Monarch horsehide barnstormer leather jacket

Posted on May 16, 2014 by Spencer Stewart

http://www.ebay.com/itm/271493775559
This vintage jacket was made by Monarch Mfg. of Milwaukee WI in the late 1930s or early 1940s. It is a belted, double breasted style. This has since come to be known among collectors as a barnstormer style, named after the aviators of the 1920s who wore similar styles. The jacket is made of russet horsehide, with a 3×6 double breasted front. There are handwarmer pockets (known originally as “muff” pockets), as well as flapped cargo pockets. These have deeply scalloped pocket flaps. The jacket is lined with blanket wool in the body, with quilted shoulders and sleeves. The U shaped seam between the two lining materials is a detail I have only seen on other Monarch jackets. The label is of a style used in the 1930s through about the end of WWII. The leather has some really incredible grain, highlighted by decades of usage. The treatment of the seams is unusual. Whereas most jackets, leather or otherwise, will have a seam at the edge of the jacket, or on the edge of the lapels, this one minimizes them by folding the leather around to form the front and back panel.

The Monarch Manufacturing Company was founded in 1892 by Paul Asch. In 1917, they relocated to a new factory, located at 246 East Chicago St., Milwaukee, WI. They built at least four more factories in Milwaukee, employing over a thousand workers by 1922. Throughout the life of the company, they specialized in leather, sheepskin and fabric outerwear for men and boys. They produced A-2 contracts during WWII.

Chest (pit to pit): 23″
Shoulder to shoulder: 18″
Sleeve (shoulder to cuff): 26-1/2″
Length (collar seam to hem): 30″

1950s Bullseye Bill fishing jacket

Posted on May 14, 2014 by Spencer Stewart

http://www.ebay.com/itm/281337372551
This vintage jacket was made in the 1950s and was sold under the “Bullseye Bill” label. I have had several of these jackets, dating from the 1930s-1950s, and other than the hardware and labels, the overall design barely changed. This one has a “Wiz” zipper front, where as earlier models generally had button fronts. There are pockets on both of the arms, wraparound pockets, a large rear game pocket, a breast pocket, fly rod loop and a sheepskin patch for flies. There is a D-ring on the back of the jacket to attach further gear to, and two internal patch pockets Most people who wear these as streetwear remove the fly pad. This one is made of light, summer weight canvas.

In case if you don’t know wher to buy water shoes for this part.

Chest (pit to pit): 23″ (doubled = 46″)
Shoulder to shoulder: 18″
Sleeve (shoulder to cuff): 24″
Length (base of collar to hem): 22″

Similar in cut to this “Snag Pruf” jacket

1940s Maxproof waxed canvas coat

Posted on May 14, 2014 by Spencer Stewart

http://www.ebay.com/itm/271490626752
This vintage coat was made in the United Kingdom by Maxproof. It is made of heavy, waterproof waxed canvas. While it is single breasted, it has a double row of buttons, and double set of flaps to keep all water and wind out when riding your motorcycle in the rain. It has a side collar and throat latch / chinstrap which close the neck up equally as securely. The wrists can be cinched down with buttoned belts, and the length is long enough to keep you dry. There are three eyelets at each underarm for ventilation, and a rear vent.

Chest (pit to pit): 25″ (doubled = 50″)
Shoulder to shoulder: 21″
Sleeve (shoulder to cuff): 24″
Length (base of collar to hem): 34″

1950s H Bar C Ranchwear western jacket

Posted on May 14, 2014 by Spencer Stewart

http://www.ebay.com/itm/271489341046
This vintage western jacket was made in the 1950s by H Bar C Ranchwear. It it is made of striped wool and has peaked lapels, flapped patch pockets, fancy yokes front and back and a bi-swing action back. It is fully lined in octagon/paisley fabric. The union tag is the early 1949 variant, prior to the inclusion of the (R) symbol, which dates its manufacture between 1949 and 1962. The styling suggests a date of manufacture in the mid 1950s.

Chest (pit to pit): 21″ (doubled = 42″)
Shoulder to shoulder: 17″
Sleeve (shoulder to cuff): 25-3/4″
Length (base of collar to hem): 31-1/2″

1950s Lasso Western Wear western jacket

Posted on May 14, 2014 by Spencer Stewart

http://www.ebay.com/itm/271489217364
This vintage western jacket was made in the 1950s under the Lasso Western Wear label. It is single breasted, with peak lapels, scalloped, buttoned pocket flaps, and a bi-swing action back. It is made of brown on brown blanket material, similar to that produced by the Hudson’s Bay company. This one is lighter weight than that fabric, but has the same coloration and napped texture. According to the tag, the model name is the Mr. Mak. The details, particularly the shape and width of the lapels, identify this as a 1950s example. Looking through Lasso Western Wear catalogs of the period, by the early 1960s, while the overall cut was similar, the lapels had narrowed greatly, and the peak had been largely overtaken by the notch in popularity.

Chest (pit to pit): 24″ (doubled = 48″)
Shoulder to shoulder: 20″
Sleeve (shoulder to cuff): 25″
Length (base of collar to hem): 31″

1950s Pioneer Wear western jacket

Posted on May 14, 2014 by Spencer Stewart

http://www.ebay.com/itm/281336454443
This vintage western jacket was made in the 1950s by Pioneer wear. It is made from a gray on gray shadow plaid. It has peak lapels, deep scalloped yokes front and rear, and a bi-swing action back. Buttons are all gray leather “knot” type.

Chest (pit to pit): 21″
Shoulder to shoulder: 18″
Sleeve (shoulder to cuff): 25-3/4″
Length (base of collar to hem): 31″

Merrill Woolens plaid jacket

Posted on May 14, 2014 by Spencer Stewart

http://www.ebay.com/itm/271489386897
This vintage jacket was made in the 1940s by Merrill Woolens of Merrill, Wisconsin. With its square bottom, boxy cut, and coat style collar, the cut is reminiscent of a Hollywood jacket. The plaid fabric and zipper breast pocket put it in a woodsier category altogether.

Chest (pit to pit): 21″
Shoulder to shoulder: 18″
Sleeve (shoulder to cuff): 24-1/2″
Length (base of collar to hem): 30″

1920s Duxbak hunting coat

Posted on May 11, 2014 by Spencer Stewart

http://www.ebay.com/itm/271482181910
This vintage canvas hunting jacket was made in the 1920s by Duxbak. It is their early style of hunting coat, introduced in the first decade of the 20th century, with double hip pockets, and a double breast pocket. For both, the double pockets share a single flap. This jacket has the early version of what would later become the “half-moon” pocket, a pass through on the front of the coat to the interior game pocket. The jacket is a double thickness. The pockets have been lined/patched with selvedge salt and pepper cotton. Underarms are double-panel gusseted and have ventilation grommets. There is a calendar in the pocket dated 1939, presumably the last time this coat was worn in earnest. With the amount of wear put on it, its safe to say it dates from some time before that. The style of label and style of the coat confirm a 1920s date of manufacture.

Tagged size: 42
Chest (pit to pit): 25-1/2″ (51″)
Shoulder to shoulder: 19-1/2″
Sleeve (shoulder to cuff): 23″
Length (base of collar to hem): 29″

1930s capeskin half-belt cossack jacket

Posted on April 28, 2014 by Spencer Stewart

http://www.ebay.com/itm/271469478475
This vintage leather jacket was made around 1936. It is made of lightweight capeskin leather, with a perforated Ostrich grain texture, popular briefly in 1936 and 1937. The jacket is an early cossack style, with a leather waistband and D-stitched pockets. The back is belted, with side adjusters, and is pleated. Cuffs are adjustable with two buttons. The jacket has an early Talon riveted “grommet” zipper, a style which started production in 1930, and continued through the 1930s. This one is missing its original slider, though at this date of manufacturer, it probably had a Talon branded fantail style slider. The jacket has a transitional half-lining. While it is constructed like the unlined leather jackets of the early 1930s, it is lined in the shoulders and sleeves. The lining remains, but it has shredded at most of the points where it attaches to the leather itself.

Chest (pit to pit): 20″ (doubled = 40″)
Shoulder to shoulder: 16-1/2″
Sleeve (shoulder to cuff): 24″
Length (base of collar to hem):22″

Photos from 1936 and 1937 Sears catalog, showing similar Sears Hercules ostrich grained models. Jacket is similar to models in advertisements, though differs in back pleat detailing.

Ralph Lauren linesman jacket reproduction

Posted on April 28, 2014 by Spencer Stewart

http://www.ebay.com/itm/271469042655
This jacket was made by Ralph Lauren in 2006 as a sample. It is mid 1930s utility jacket style, termed by RL as a “Linesman’s Jacket”. Like originals, it has curved, slanted patch pockets and a zipper breast pocket. It has side adjuster belts with deco floral patterned buckles. There is a buttoned tab at the waistband. There is a Conmar grommet zipper, in the style of the original 1930s hardware. Cuffs are lined with corduroy, and the jacket is unlined. The buttons have been replaced with original 1930s catseye buttons.

Chest (pit to pit): 23″
Shoulder to shoulder: 19″
Sleeve (shoulder to cuff): 24-1/2″
Length (base of collar to hem): 23″

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Category Archives: Jackets

Monarch horsehide barnstormer leather jacket

1950s Bullseye Bill fishing jacket

1940s Maxproof waxed canvas coat

1950s H Bar C Ranchwear western jacket

1950s Lasso Western Wear western jacket

1950s Pioneer Wear western jacket

Merrill Woolens plaid jacket

1920s Duxbak hunting coat

1930s capeskin half-belt cossack jacket

Ralph Lauren linesman jacket reproduction