Foster Sportswear motorcycle jacket

http://www.ebay.com/itm/281030496790

This vintage leather jacket was made in the 1940s by Foster Sportswear.  It has an asymmetrical zip front, a forerunner to the modern style epitomized by the Schott Perfecto.  While most jackets of this style turn up in horsehide or goat, this feels like it’s capeskin. Very nice and supple leather.  It has slash handwarmer pockets, with flapped cargo pockets and a diagonal zipped map pocket. At the time, this probably would have been advertised as an aviator style.

The jacket has a quilted body lining and flannel sleeves, with knit storm cuffs. It has a conmar pocket zipper and a conmar main zip, though the slider is missing on the main zipper.  There is one broken tooth about halfway up the zipper track, which is probably where it would have jumped. Somewhat surprisingly, the jacket does not have the standard half-belt back, opting instead for a paneled design with small elasticized side panels. The leather has some wear and patina, but overall is in very good condition. There is a small section of dropped stitching under the right armpit. The lining has a hole, see the photo. 
 
Chest (pit to pit): 22″
Shoulder to shoulder: 19″
Sleeve (shoulder to cuff): 23-1/2″
Length (collar to hem): 26″

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Twins

It’s always cool to find duplicates of vintage clothes. All these were found about a year apart from their twin, from different sources.

Soon I’ll be photographing and posting for sale a twin set of deadstock mens sweater twin sets. (Quadruplets?)

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Eagle Clothes

http://www.ebay.com/itm/271105886005

This vintage jacket was made in the 1950s by Eagle Clothes for the Hecht Company.  It is a gray fleckey plaid tweed material, three button cut, with patch pockets.  It has a peach lining.  There are stains on the front, the sleeve cuff, and a sizable moth bite in the back.
Chest: 20″
Shoulder to Shoulder: 16-1/2″
Sleeve: 24″
Length: 31″
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Hof Tex

http://www.ebay.com/itm/281025866439

This vintage jacket was made in the 1950s. The fabric has blue gray, brown and off-white tones in it.  The jacket has patch pockets, is skeleton lined and has a short center vent.  There is considerable moth damage to the back of the jacket, and it is missing its buttons.  It was styled by Hof-Tex clothes of Baltimore, Maryland.
Chest: 22″
Shoulder to Shoulder: 18-1/2″
Sleeve: 25″
Length: 31″
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Donna Karan Signature four pocket blazer

This jacket was made by Donna Karan Signature.  It was made in Italy of 100% Rayon.  It has a nice heavy drape to the fabric, but a feel similar to raw silk.  It has a 1920s influenced cut, with wide lapels and double, flapped patch breast pockets.
 Chest: 22″ (doubled = 44″ = size 40)
Shoulder to Shoulder: 18-1/2″
Sleeve: 24″
Length: 33″

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Tip Top Tailors Belt Back

This vintage blazer was made in Canada in the late 1960s by Tip Top Tailors.  It is made of a Fortrel and Wool blend.  It has crest buttons, pleated patch pockets with scalloped pocket flaps, and an action pleated belt back.  This 1930s influenced style came back in the late 1960s for a brief period.  It is half-lined in a wild fabric.
Chest: 22″
Shoulder to Shoulder: 18″
Sleeve: 26-1/2″
Length: 35″
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Groshire Single Breasted Peak Lapel blazer

This vintage jacket was made in the early 1960s by Groshire for Artie’s of Boston, MA.  It has a 1949 Union tag and a classic three button peak lapel cut.  The lining is pretty wild.  Chest: 22″
Shoulder to Shoulder: 18″
Sleeve: 25″
Length: 34″
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Curlee Clothes overcoat

http://www.ebay.com/itm/271105917184

This vintage overcoat was made by Curlee Clothes.  It is single breasted and  has a three button fly front.  It has handwarmer pockets and a fantastic blue fabric with a lighter blue overcheck.
Chest: 23″
Shoulder to Shoulder: 18″
Sleeve: 25″
Length: 45″
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Diagonal Zip Vintage Leather Jackets

The black leather jacket epitomized by the Schott Perfecto wasn’t always the motorcycle jacket default. Here is a small sample of diagonal zip leather jackets, ancestors of the style, which date from the 1930s-1960s. Top to bottom: Monarch, no label capeskin, Foster Sportswear, British Sportswear, no label Columbia. The silver British Sportswear jackets has exposed studs on the lapels, but none on the collar. The Columbia has concealed studs on both. The top three have none. They display a variety of pocket styles and placements, and of cuff styles.

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