Early 1940s half-belt leather jacket

Posted on August 24, 2013 by Spencer Stewart

http://www.ebay.com/itm/271264162910
This vintage leather jacket was made in the early 1940s. Unfortunately, the maker’s tag is long gone, but it can be fairly accurately dated using other details. In one of the pockets is a union tag from the Amalgamated Clothing Workers of America. The last digit of the tag is mis-printed, but I believe it’s a 1939 tag, not a 1936. This puts the dating between 1939, when that tag first came into usage, and 1949, when it was replaced by a different design. The zipper is a spring loaded crown zipper, of the type used in the early 1940s, notably on several contracts of Army Air Force A-2 flight jackets. That narrows the dating from about 1939 to 1945.

The leather, still nicely soft and supple, has developed a nice fade and patina from its original russet brown color through decades of wear. The wear is heaviest on the neck of the collar, the hem and the cuffs. The jacket’s design is a classic: half belt back with side belt adjusters. The back has pleats to bring it in at the waist. On the front, there are two small flapped pockets, with double stitching to give them the look of patch pockets. Above them are buttoned, vertical chest pockets. The pockets are lined in a soft cotton flannel, and are presumably designed as hand-warmers. The body of the jacket is lined with plaid cotton in cream, blue and brown, and the sleeves in plain cotton.

Chest (pit to pit): 23″ (doubled = 46″)
Shoulder to shoulder: 18″
Sleeve (shoulder to cuff): 25″
Length (base of collar to hem): 28″

Campus Sportswear horsehide leather jacket

Posted on August 20, 2013 by Spencer Stewart

http://www.ebay.com/itm/281154565976
This jacket was made in the late ’40s-mid 1950s timeframe by Campus Sportswear. It is made of horsehide in a classic half-belt utility jacket design that was popular from the 1930s-1950s. This one brings a bit of a ’50s twist to the design in the form of the swooping stitching/welt running up the front of the jacket. The jacket has slash handwarmer pockets, a zipped breast pocket, and adjuster belts on the sides. It has a brass Talon zipper of the design introduced in the late 1940s. The jacket has a quilted lining.

Chest (pit to pit): 22-1/2″
Shoulder to shoulder: 17-1/2″
Sleeve (shoulder to cuff): 23-1/2″
Length: 25″

AT Hendrick 1940s buckskin half-belt leather jacket

Posted on July 23, 2013 by Spencer Stewart

http://www.ebay.com/itm/271244469421
This vintage leather jacket was made in the 1940s by A.T. Hendrick. It is made of soft, high quality buckskin leather, in a button front waist-length half-belt style. The buttons are leather “football” knot style. It has fancy bellows patch pockets, and an action back. The chest pocket has a Talon chain zipper of the type used in the 1940s.

A bit about the maker: Allie T. Hendricks was born on January 27, 1896. He worked as a clothes cleaner through the 1920s and into the 1930s. In 1936, he opened his own tailor shop in the one bedroom house at 1796 Trenton St., Denver, CO which he shared with his wife, Marie. Early directory listings indicate he produced leather jackets exclusively. Later ones use the broader term “leather goods”. Like many small western leather shops, it seems he specialized in buckskin.
There is a bit of confusion over the name – his own labels read “AT Hendrick” (no S), but his directory listings and social security records spell it “Hendricks”. He died in early 1981, aged 84.

Chest: 21″ (doubled = 42″)
Shoulder to Shoulder: 17″
Sleeve (shoulder to cuff): 25-1/2″
Length: 27″

1939

The home where Hendricks produced his leather jackets

1930s H.B. Glover utility jacket

Posted on July 3, 2013 by Spencer Stewart

http://www.ebay.com/itm/281130396211
This vintage leather jacket was made in the late 1930s by the H.B. Glover Company of Dubuque, IA. It is a classic utility jacket style, with some very nice detailing. While it does not have a half-belt back, it has the side belt adjusters which are usually associated with it. On the front there are flapped pockets. Under one of the flaps is a smaller ticket pocket, fasted with a talon chain-style zipper. The breast pockets close under the shoulder yoke. The front is done up with a Talon Zipper of the type used in the late ’30s through early 1940s. It has a brown painted deco-ray stop box, marked slider and marked pull tab. There are leather knot buttons on the cuffs. The lining of the jacket is heavily stained and worn and sports the “Tailored by Glover” tag at the neck.

Chest (pit to pit): 20-1/2″
Shoulder to Shoulder: 17″
Sleeve (shoulder to cuff): 23″
Length (bottom of collar to hem): 23-1/2″

The H.B. Glover Company was founded in Dubuque, Iowa in 1857. They grew rapidly from the 1870s through to the turn of the century. Early on, the company was known for their Pajamas, but they quickly added shirts, overalls, and other items of workwear to their product line. By 1913, Glover was one of the top selling overall brands. (Source)

Picture of factory, center left, 1904. 5th and Iowa Streets, Dubuque.

By the 1920s, Glover introduced leather jackets. Depending on the jacket ads and labels read “Tailored By Glover”, “H.B. Glover”, or “Glover Sportswear”. Glover had an endorsement deal in 1925 with the “Four Horsemen” of the Notre Dame football team, who sported their leather blouses (jackets).

According to the 1936 article “World of Romance Behind Glover Company Products”, Glover took great pride in their materials. “Most of the raw materials used in Glover Sportswear (Jackets, Coats, Ski Pants, Snow Suits, etc.) originate in the West and the Glover company in selling its goods is emphasizing this very fact. Wool from Wisconsin, Montana, the Dakotas; Mohair from Del Rio and San Angelo; Sheel leather, Horsehide, Piggrain, etc., from the great plains . . . all these find their way into Glover Sportswear. And yet not all grades of woolens and leathers are good enough for Glover garments. The selected Western Range Woolens, for example, are chosen with infinite care. The choicest portion is bought right on the range, direct from the sheep raiser, thereby eliminating costly brokerage fees and the handling of the wool in dirty, crowded warehouses.”

1929

1931

1933

1934

1937

1947

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″

Engineering Dept

Posted on March 9, 2013 by Spencer Stewart

Here’s a rugged vintage look for you all. Eight panel cap, leather jacket, tall lace up boots.

Original A2 leather jacket

Posted on March 8, 2013 by Spencer Stewart

http://www.ebay.com/itm/281075219233

This vintage A-2 jacket was made in 1942 as part of the Dubow contract no. 27798. It started out life as a russet horsehide, but was reissued during the war and re-dyed a seal brown at that point. The jacket bears stitch marks from a squadron patch on the breast, and from bars on the epaulettes. Also visible are stitch marks from a previous name tag, slightly offset from the current one, which reads W.S. Butler. In 1983, the jacket received a new Talon zipper, and a brightly colored lining. The zipper still works fine, but you may want to replace it for authenticity’s sake. The replacement liner is ugly, in poor condition, and should definitely be replaced. During the re-line, the jacket lost its original contract tag and leather hanger. I believe the knits, or at least the cuff knits, may be replacements from this period as well. The leather bears signs of heavy use in the collar and shoulders. Otherwise, the leather is in surprisingly nice condition, and has been freshly conditioned. With a chest measurement of 22″, the jacket fits at around a size 40 to 42.

Chest (pit to pit): 22″ (doubled = 44″)
Shoulder to Shoulder: 18″
Shoulder to end of knit: 24-1/2″
Length down back (bottom of collar to end of knit): 23″

1940s horsehide half-belt leather jacket

Posted on February 27, 2013 by Spencer Stewart

http://www.ebay.com/itm/281070696494

This vintage leather jacket was made in the 1940s or 1950s. Its heavy leather feels like horsehide, but there are no tags. It has acquired an incredible patina to the leather, originally a dark seal color. The main zip is a Scovill, but it is missing teeth and the slider, so it will need to be replaced. The jacket is a very clean design, with a shirt style collar, handwarmer pockets and a zipped breast pocket. The rear has a halfbelt with adjuster belts. Incredible grain and mismatched panels, each having taken on a unique character over the years. The jacket is lined in khaki cotton, and has no remaining tags. There is a small hole in the leather by the breast pocket, and places (shoulders, cuff, sleeve) where seams need to be re-stitched. The leather is still strong, however, and has not worn through in the collar and cuffs like you would expect to see.

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

Vietnam era G-1 leather flight jacket

Posted on February 27, 2013 by Spencer Stewart

To compare with one made about 20 years before this, see this post.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/281070763310

This vintage leather G-1 flight jacket dates from the Vietnam war era. It feels like it may be one of the cowhide ones as opposed to the usual goat. It has a bi-swing back, and knit cuffs and waistband. The zipper is missing the puller, and is separating from the leather in some places- so it needs to be replaced. The leather has all been freshly cleaned and conditioned, however, it still has a mildew smell from decades of storage which I have been unable to remove, so keep that in mind.

Chest: 20″
Shoulder to Shoulder: 18″
Shoulder to end of knit: 24″

Cotler workwear jacket

Posted on February 21, 2013 by Spencer Stewart

http://www.ebay.com/itm/271159771798

This vintage jacket was made in the 1980s by Cotler. It is heavily influenced by designs of the 1930s, with its belted back and pleated pockets, and its leather jacket influenced side buckles. It is tagged a size 44.
Chest: 23″
Shoulder to Shoulder: 18″
Sleeve (shoulder to cuff): 27″

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