Soo Woolen Mills plaid surcoat

Posted on October 31, 2013 by Spencer Stewart

http://www.ebay.com/itm/281198324999
This vintage plaid mackinaw coat was made by the Soo Woolen Mills of Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan immediately after WWII. It has a surcoat zipper attachment and length. The main zipper is a rare transitional talon- with a Talon marked stop box of the type used in the mid-late 1940s. The main zip has a square sided, square holed puller, a type used very briefly as they were transitioning between the square edged pullers with a small hole and round ended pullers with a larger hole. The pockets zip with bell shaped, round holed Conmar zippers. The overall cut of the coat is interesting, with its long rear pleat topped with triangle reinforcing stitching and a belted, buttoned back. Most plaid mackinaws were of very traditional designs which changed very little over the years. This particular Soo model was very modern and sport for the time it was made. It is lined in red flannel, and is marked young adult age/size 20, which going by the measurements, is about a men’s size 44 short.

Chest (pit to pit): 25″ (doubled = 50″)
Shoulder to shoulder: 19″
Sleeve (shoulder to cuff): 23-1/2″
Length: 28″

1940s Fitzgerald Special fedora

Posted on October 30, 2013 by Spencer Stewart

http://www.ebay.com/itm/271309651870
This vintage fedora was custom made in Boston by Fitzgerald hatters. I believe it dates from just after the war from the style, but the construction has a number of more typically pre-war details to it. The hat has a fancy pleated liner and a textured, unreeded sweatband. The hat has a teardrop crown, narrow brim binding and a fancy ribbon.

Size: 7-1/8

Here’s another from Fitzgerald, dating to the 1960s

https://vintagehaberdashers.com/2012/06/03/the-fitzgerald-special-boston/

Block Sportswear corduroy jacket

Posted on October 26, 2013 by Spencer Stewart

http://www.ebay.com/itm/281195946202

This vintage jacket was made in California by Block Sportswear in the 1940s. It is brown narrow wale corduroy. It has a three button front and leather buttons. There are twin patch breast pockets and it is unvented. The jacket is fully lined.

Chest (pit to pit): 22″
Shoulder to shoulder: 20″
Sleeve (shoulder to cuff): 26″
Length: 32″

Gibson and Barnes A-2

Posted on October 26, 2013 by Spencer Stewart

http://www.ebay.com/itm/281195687466
This is an older Gibson & Barnes reproduction of a WWII Army Air Corps A-2 flight jacket. It is made of heavy russet brown leather, with dark brown knits. The pockets are authentic patch style, not the hand-warmer style they are currently using. The jacket has a one piece back. The jacket has a Scovill Gripper Zipper and Scovill snaps. The tag is long since missing, but the cut, detailing, hardware, and liner color and material identify it as an older G&B.

Chest (pit to pit): 23″ (doubled = 46″)
Shoulder to Shoulder: 19″
Sleeve (shoulder to end of knit cuff): 25″
Length (to end of knit waistband): 24″

Melton Wintermaster two tone jacket

Posted on October 26, 2013 by Spencer Stewart

http://www.ebay.com/itm/271306991316
This vintage jacket was made in the USA by Melton, under their Wintermaster line. The overall lines of the jacket, with its two tone styling, unlined construction, pocket setup and back belt adjusters all suggest the 1940s or early 1950s, but the hardware points to a date of manufacture no older than the 1960s. This is probably a model that was kept in their product line with no major changes for a long time.

Chest (pit to pit): 23″ (doubled = 46″)
Shoulder to Shoulder: 19″
Sleeve (shoulder to cuff): 23-1/2″
Length: 25″

Hunting and Fishing jacket

Posted on October 26, 2013 by Spencer Stewart

http://www.ebay.com/itm/271306401483
This vintage jacket was made in the 1940s under the WeatherBak label. This style was designed for hunters and fisherman, with space for every possible need. The canvas is advertised as “snag-pruf”, and the picture on the label of a hunter in the rain, along with the brand name reinforces the idea of water resistance which goes along whit this kind of tight, high quality canvas. Although canvas will get wet in the rain, the fibers swell with moisture, making a tight fabric even tighter, not allowing the water to actually pass through. I took some canvas gear on a canoe trip in Nova Scotia a year and a half ago. It rained the entire trip and my vintage canvas duffle was soaked, but everything inside remained dry.

The jacket has a short cut. There are pleated breast pockets, and wraparound double hip pockets. One has a divider with separate flaps, one has a single flap. There is a fly rod loop, a waist drawstring, pockets on each sleeve, and a roomy rear game pocket. There are two interior pockets. Room to fit everything you own! The underarms have open bottoms, an alternative to gussets for greater range of motion.

Chest (pit to pit): 23″
Shoulder to shoulder: 19″
Sleeve (shoulder to cuff): 23″
Length: 21-1/2″

For a modern leather interpretation of this style, check out: http://fcancan.blogspot.com/2013/10/i-had-dream-part2.html

Alpaca lined shawl collar mackinaw

Posted on October 26, 2013 by Spencer Stewart

http://www.ebay.com/itm/281195223460

This vintage coat was made in the 1930s. While I have seen several of this particular model, none have had any tags. Originally, these coats were known as “sheeplined” coats, and were popular with railroad men, ranchers and other men who worked outdoors, as they were light for their warmth when compared to wool coats, and were particularly hard wearing. This one defies that name slightly by having an alpaca pile lining and collar. As is typical of the style, instead of buttonholes, this coat has loops, in this instance made from leather. Likewise, the pockets are reinforced with leather. There is a waterproof layer in between the outer canvas layer and the inner warm lining. In lieu of a tag, there is a military style size stamp at the bottom of the coat.

Chest (pit to pit): 34″
Shoulder to shoulder: 19″
Sleeve (shoulder to cuff): 26-1/2″
Length: 33″

Sears Fieldmaster shawl collar mackinaw

Posted on October 26, 2013 by Spencer Stewart

http://www.ebay.com/itm/271306426480
This vintage coat was made in the 1940s or 1950s, and was sold by Sears under their Fieldmaster label. It as a canvas shell, with slash handwarmer pockets and flapped hip pockets. Both have leather reinforcement at the corners. As was typical with this style of coat, there are loops instead of butonholes. The collar is black mouton, the lining is sheepskin. The sleeves have a quilted lining. Although this coat was made in the ’40s or ’50s, the style had been around basically unchanged since the turn of the 20th century. They were popular as workwear for men who worked outdoors- for whom a coat that was lightweight yet warm, and which was rugged was a must.

The reinforcements are very similar to what was on the Montgomery Ward coats of the same era. Possibly the same maker? https://vintagehaberdashers.com/2013/03/14/powr-house-shawl-collar-mackinaw/

This one is also quite similar: https://vintagehaberdashers.com/2012/05/23/shawl-collar-mackinaw/

Chest (pit to pit): 22″
Shoulder to Shoulder: 18″
Sleeve (shoulder to cuff): 24″
Length: 32″

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″

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″

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Tag Archives: 1940s

Soo Woolen Mills plaid surcoat

1940s Fitzgerald Special fedora

Block Sportswear corduroy jacket

Gibson and Barnes A-2

Melton Wintermaster two tone jacket

Hunting and Fishing jacket

Alpaca lined shawl collar mackinaw

Sears Fieldmaster shawl collar mackinaw

1940s snap front hunting vest

J.C. Higgins Hunting Vest