JP Sauer 38H Holster & pistol: gun show buy

[Mr.Negativity]

Hey everyone! i picked this rig up last February at a local gun show. Ive wanted a JP Sauer & Sohn 38H ever since my boss brought one into work that his grandmothers brother took off a soldier in Italy during the war. I found this one for what i think is a decent deal. Its a 3rd variation with the serial in the 328xxx range and has 2 original mags with it but missing the original grips, it had ugly wooden ones on it so i bought some repros. BUT anyways the holster threw me for a loop i almost tossed it out thinking it was a crappy reproduction because of the ugly brown/orangish color and the stiffness/hard feel of it. I took a second look at it after noticing the rivet didn't look so modern. I started searching online and i believe its one of the not as common laminated paper holsters? I couldn't find any markings on it anywhere at all.
If anyone with more knowledge of these can give me some input i would greatly appreciate it!

[JoeW]

What a great ersatz holster you found. If still flexible, that is great. Often they harden. Laminated paper, artificial leather and cavas were used as Germany faced a leather shortage shortly after the beginning of the war.

[Mr.Negativity]

What a great ersatz holster you found. If still flexible, that is great. Often they harden. Laminated paper, artificial leather and cavas were used as Germany faced a leather shortage shortly after the beginning of the war.

Thank you so much! I honestly got lucky with that. I never knew they made them like that at the time I bought the pistol! Glad I checked twice before tossing it aside with other items I’ve gotten over the years that I don’t believe in their authenticity lol. Aside from some cracking on the flap from it drying out and opening and closing it, the condition seems good. Do you know of anything I can apply or wipe it down with to maybe soften it and bring back some flexibility to it? I’ve been pondering listing the holster alone for sale if it’s worth it so I can put the money towards more firearms or helmets for my collection and just buy a cheaper original leather holster for it?

[MP41]

Need some more pics of the pistol to really tell what you have. Pics of left side, right side, markings, and magazine would help.

As for the holster, however, Joe is correct as usual. It's an ersatz type holster (translated; substitute material).
The Germans used many types of materials to substitute for leather such as; pig skin, laminated paper, vinyl, and pressed fiberboard. Many think these holsters are late war, but actually most were made between 1941-1943. There are, of course, exceptions to this. Good find though!

Matt

[Mr.Negativity]

Need some more pics of the pistol to really tell what you have. Pics of left side, right side, markings, and magazine would help.

As for the holster, however, Joe is correct as usual. It's an ersatz type holster (translated; substitute material).
The Germans used many types of materials to substitute for leather such as; pig skin, laminated paper, vinyl, and pressed fiberboard. Many think these holsters are late war, but actually most were made between 1941-1943. There are, of course, exceptions to this. Good find though!

Matt

Thank you! I’ll take some good clear close ups of just the pistol when I get home from work in a couple hours. 👍🏻

[JoeW]

Thank you so much! ............... Do you know of anything I can apply or wipe it down with to maybe soften it and bring back some flexibility to it? I’ve been pondering listing the holster alone for sale if it’s worth it so I can put the money towards more firearms or helmets for my collection and just buy a cheaper original leather holster for it?

I have never found in all my years anything that restores the flexibility to any of these materials. Some have dried out so much that the material cracks when attempting to open. This is usually with the layered material like yours and plastic. But some still have flexibility. Such holsters are of interest to collectors but usually after hands-on inspection.