/internal/media/dispatcher/50536/fullEmbossed leather pistol holster originally owned by Jack Rubycirca 19555 5/8 × 3 1/4 × 2 in. (14.3 × 8.3 × 5.1 cm)Leather; Metal; Fibers, Man-madeLoaned Courtesy the Dallas County District Attorney's Office/The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey PlazaL2017.1.140One embossed leather pistol holster originally owned by Jack Ruby.
The holster is made of reddish brown leather on the outside that is embossed on the front with a large floral design. The front has a metal snap closure where the narrow leather strap fastens; strap extends from top of back of holster through slit cut in interior white leather. Proper right and bottom sides of holster are stitched together using wide whip stitch. Inside of holster has white leather that is wrapped over onto the top edge of the front of the object; white leather surface continues onto reverse where belt strap folds backward onto reverse and is saddle stitched to holster. No makers marks visible anywhere on the holster.
Handwritten in blue ink pen on saddle stitched area of white leather on reverse is the date "11/24/63" and illegible initials beneath the date. Two other names are written on the wider part of the white leather belt strap area of the holster. It was customary for the Dallas Police Department to notate on physical evidence the date it was seized and by which member of the DPD.
No date specified on this object because there is no date on the holster, and it is unknown when this object was created or purchased. However, it cannot date later than November 24, 1963 because that is the date Jack Ruby shot Lee Harvey Oswald, and as a result this object along with many others were taken as evidence from Mr. Ruby's car by the Dallas Police Department.
This object was originally part of the evidence collected by the Dallas County District Attorney’s Office and specifically prosecutors Henry Wade and Bill Alexander during the investigation leading up to the Jack Ruby trial for the murder of Lee Harvey Oswald.
Leather is discolored all over, worn in places, and white leather is badly stained. Needs conservation. (JM 09/07/2017)Artifacts656298.255016510014.287528575150712Holster5.0800101600Embossed leather pistol holster originally owned by Jack Ruby.
The holster is made of reddish brown leather embossed with a floral design. The front has a metal snap closure where a narrow leather strap fastens. One long and short side of the holster are stitched together using wide whip stitch. Inside the holster is lined with white leather. No makers marks visible anywhere on the holster.
Handwritten in blue ink pen on saddle stitched area of white leather on reverse is the date "11/24/63" and illegible initials beneath the date. Two other names are written on the wider part of the white leather belt strap area of the holster. It was customary for the Dallas Police Department to notate on physical evidence the date it was seized and the initials of the DPD officer who took possession of it; this documented the chain of custody.
This object was originally part of the evidence collected by the Dallas County District Attorney’s Office and specifically prosecutors Henry Wade and Bill Alexander during the investigation leading up to the Jack Ruby trial for the murder of Lee Harvey Oswald.Jack Ruby trialEvidenceDA's Ruby fileRuby, JackDallas County District Attorney's OfficeDallas Police DepartmentThis item, along with materials from the DA's Ruby file (which is on loan to the Museum) and from the Museum's permanent collection, briefly appeared in a temporary display on the Museum's seventh floor in 2017. - Lindsey Richardson, Curator of Collections