historic photos of this jacket in use. I found that there are very few photos showing these jackets in use...... I guess they were only used for a few years, and by a very limited number of special troops.

Czech Special Forces Recon Troops

The soldier on the right is wearing a camo version of this jacket.

Bundesgrenzschutz Hut Abzeichen, Bundesgrenzschutz Hat Badge

Today's posting is on a very nice Bundesgrenzschutz hat badge that I acquired with the BGS shirt in the last posting.  This is the later style hat badge that was adopted in 1976, along with the bamboo colored shirts.  This hat pin replaced the older "eagle and cockade" emblems on the peaked uniform caps.

Here is a 1976 BGS magazine showing two officers posing in the new uniforms....... notice the hat badges:

Bundesgrenzschutz Diensthemd langarm, Bundesgrenzschutz Service Shirt - long sleeved

Today's posting is on a Bundesgrenzschutz service shirt that I received form a veteran BGS officer in Berlin a couple of weeks ago.  The shirt is the type and color that was worn from about 1976 until the time the BGS was re-formed into the Bundespolizei in 2001.  The color is "bambus", or bamboo.

The patches on the shirt when I received it, were sewn on by hand as replacements to the originals.  The stitching was way too tight, causing the patches to bunch up and pucker the fabric.  They also did not match the original "stitch shadow" left by the original patches.  I removed the patches, repaired a couple of small nicks in the fabric where the original patches had been, and then re-sewed on the patches using a machine. 

I attached a set of BGS shoulder boards for the rank of  "Meister im BGS".  This the lowest of the Non-Commissioned officer ranks, or the approximate equivalent of a Petty Officer 3rd Class in the USCG.  This style and rank of shoulder board was instituted in 1976 when the uniforms in the BGS were also changed.  The boards are attached using a flat plastic button sewn to the pebbled metal button that is seen on the top of the board.  The boards have an attaching tab that slides through a sewn tube on the shoulder of the shirt that is for this purpose.

17mm Pebbled Buttons & Flat Plastic Buttons

Prior to 1976, the uniform shirts were a gray color.

And now to end the post in the usual style......... here are a few archive photos of these "bambus" colored shirts in use:

Classic Cycle, Bainbridge Island, Washington

I had to head over to Bainbridge Island yesterday afternoon to pick up Sweet Pea at the Seattle to Bainbridge Island ferry, so I took advantage of the trip to stop by the Classic Cycle bicycle shop and cycling museum in Winslow, almost across the street from the ferry terminal on Bainbridge Island.

If you ever get a chance to make it over to Bainbridge Island, this bike shop is a MUST SEE for all cyclists and non-cyclists alike.  The shop is well laid out, open feeling, with high walls.  It's these walls that provide the space to display many of the classic and famous bicycles in the collection.  Amazing and one of a kind bicycles with unique histories....... bicycles that were ridden by many of the very early racers and world record breakers over the last 125 years.  The collection is too vast to display all at one time, so every so often the bikes are rotated, with new bicycles going up and and the last displayed batch heading back to storage.  With over 200 bicycles in the collection, there's a lot to rotate and display!

As you walk through the shop, be sure to look in all the nooks and crannies....... there are photos, signed jerseys, cases filled with vintage parts, head badges, trophies, racing and cycling memorabilia.  Wonderful!

I would definitely classify this shop as a higher end shop.  You'll find all the "big player brands", like Colnago, right alongside Treks.................. and a fantastic array of cycling clothing, custom shop jerseys, mid to high end gear and bike parts of all types.

So, If your ever head over  to the Seattle-Bainbridge Ferry, be sure to stop in  for look at this hidden jewel of the cycling world.

Classic Cycles, Bainbridge Island

And now here's a virtual tour of the shop and some of the wonderful bicycles and mementos, brought to you courtesy of Classic Cycles and my digital camera....... enjoy!