This is a Cheyenne gun rig by perhaps the best of the West's master saddlers: Frank A. Meanea. As noted on the included business card, Meanea was the successor to Gallatin & Co. established in 1867. As with many holster makers, his main business was making horse tack. The business in Cheyenne, Wyoming was started by his uncle and was taken over by Meanea in 1880. Among his numerous customers were Charles M. Russell and Buffalo Bill Cody. The rig is made from brown heavy skirting leather. The belt has an elongated oval "F.A. MEANEA/CHEYENNE, WYO" maker's mark on the 14 inch billet, and the outline of the maker's mark is visible on the lower loop of the holster. The holster has some light tooling and features a sewn-in "tear drop" shaped plug at the toe. The holster will fit a Colt Single Action Army Revolver with up to a 7 1/2 inch barrel, and the belt's 34 cartridge loops will accommodate .44 and .45 caliber cartridges. The belt also has "money" pockets. Per the consignor, only a small percentage of Meanea holsters were 7 1/2s with extreme recurve. The belt is the highly desirable 4 inch wide variety and measures 43 inches in overall length.

The belt is fine and has mild overall wear mainly in the form of light crackling and some isolate minor flaking. The maker's mark remains crisp. The holster is also fine as restored and has a faint maker's mark. The rig is beautifully color-matched and will be an exceptional addition to any western collection, especially as a companion to an antique Colt Single Action Army with a 7 1/2 inch barrel.