Jakob,

As a conservator with many years experience with historic firearms I recommend not keeping the pistols in the holsters. Leather (and most skins) have natural fatty acids that can corrode metal (especially brass and copper), plus leather can have dressings (oils and soaps) that can corrode metals too. I advise separating them, and stuffing the inside of the holsters with acid-free tissue if you want to maintain it's shape if the shape comes from the pistol being in it for many years.

Usually associated things like pistols and holsters will have the same accession number with an "A" and a "B" added so that they have distinct records but are recognized as associated objects.

I am teaching an online course on the "Care and Conservation of Historic Firearms" starting on June 6th. Here's the link if you're interested.
www.firearmscareclass13.eventbrite.com


Cheers!
Dave

David Harvey
Senior Conservator and Museum Consultant
Los Angeles CA  USA
www.cityofangelsconservation.weebly.com

On Thu, May 26, 2016 at 1:56 PM, Jakob Etrheim <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
Just a quick question concerning gun storage and cataloging. We recently had a H&A and Colt 32-caliber revolvers from the early 1900s donated to our museum; each came with their own leather hostlers. Would you catalog the holster with the gun or make them two separate items? Also, for storage, would you recommend packaging the gun with the holster or take the revolvers out and package them each separately? Appreciate the help!


Thanks,
 
Jakob H. Etrheim (Eh-T-CH-ruh-m)
Collections Assistant
Kandiyohi County Historical Society Museum
610 HWY 71 NE
Willmar, MN 56201
Museum Phone: (320) 235-1881

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