1950s Hell on Wheels Motorcycle Club Jacket

Posted on October 26, 2013 by Spencer Stewart

http://www.ebay.com/itm/271306503829
This vintage jacket was made in the 1950s by Peters Sportswear. It is made of black gabardine with yellow piping on the collar, sleeves and pockets. The original owner was a member of the “Hell on Wheels” motorcycle club, when it was still a sanctioned AMA club. The original owner’s name, “Dan” is chainstitched in yellow thread on the chest. It looks like the name was originally longer (Danny?), but that stitches were picked out. The chest also bears a American Motorcyclist Association patch and the club name, “Hell on Wheels”. Somewhat enigmatically, the jacket also has a football letter, “S” stitched on. The cuffs have dragon liberty cuffs sewn to the outside for a bit of extra flair. The jacket has a brass Serval zipper with a pin lock

Chest (pit to pit): 24″
Shoulder to Shoulder: 19″
Sleeve (shoulder to cuff): 23″
Length: 23″

1940s snap front hunting vest

Posted on October 19, 2013 by Spencer Stewart

http://www.ebay.com/itm/271301558605
This vintage hunting vest was probably made in the 1930s or 1940s. Dating these vintage hunting vests can sometimes be a bit difficult without labels, as the designs followed what was practical rather than what was fashionable. I have seen other examples of this vest design, but all were like this, without label. It’s an unusual design, deviating from the standard “vest with loops on the front and maybe a belt on the back”. There are two pleated breast pockets, one with a snap closure, the other with a grommet. Instead of the usual button front, this one has snaps, but it goes one further by concealing them. Snaps are “United Carr”. There are closed bottomed canvas pockets for eighteen shotgun shells. The back of the vest has a large bellows game bag, with a waterproof lining.

Chest (pit to pit): 22″
Length: 25″

Green Hunting Vest

Posted on October 19, 2013 by Spencer Stewart

http://www.ebay.com/itm/281191411402
As someone who has been collecting and researching vintage hunting vests, this one strikes me as particularly interesting. It’s not as old as most of the ones I’m selling, probably dating from the 1960s, but it’s made in an earlier style. Although hunting vests were a purely functional garment and didn’t really change with fashion, certain details did change over time, largely with innovations in materials and hardware. By the time this vest was made, the closed bottomed canvas loops has largely been supplanted by elastic knit loops, which were easier and less expensive to construct, and lay flat when not in use. This vest has the older style loops, heavily reinforced at the bottoms. This vest is reinforced throughout with green textured naugahyde, making for extremely strong seams. Another unusual thing about this vest is its color. Most hunting vests of this type are in shades of brown canvas. This one is in a minty gray green with forest green trim. The vest has DOT snaps throughout, and a removable, vinyl lined game bag.

Chest (pit to pit): 21″
Length (with gamebag): 30″
Length (without gamebag): 22-1/4″

J.C. Higgins Hunting Vest

Posted on October 19, 2013 by Spencer Stewart

http://www.ebay.com/itm/271301570163

This vintage hunting vest was made in the 1940s, and sold by Sears under their JC Higgins label. Due to similarities in their design, it wouldn’t surprise me if the Hettrick Mfg. Co. of Ohio made this under license for them. It has elastic loops for 24 shotgun shells, and a breast pocket. The four-hole buttons are textured.
Chest (pit to pit): 22″
Length: 19″

Western Field Hunting Vest

Posted on October 19, 2013 by Spencer Stewart

http://www.ebay.com/itm/281191393899
This hunting vest was sold by Montgomery Ward under their house brand “Western Field”. It is made of canvas, and has a rear external game bag, a plaid lining, and a serval zipper. There are two large bellows pockets on the front, and elasticized pockets for sixteen shotgun shells.

Chest (pit to pit): 24-1/2″ (doubled = 49″)
Length: 24″

1910s “The Gem” hunting vest

Posted on October 19, 2013 by Spencer Stewart

http://www.ebay.com/itm/271301060308
This vintage hunting vest was made by the Gem Shirt Company of Dayton, Ohio in the 1910s. The Gem Shirt Co. diversified into canvas hunting clothes in the early part of the 20th century, innovating the usage of lined waterproof game bags. They were a high end maker at the time, making their products from an excellent grade of cotton canvas duck. The vest has 32 closed bottomed reinforced corduroy shotgun shell pockets on the front of the vest. The corduroy material is somewhat unusual, a nice early detail. The back of the vest has a buckled belt, and a stitched-on tab added by the original owner, probably to hold his hunting license. The vest has a five button front, with metal buttons reading “The Gem”. The buttons attach via grommets and rings. The vest has a typically 1910s style yellow on black label.

Chest (pit to pit): 21″ (double = 42″)
Length: 18-1/2″

1911. “The Gem” trademark registered. Logo matches that on this vest.

1912 – Ad for The Gem hunting coats

1917 – Photo of “The Gem” hunting coat

1918. Guiterman Bros Town and Country vest, Gem Hunting Coat and a Springfield Rifle

1923. Gem Hunting Vests and coats. This is the last I can find on the company.

1930s Blue Bill hunting vest

Posted on October 19, 2013 by Spencer Stewart

http://www.ebay.com/itm/281191020912
This vintage vest was made in the 1930s by Red Head Brand under their Blue Bill label. In the 1940s, Blue Bill changed their logo, and began including the (R) symbol. It has closed bottomed canvas shotgun shell pockets, 38 on the front and 18 on the back, for a total of 56. The shotgun shells on the back take the place of the more traditional belted back. The vest has a five button front.

Also see, Red Head no. 1

and Red Head no. 2

Chest (pit to pit): 19″ (doubled = 38″)
Length: 18-1/2″

Unmarked Hunting Vest

Posted on October 19, 2013 by Spencer Stewart

http://www.ebay.com/itm/281191023485
This vintage hunting vest was made in the 1930s. It no longer bears a label, but it is typical of the products of some of the smaller companies making vests at that time. It has a high button stance, broadly cut shoulders, 32 shotgun shell pockets, a plain back and lightweight canvas, worn soft over the years.

Chest (pit to pit): 20″
Length: 17-3/4″

1910s / 1920s Filson canvas jacket

Posted on October 19, 2013 by Spencer Stewart

This vintage jacket was made by the C.C. Filson company of Seattle, Washington in the 1910s or early 1920s. It is in remarkably good condition- the best I’ve seen. The label bears their early 1011 First Avenue address. By 1924, Filson had re-located down the block to 1005 First Ave, then again in 1930 to 1001 2nd ave, updating their label accordingly each move. This conclusively dates from the 1910s or early 1920s. The label is of the early style, reading, “C.C. Filson Co / 1011 1st Ave / Seattle Wash / Manufacturers / Complete Outfitters / For Miners, Prospectors, Lumbermen”. At this time, Seattle was still the jumping-off-point for Alaska, and Filson advertised themselves as a “Complete Alaska Outfitter”. Later on, the “Might As Well Have The Best” slogan would come into usage.

The jacket is a heavy dry tin-cloth canvas. It has half-moon pockets on the front, leading to an internal unlined game-bag. Flaps on the back lead to this pocket as well. This creates a double thickness of high quality canvas throughout the coat, making for a durable garment. The collar is corduroy, and has a matching corduroy throat latch / chin strap. The shoulders are reinforced against wear when carrying loads. The hip pockets are of the early double-round style, and share a common pocket flap. The main breast pocket is similarly enormous, with a more regularly sized pocket overtop. The underarms have football gussets for a greater range of motion. The cuffs are lined with wool, and close with United Carr snaps. The snaps, both on the cuffs and the breast pocket, are of the early printed type, and still are very clear.

Chest (pit to pit): 21″
Shoulder to Shoulder: 17-1/2″
Sleeve (Shoulder to cuff): 24″
Length: 29″

Address up until 1923.

Waxed Cotton A-1 jacket

Posted on October 19, 2013 by Spencer Stewart

SOLD
This jacket was made by Ralph Lauren under the Polo equestrian label. It is a reproduction of a jacket style popular from c. 1919 through into the 1930s, which would be adapted by the military into the A-1 flight jacket. The original civilian model of this jacket was defined by its knit collar, cuffs and waistband, and patch pockets. The style was originally a hunting/outdoorsman’s style, and was generally, though not always, made of leather. This reproduction is made of water resistant waxed cotton / oiled cotton, a material appropriate for the style, as it also shares the hunting / outdoorsman’s garment lineage. This jacket has two large patch cargo pockets, and a small functional ticket pocket. The jacket is lined with tartan flannel. Unlike many Ralph Lauren products, this jacket, made under the leather Polo Equestrian label was made in the USA,

Chest (pit to pit): 27″ (doubled = 54″)
Shoulder to shoulder: 21-1/2″
Sleeve (shoulder to end of cuff): 26-1/2″
Length (bottom of collar to bottom of waistband): 26″

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Monthly Archives: October 2013

1950s Hell on Wheels Motorcycle Club Jacket

1940s snap front hunting vest

Green Hunting Vest

J.C. Higgins Hunting Vest

Western Field Hunting Vest

1910s “The Gem” hunting vest

1930s Blue Bill hunting vest

Unmarked Hunting Vest

1910s / 1920s Filson canvas jacket

Waxed Cotton A-1 jacket