1940s Californian Suede halfbelt

Posted on July 3, 2013 by Spencer Stewart

http://www.ebay.com/itm/271232887206
This vintage leather jacket was made by the California Sportswear Company of Los Angeles, California under their “Californian” brand. It has classic half-belt styling with side belt adjusters. The front closes with buttons, which are of the leather knot/football type. This jacket has jacket style lapels instead of the shirt style collar you generally see on short leather jackets of this style. There are dual vertical breast pockets.

Chest (pit to pit): 21″
Shoulder to Shoulder: 17″
Sleeve (Shoulder to Cuff): 24-1/2″
Length (base of collar to hem): 28″

1930s leather half-belt utility jacket

Posted on April 30, 2013 by Spencer Stewart

http://www.ebay.com/itm/281101000703

This vintage leather jacket was made in the 1930s. It is a classic utility jacket style, with handwarmer pockets, a zip breast pocket, and a pleated half-belt back. At the ends of the half-belt are adjuster belts. The jacket is made of what feels like horsehide, though with the labels missing, it is impossible to be positive. The leather has a wonderful patina and grain. In the 1950s, this jacket received a new brass Talon Zipper and a reline. The replacement lining is an alpaca pile, and is also sewn to the top of the collar. The sleeves are nylon, with home-knitted cuffs. Unfortunately, there is a funky tooth near the bottom of the zipper, so while you can engage it, you can’t get it zipped up very far. That should be replaced, probably with one more era-appropriate.

Chest (pit to pit): 22″
Shoulder to shoulder: 18″
Sleeve (shoulder to cuff): 24″
Length (bottom of collar to hem): 24″

Denim half-belt utility jacket

Posted on April 30, 2013 by Spencer Stewart

http://www.ebay.com/itm/281101026594

This vintage jacket was made postwar, probably in the late 1940s , but is nearly identical to the pattern of leather utility jackets popular prior to the war. It has slash handwarmer pockets and a diagonal breast pocket. There is a half-belt with side adjuster belts, and bi-swing shoulders. In front is a brass talon zipper, which still works well. The jacket is made of a herringbone stripe blue denim. It’s interesting that the panel underneath the halfbelt has the pattern running 90 degrees to the rest of the jacket, providing visual contrast.

Chest (pit to pit): 25″
Shoulder to shoulder: 20-1/2″
Sleeve (shoulder to cuff): 25″
Length (bottom of collar to hem): 25″

Hudson’s Bay leather jacket

Posted on February 21, 2013 by Spencer Stewart

http://www.ebay.com/itm/271159802541

The Hudson’s Bay company didn’t just make point blankets, blanket coats and fine furs, as this jacket shows. It’s a clean, simple design, with quality workmanship and materials.

This vintage leather jacket was made by the Hudson’s Bay Company. It is a classic utility jacket style, with handwarmer pockets and a zip breast pocket. It has a plain back and buttoned cuffs. The zippers are both Canadian made lightnings, with a Talon-style bell shaped puller. (Remember, Canadian made jackets have the puller on the left zipper track) The jacket is fully lined, and needs the lining re-stitched at the left underarm.

Chest: 22″
Shoulder to Shoulder: 18″
Shoulder to Cuff: 25-1/2″

Spiegel Front Quarter Horsehide leather jacket

Posted on January 12, 2013 by Spencer Stewart

http://www.ebay.com/itm/281050512045

This vintage long half-belt was sold by Spiegel in the 1950s. It is made of front quarter horsehide with a sheepskin lining. It has an action bi-swing back, belt back, two flapped front pockets, with handwarmer pockets and a diagonal zip chest pocket. The sheepskin lining extends three quarters down with the remainder, and the sleeves, being quilted rayon. The jacket has a conmar zipper, but the zipper tape has rotted at the bottom, so it will need to be replaced.

Chest: 23″

Shoulder to Shoulder: 19″

Sleeve (shoulder to cuff): 25″

William Barry leather jacket

Posted on January 12, 2013 by Spencer Stewart

http://www.ebay.com/itm/271137548637

This vintage leather jacket was made by William Barry, under their “Score One” label. It is very close to a ’30s or ’40s halfbelt pattern, but with a bigger collar and front yoke. Halfbelt back. Brass talon zipper. The leather is relatively light weight. Chest: 21″Shoulder to Shoulder: 17″Sleeve (shoulder to cuff): 25″

Europa Leather Jacket

Posted on January 12, 2013 by Spencer Stewart

http://www.ebay.com/itm/271137528786

This vintage leather jacket was made in Uruguay the late 1960s through mid 1970s time frame by “Eropa Sport”. It has a classic short style, with three front patch pockets. It has a 1930s influence to the back design, with its yoke, halfbelt with buckles, and pleats. The jacket has a brass talon zipper and two interior pockets.Tagged size: 40Chest: 20″Shoulder to Shoulder: 16″Sleeve (shoulder to cuff): 25″

Foster Sportswear motorcycle jacket

Posted on November 26, 2012 by Spencer Stewart

http://www.ebay.com/itm/281030496790

This vintage leather jacket was made in the 1940s by Foster Sportswear. It has an asymmetrical zip front, a forerunner to the modern style epitomized by the Schott Perfecto. While most jackets of this style turn up in horsehide or goat, this feels like it’s capeskin. Very nice and supple leather. It has slash handwarmer pockets, with flapped cargo pockets and a diagonal zipped map pocket. At the time, this probably would have been advertised as an aviator style.

The jacket has a quilted body lining and flannel sleeves, with knit storm cuffs. It has a conmar pocket zipper and a conmar main zip, though the slider is missing on the main zipper. There is one broken tooth about halfway up the zipper track, which is probably where it would have jumped. Somewhat surprisingly, the jacket does not have the standard half-belt back, opting instead for a paneled design with small elasticized side panels. The leather has some wear and patina, but overall is in very good condition. There is a small section of dropped stitching under the right armpit. The lining has a hole, see the photo.

Chest (pit to pit): 22″

Shoulder to shoulder: 19″

Sleeve (shoulder to cuff): 23-1/2″

Length (collar to hem): 26″

Monarch leather jacket

Posted on October 31, 2012 by Spencer Stewart

http://www.ebay.com/itm/271093612336

This vintage leather jacket was made by the Monarch company, a legendary leather jacket company of the golden era, who held an A-2 contract during the war. This is an aviator / motorcycle style, with an asymmetrical front zip , two flapped pockets, and two map pockets. It has epaulettes, belted sleeve cuffs, and a bi-swing half-belted back. The main zip is a triple marked sunburst Talon. The tab on the male side (the side without the puller) is missing. It’s still zip-able, but it takes a little bit to get the teeth to mesh initially. The chain zippers on the two map pockets are also talons. There are two ventilation grommets under each arm. The jacket is made of colt leather, a type of horsehide. There is damage to the cuffs, and cracking to the collar. The left shoulder has some flaking and the lining has wear and some moth damage. This jacket has been worn and has acquired a fantastic patina over the years.

Chest: 22″

Sleeve (shoulder to cuff): 25″

Shoulder to Shoulder: 18″

Top of Collar to Hem: 28″

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Tag Archives: halfbelt

1940s Californian Suede halfbelt

1930s leather half-belt utility jacket

Denim half-belt utility jacket

Hudson’s Bay leather jacket

Spiegel Front Quarter Horsehide leather jacket

William Barry leather jacket

Europa Leather Jacket

Foster Sportswear motorcycle jacket

Monarch leather jacket