Powr House denim chore jacket

http://www.ebay.com/itm/271403761369
This vintage denim jacket was sold by Montgomery Ward under their Powr House workwear label. The denim has a wonderful fade to it. The jacket is a classic chore coat design, with four front pockets and an interior pocket. With the exception of the cuffs, the design seems nearly identical to a Lee 91-J. With Powr House as a house brand, it’s possible MW contracted out to Lee to make this run of jackets. There is a union tag in the breast pocket, but it is faded to the point of illegibility.

Chest (pit to pit): 26″ (double = 52″)
Shoulder to shoulder: 20″
Sleeve (shoulder to cuff): 23-1/2″
Length (base of collar to hem): 31″

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R.H. Macy 1930s plaid workshirt

http://www.ebay.com/itm/281262488148
This vintage plaid wool workshirt was made in the early 1930s and was sold by R.H. Macy & Co., Inc. They later simplified their name to Macy’s. The design of the shirt, in particular the distinctive pocket flaps, are consistent with what was being produced by LL Bean at the time. It’s likely they had the contract for this Macy’s store labeled shirt.

Chest (pit to pit): 22″ (doubled = 44″)
Shoulder to shoulder: 17″
Sleeve (shoulder to cuff): 24″
Length (base of collar to hem): 32″
Collar: 16″

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1940s Belt back double breasted mackinaw

http://www.ebay.com/itm/271391492640

This vintage mackinaw coat was made in the mid to late 1940s. Going by the style and the lining, it’s likely that it was sold by Sears under the Hercules label. Whereas most plaid jackets were made for the hunting market, this one is of the type marketed in the 1940s as workwear. It has a double breasted front, handwarmer pockets on the chest and large flapped pockets on the hips. The large zipped pocket on the right side is a nice and rarely seen detail. It does up with a bell shaped Talon zipper, which helps with the dating. This has a half-belt back. The coat has a blue plaid lining

Chest (pit to pit): 25″ (doubled = 50″)
Shoulder to shoulder: 21″
Sleeve (shoulder to cuff): 24″
Length: 29″

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1920s Summers Mfg. Co hunting jacket

http://www.ebay.com/itm/281248854858
This vintage hunting jacket was made in the 1920s by Summers Manufacturing Company, Incorporated. Summers had a factory at 746 South Los Angeles Street, Los Angeles, California, and specialized in khaki clothing, both hunting and workwear. This jacket has all the best details of the hunting jackets of the period. It has a large breast pocket (the size of most jacket’s cargo pockets) with a smaller pocket overtop, both of which share the same flap. The hip pockets are equally cavernous, and are cut with round edges. The coat is a double thickness, with an internal game pocket. It is accessible the traditional way, by flaps on the back of the coat. It is also accessible by an opening located under the second button of the front, known, especially on hunting vests, as a “half-moon” pocket. On these earlier coats, it hadn’t taken on the half-moon shape in full, opting instead to have the button button through for extra security. The underarms are gusseted and have ventilation grommets. The collar is corduroy, with the cuffs lined in the same cord.
The Tate Company changed their name to the “Tate Electrolytic Textile Process” in 1920, establishing the earliest year of manufacture. The company appears to have gone out of business in the mid 1920s, providing a range of about five years during which this jacket could have been made.

Chest (pit to pit): 21″
Shoulder to shoulder: 17-1/2″
Sleeve (shoulder to cuff): 23″
Length: 28″

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WWI army pullover shirt

http://www.ebay.com/itm/271352941389
This is a WWI army shirt. It is a pullover style, with two large breast pockets, a three button front, and elbow reinforcements. The tails are gusseted.

Chest (pit to pit): 22″
Shoulder to shoulder: 17″
Sleeve (shoulder to cuff): 22″
Length: 30″
Collar: 14″

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1920s Carss Mackinaw coat

http://www.ebay.com/itm/271352494287
This vintage coat was made by Carss Mackinaw, probably in the 1920s. This is a rare version. Most were made in striped point blanket material, with four patch pockets and a belted back. This one is made from a wool plaid. It has a squared off shawl collar, with patch breast pockets and handwarmers in a shape which would eventually inspire the D-Pocket found on motorcycle jackets. There are access flaps to an internal game pocket, and adjuster belts, mounted high on the back. The shoulders have pinked capes.

Chest (pit to pit): 24″ (doubled = 48″)
Shoulder to shoulder: 18-1/2″
Sleeve (shoulder to cuff): 24″
Length: 30″

A bit about the company, from a history piece I wrote for “The Fedora Lounge”: Carss Mackinaw made blanket coats in Orillia, Ontario from at least 1897. Their signature model was single breasted with caped shoulders and a squared-off shawl collar. They are most commonly seen in red, green, and khaki, all with a blanket stripe at the base. The fabric used in these coats was advertised as a whopping 44oz, and was sourced from a variety of trade blanket manufacturers, including Hudson’s Bay and the Bird Woolen Mills. They were advertised as “The Only Genuine Mackinaw Made In Canada”. They were retailed by the Hudson’s Bay Company, as well as other stores.

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1920s plaid Big Indian Shirt workshirt

http://www.ebay.com/itm/271352508597
This vintage plaid wool workshirt was made by the Big Indian Shirt company. This is their early yellow and black label with tipis, which was used in the 1920s through the early 1930s. There are two breast pockets. The left one is cut to hold a pen. The collar has a nice shape, with a dramatic undercurve. The tails have gussets.

While most plaid shirts like this were made by outdoors companies like Woolrich, Big Indian was exclusively a workwear company, producing primarily in chambray. Their popularity peaked in the mid 1920s.

Chest (pit to pit): 22″
Shoulder to shoulder: 17″
Sleeve (shoulder to cuff): 23-1/2″
Length: 28″
Neck: 15″

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WWI army shirt

http://www.ebay.com/itm/281231419370
This is a WWI army issue pullover wool shirt. It has two breast pockets, one with stitching for a pen. The sleeves have reinforcements at the shoulders. The original tag is still at the hem, but it is mostly illegible. The chest and placket are partially lined. There are gussets at the tails.

Chest (pit to pit): 24-1/2″ (doubled = 49″)
Shoulder to shoulder: 18″
Sleeve (shoulder to cuff): 23-1/2″
Length: 32-1/2″
Neck: 16″

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Carwood denim jacket

http://www.ebay.com/itm/281230576313
This vintage denim jacket was made by the Carwood Mfg Co. of Winder, Georgia, under their western “Bar C” label. It has a classic cowboy cut. It has a pleated front, open topped patch pockets mid-chest and a snap closure. The jacket carries over a vestige of the belt backs of 1930s and earlier denim jackets in the form of bar tacked pleats where the belt would have been. The jacket has copper dome rivets at the corners of the breast pockets and on the sleeves. The jacket is lined with a striped wool blanket for a bit of extra insulation. Other Carwood jackets of this era I’ve seen were made with selvedge denim, but the lining hides the location the selvedge usually was on this pattern.

Carwood was founded in 1923 and had a manufacturing plant located at 105 E Athens St., Winder, GA. They produced work clothes, twills and denims. They also produced under the “Demander” label. During the 1950s, they had endorsement deals with Rodeo stars for their “Bar C” line of western denims. The company closed in 1989 and the building is now home to the Winder Cultural Arts Center.

Chest (pit to pit): 24″ (doubled = 48″)
Shoulder to shoulder: 19-1/2″
Sleeve (shoulder to cuff): 25″
Length: 22″

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