Circa 1939 Captain A.H. Hardy Catalog No. 30 flyer
As of this writing, only two catalogs of holster maker Captain A.H. Hardy, Beverly Hills Cal. have been identified, the first, a circa 1939 original Catalog No. 30[1]. Being identified as a catalog is unusual as A.H. Hardy was known to offer flyers only of his holsters and other leather products for sale . Part of the cover page introduction Captain A.H. Hardy states: MY ASSOCIATION with sportsmen for over a quarter of a century as a professional shooter place me in the public eye in that capacity only. Previously to my entering the shooting game I was engaged in the leather industry as a manufacturer of fine stock saddles, producing many of the finest cowboy saddles made in the West. At that time I did much experimenting gun cases. There was not a first-class gun case on the market, so I set about developing a superior case that would appeal to discriminating sportsmen. Without solicitation, I have sold several hundred of these fine cases, and where one is shipped I frequently get orders for several more.
Circa 1949 Captain A.H. Hardy Catalog No. 50 flyer
The second is a copy of a circa 1949 Catalog No. 50. It is not known of date and frequency of these flyer publications, although it can be assumed, based on the two flyers pictured that it was at least a minimum of one per year. The circa 1949, 4-page copy was obtained from a noted publisher of rare catalogs and flyers and is also presented herein. The original circa 1949 flyer was copied from a descendant of A.H. Hardy with some additional history, some new and old information, provided by that descendent and is presented below. Yet more background materiel or history is presented on the first page of the flyer.
I am a descendant of A.H. Hardy (Albert Howard Hardy) he was known as Bert by family. My mother has spoken of him for years. I also inherited a .22 from my father. I am very interested in acquiring a A.H. Hardy holster for the 22. A.H. (Capt.) Hardy was a world famous sharpshooter and was a pallbearer for Buffalo Bill Cody, in Denver Colorado. He began learning leatherwork in Omaha Nebraska at the age of 17. Wherever he lived he always had his leather shop with him, making saddles, holsters, purses, anything leather. In Beverly Hills he worked with the studios as a technical director and teaching actors how to shoot. Actors he worked with included Tom Mix, Fred Stone, Clark Gable, William S. Hart, Andy Devine, Fred MacMurray and others. He also made custom holsters for them. In the 1935 movie Annie Oakley his daughter Kathryn did the shooting for Barbara Stanwick, who played Annie, and Hardy for Preston Foster who played Toby Walker.
The actual Beverly Hills mailing address is part of the first page of each flyer background information of A.H. Hardy and is identified to be Capt. A.H. Hardy, 513 N. Arden Drive, Beverly Hills where he purportedy made holsters in a shop in his garage.[2] Additionally, as part of the A.H. Hardy leather product flyers, his leather products were also offered through dealers as both flyers state: Individuals who cannot obtain my goods from their dealer can get them from me direct. Pictured for comparison are the circa 1939 Catalog No. 30 and circa 1949 Catalog 50 holster page ads.
The 8½ x 11-inch, 4-page flyers, when new were apparently folded in thirds as indicated by traces of creases in the copies, possibly for mailing. The holsters pictured are mostly for revolvers, making the three featured A.H. Hardy Luger holsters extremely rare.
As for the 1949 date of the one flyer, A.H. Hardy (1876 – 1950) was 74 years old and died a year later, subsequently, this was possibly his last flyer.
[2] Per an internet search 513 N. Arden Drive is a house in Beverly Hills, CA 90210. This 4,127 square foot house sits on a 0.25-acre lot and features 5 bedrooms and 5 bathrooms. This property was built in 1927. In 1926 A.H. Hardy moved to Beverly Hills, CA.
- Late 1920s, early 1930s A.H. Hardy full cover flap, snap fastener closure holster for a 1930s no grip safety New Model short frame 4¾-inch barrel 30 Cal Luger
Since A.H. Hardy lived at the holster logo Beverly Hills location since 1927 means this Beverly Hills logo marked holster was made sometime after 1927, probably special order, possibly for a period or contemporaneous 4¾-inch 30 Cal barrel Luger with the only such period Luger available would be an early 1930s Mauser 3-line Stoeger Luger shown below.
Pictured is another view of the A.H. Hardy holster with 1930s Mauser Stoeger American Eagle chamber crested Luger 498V.
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- 1940s Luger style LUG 4 shoulder holster for 3-5/8-inch or 98mm barrel
A.H. Hardy (1876 – 1950) was a leather maker from Beverly Hills. He dealt with many Hollywood celebrities and was a shooting and technical director for some of the early movie studios, having instructed early movie stars such as Tom Mix, Clark Gable and others. It is not believed that he distributed catalogs, but rather distributed flyers. His logo was his name and Beverly Hills in either an oval or a circle, His earlier logo was his name and just the word “maker”. For more information, go the Vintage Gun Leather web site.
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- 1940s Luger style, open top holster for 3-5/8-inch or 98mm barrel
- 1940s Luger style 9MM 4 holster for 4-inch or 100mm barrel
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