1910s The Gem Hunting vest

Posted on November 2, 2014 by Spencer Stewart

http://www.ebay.com/itm/271654532285
This vintage hunting vest was made by the Gem Shirt Company of Dayton, Ohio in the 1910s. The Gem Shirt Co. was founded c.1888, and 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. They ceased production by the 1920s.
This vest is their budget version, with sewn on buttons instead of changable ring-backed ones, and without the side adjusters or buckle back which other models featured.

Chest (pit to pit): 21″ (doubled = 42″)
Length (front): 22″
Length (rear): 19″

For other vests made by the Gem shirt company, see here and here

Hettrick American Field Half Moon hunting fishing vest

Posted on October 20, 2014 by Spencer Stewart

http://www.ebay.com/itm/271641031203
This vintage vest was made in the 1940s by the Hettrick Mfg. Co. of Toldeo, Ohio. It is what is now known as a “half-moon” style, named after its round game pocket access on the front. This vest was intended for flyfishers, and has a fly rod loop to hold your rod and a multitude of pockets. It is made of khaki colored canvas.
Chest (pit to pit): 20-1/2″ (doubled = 41″)
Length: 23″

1930s Utica Duxbak hunting vest

Posted on October 2, 2014 by Spencer Stewart

http://www.ebay.com/itm/281450518796
This vintage hunting vest was made in the 1930s by the Utica Duxbak Corporation of Utica, New York. It is made of the high quality canvas Duxbak products of this era are famed for. It has 32 shotgun shell loops and a five button front, with the original Duxbak branded buttons. The buckle is an EM Southwick design, patented in 1906.

Chest (pit to pit): 19″
Length (back): 16″
Length (front): 20″

1920s Fieldmaster half moon hunting vest

Posted on September 8, 2014 by Spencer Stewart

http://www.ebay.com/itm/281433509205
This vintage vest was made in the late 1920s. It was sold by Sears under the Fieldmaster Gun Coats label. This label design is the early version used by Sears during this period. In the 1930s, these were mostly sold under the Double Duty label, and had slightly different detailing. The vest (or sleeveless coat as period ads always refer to these as) has an interior game pocket with a belt adjuster. The half moon pocket gives front access to this pocket. The shoulders are reinforced and the vest has two large wraparound bellows pockets.

Chest (pit to pit): 25″ (doubled = 50″)
Length (collar to hem): 24″

American Red Cross sweater vest

Posted on September 1, 2014 by Spencer Stewart

http://www.ebay.com/itm/271593826542
This vintage sweater vest was knit by a member of the American Red Cross during WWII for an american serviceman. It has a V neck with a distinctive square back and trim ribbing.
Chest (pit to pit, unstretched): 17″ (doubled = 34″)
Chest (pit to pit, stretched): 24″ (doubled = 48″)
Length: 24″

Ralph Lauren Polo fair isle sweater vest

Posted on July 31, 2014 by Spencer Stewart

http://www.ebay.com/itm/271563636887
This vintage style fair isle pullover sweater vest was made by Ralph Lauren as part of their Polo line. It is made of a camel hair, wool and lambswool blend.

Chest (pit to pit, unstretched): 21″ (doubled = 42″)
Chest (pit to pit, stretched): 27″ (doubled = 54″)
Length: 24-1/2″

Ralph Lauren Rugby fair isle sweater vest

Posted on July 31, 2014 by Spencer Stewart

http://www.ebay.com/itm/281399882985
This vintage style fair isle pullover sweater vest was made by Ralph Lauren as part of their now discontinued Rugby line. It is made of a linen and cotton blend.

Chest (pit to pit, unstretched): 20″ (doubled = 40″)
Chest (pit to pit, stretched): 24″ (doubled = 48″)
Length: 24-1/2″

1930s Californian grommet zipper leather vest

Posted on May 31, 2014 by Spencer Stewart

http://www.ebay.com/itm/281350515618
This vintage leather vest was made by the California Sportswear Company of Los Angeles under their Californian label in the mid to late 1930s. It has an early Talon Hookless style grommet zipper and a chain and ring style Talon zip on the breast pocket, with the early style slider with the Talon script. These date it from around 1935-1938. It bears the famous Californian rising sun label, and has side adjuster belts, like those found on Californian’s half-belt leather jackets of the same period.

Chest (pit to pit): 20″ (doubled = 40″)
Length: 17-3/4″

c.1940 Woolrich railroad vest

Posted on May 30, 2014 by Spencer Stewart

http://www.ebay.com/itm/281349001502

This vintage vest was made in Woolrich, Pennsylvania by the Woolrich Woolen Mills. Woolrich changed their label design frequently, which makes them easy to date if you know what you’re looking for. This variant on the label was used from about 1940-1945. The design of the United Carr snaps are also a giveaway for this vest’s date of manufacture. In the 1930s, Woolrich used snaps with one of two variations on a greek key pattern. During WWII, they switched to a plain topped design, featured on this vest. Starting in the late 1940s, Woolrich switched to snaps bearing the Woolrich name, before switching back to a different variation on the plain topped snaps in the 1960s. The design of the back of the snap further confirms this dating.

The vest is made of Woolrich’s signature mackinaw wool. The vest has a snap front, and bound seams. Although some examples you see are the sleeved variation with the sleeves removed, the construction on those is different. The vest has a belt adjuster back and asymmetric top and bottom patch pockets. Comparisons to Brown’s Beach Jacket vests of the same period are inevitable. This vest has a single large interior pocket.

Woolrich still makes a version of this model, however, the snaps have given way to a zipper, the cut has been lengthened, the armholes lowered, the shape of the front and rear changed, the wool fabric is now a blend, the pockets are a different shape, the construction is different and the taped seams altered. There is really no comparison the the original.

Chest (pit to pit): 20″ (doubled = 40″
Length (back) 20-1/2″
Length (front): 23-1/2″

1930s Red Head Brand half-moon hunting vest

Posted on May 16, 2014 by Spencer Stewart

http://www.ebay.com/itm/271492450158
This vest was made in the 1930s by Red Head Brand, a high end maker of hunting and outdoorsman’s garments. This style has come to be known as a half-moon hunting vest, after the shape of its pass through pockets into the game pouch. Period advertisements generally referred to this style as a sleeveless jacket rather than as a vest. This one has pleated, flapped patch pockets on the front, as well as two patch pockets on the lining. There is a roomy breast pocket, just the right size for a pack of cigarettes, The half-moons pass through to the roomy internal game pocket, which closes with a button.

The vest still has the original Red Head tag, shaped, appropriately, like a duck. The tag reads – “Red Head Fits The Sport. The Red Head duck signifies that this article is backed by years of experience in the equipping of sportsmen. It is your guarantee that nothing has been spared to assure you of satisfaction in the field – that the Red Head standard of quality, workmanship, and above all, the integrity of the Red Head Brand, known by sportsmen for over forty years, is the inimitable ingredient of the product. Play safe and look for this symbol when purchasing outdoor equipment – Red Head Brand Co. – Chicago”

Chest (pit to pit): 22″ (doubled = 44″)
Length: 27″

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