1950s Albert Richard mouton collared jacket

http://www.ebay.com/itm/271761437968
This vintage jacket was made in the early 1950s by Albert Richard. It is made of dark blue-green gabardine, with a gray collar. It is made in a surcoat style and has flapped patch pockets. The jacket has a style of Talon zipper stopbox which I have not seen before in this application, but a standard early ’50s no. 5 zipper tape and slider. The jacket has a quilted lining. With a buyout in 1953 and a label change, this jacket dates from around 1951-52. This model is pictured in an advertisement from Albert Richard from 1951, see below.

Chest (pit to pit): 21″ (doubled = 42″)
Shoulder to shoulder: 16″
Sleeve (shoulder to cuff): 25″
Length (Base of collar to hem): 30″

A bit on the history of Albert Richard:
Fried-Ostermann was founded c.1902 as a glove manufacturer. They bought out their competitor, Price Gloves, and relocated production of that company’s products to their original factory, located at 617-645 Reed Street, Milwaukee, WI. By 1915, the company had gained a partner, and was known as the Fried, Ostermann, Meyer Co, but that looks to only have lasted until 1917. As the company grew, they relocated to 1645 S. 2nd Street, Milwaukee, WI. Fried-Ostermann diversified out of gloves and into outerwear in the late 1920s with the formation of a new division of the company, called Albert Richard. The leather jackets, mackinaws, overcoats and sportswear produced by Albert Richard would soon come to eclipse the glove-making side of the company. Pre-war advertising stressed health and sports, with endorsements from college football players. These ads also talk about bringing items of clothing which were previously thought of as workwear, like mackinaws and leather jackets, into the realm of ordinary streetwear, citing their comfort and durability. During WWII, the Albert Richard factory made A-2 (contract AC 23383), M-422A (contract 1406A), M444A and M445A flight jackets under the name of their parent company, Fried-Ostermann. They advertised leather jackets, overcoats and sportswear heavily during WWII, giving their jackets model names like the “Spitfire” and the “Meteor”. During the war, the company gave away wall-sized posters showing a range of american military airplanes. 850 workers were employed by Albert Richard in 1946, with plans to hire another 400. The company was one of the first to use fiberglass insulation in coats, a technology borrowed from b-29 bombers. Sheepskin collared “storm coats” became a signature model after the war. President of Fried-Ostermann, Richard Fried, sold their Albert Richard Division to the Drybak corporation of Binghampton, NY in late 1952. Drybak, a maker of canvas hunting clothing was looking to diversify their line. In the deal, they got the licensing, branding, patterns, dealership network, but other than the Vice President and designer for Albert Richard, all of the employees and equipment stayed at the plant in Milwaukee. Fried-Osterman re-focused the attention of their plant on the production of gloves, and on producing leather jackets under house labels for mail order and department stores. Starting in 1953, under Drybak’s ownership, Albert Richard clothing was once again produced, this time under contract at a factory in New Jersey, which Drybak declined to name. The plan at that time was to have production moved to New York by 1954. Labels were changed in this period to read “Albert Richard by Drybak”. In 1955, Drybak acquired the Martin Mfg. Co. in Martin, TN. They closed their Binghamton operations in that same year and relocated their hunting clothing manufacturing and their Albert Richard division to the Tennessee plant to take advantage of the lower labor costs in the south.

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Ralph Lauren Country hunting Norfolk jacket

http://www.ebay.com/itm/271761752771
This jacket was made by Ralph Lauren. It draws its design influence heavily from hunting and outdoor garments of the 1900s-1920s, with its norfolk straps and full attached belt. It has a corduroy collar, ticket pocket, cuff straps, and button on throat latch as well as saddle bag pockets. This was made as part of the Ralph Lauren Country line. As an older piece of Ralph Lauren, this one lists the company as having been established in 1971 as opposed to the back-dated 1967 which newer Ralph Lauren garments do.

Chest (pit to pit): 25″ (doubled = 50″)
Shoulder to shoulder:22″
Sleeve (shoulder to cuff): 23″
Length (base of collar to hem): 30″

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Levis Vintage Clothing HomeRun Moleskin Worker Jacket

http://www.ebay.com/itm/281574492886
This jacket was made by Levis Vintage Clothing as part of their Fall / Winter 2014 “Metropolis” lineup. The official model description is the Levi’s Vintage Homerun Moleskin worker jacket. The tag reads, ” HomeRun Double-Tex Suedette “.
Though the line is described as reproductions of clothes made “circa 1940”, this style of shawl collar, button front jacket was popular from about 1928-1933. These days, it is often referred to as an A-1 style by collectors because of the button front. While it shares a common stylistic ancestor with that knit collared model, the two are divergent lines. When originally produced, these were referred to as Cossack Jackets. That name was later applied to the belt-backed leather jackets of the mid 1930s onward. Through other current productions of the style, it has also become known as the “Menlo” or the “Heron” after specific model names. The Home-Run label was originally used by Levi Strauss from the mid 1920s through to about 1940 for a line of children’s and teenager’s clothing. Levi’s Vintage Clothing resurrected the label design for the some of 1930s workwear reproductions in this Metropolis line. It is a very nice reproduction of the style, made in a durable moleskin cotton. The jacket has a seven button front, with small flapped pockets. It has a shawl collar, and triangular side panels with belt adjusters. The belt’s buckles are reproductions of vintage hammered style hardware. As is typical of this style of jacket, it us unlined. It has ventilation grommets and shirt style cuffs. With a 42″ chest, this would best fit a size 38.

Tagged Size: Men’s Medium
Chest (pit to pit): 21″ (doubled = 42″)
Shoulder to shoulder: 18″
Sleeve (shoulder to cuff): 24-3/4″
Length (base of collar to hem): 24-1/4″

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Sears – Simpsons Wearmaster mackinaw

http://www.ebay.com/itm/281574512383
This vintage coat was made in the early 1950s for Simpsons-Sears under the WearMaster label. This Canadian-market mackinaw is a style popular from the 1930s-1950s with very few changes. It is double breasted, with broad lapels, handwarmer pockets, flapped cargo pockets and a full belt. The lining and label design distinguish this one from the earlier manufacture models.

Chest (pit to pit): 23″ (doubled = 46″)
Shoulder to shoulder: 18″
Sleeve (shoulder to cuff): 24-1/4″
Length (base of collar to hem): 31″

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Civilian B-15 flight jacket

http://www.ebay.com/itm/281574337047
This vintage jacket was made in the late 1940s-1950s. It is modeled on the B-15 flight jacket, but was made for the Civilian market. In the years following WWII, civilian market flight jackets, sold under their military designations (ex. A-2, B-15) were popular pieces of casual outerwear and were sold by most of the leading stores. Though many were sold, because of their casual nature, many received heavy wear and they are now rare. The jacket is made of green cotton twill with a brown mouton collar. It has a crown zipper with two-way teeth developed during the war. It has snap handwarmer pockets, knit cuffs and waistband and two snapped internal pockets. The jacket has a quilted lining and a mouton faced throat latch.

Chest (pit to pit): 27″(doubled = 54″)
Waist: 26″ (doubled = 52″)
Shoulder to shoulder: 21″
Sleeve (shoulder to cuff): 26″
Length (Base of collar to hem): 25″

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1930s belt-back mackinaw coat

http://www.ebay.com/itm/281561398629
This vintage mackinaw was made in the 1930s. It is made of plaid wool, is double breasted, and has a pleated, belted back. The coat is lined in plaid flannel. It is missing half the buttons, with the other half having been moved to make the coat larger. These coats were popular as workwear and this example is heavily worn.

Chest (pit to pit, with buttons in correct position): 26″ (doubled = 52″)
Chest (pit to pit, with buttons in current position): 29-1/2″ (doubled = 59″)
Shoulder to shoulder: 20″
Sleeve (shoulder to cuff): 24″
Length (base of collar to hem): 31″

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1941 army shawl collar mackinaw coat

http://www.ebay.com/itm/281561414095
This vintage US Army mackinaw was made in 1941. It is double breasted, with a shawl collar, epaulettes and a buttoned belt. There is a tailor’s tag reading Basson Tailors – Established 1910 – New York City – Formerly West Point, NY, but also a contract tag which identifies the maker as the South Jersey Clothing Company.

Tagged size: 38
Chest (pit to pit): 21″
Shoulder to shoulder: 19″
Sleeve (shoulder to cuff): 24″
Length (base of collar to hem): 31-1/2″

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1960s Brent half-belt leather jacket

http://www.ebay.com/itm/281560918807
This vintage leather jacket was made in the 1960s for Montgomery Ward under their Brent label. It is a classic half-belt cossack leather jacket style, popular from the 1930s-1960s. While it is not labeled, with its heavier weight, this feels like a steerhide rather than horsehide. This one has a larger Talon zipper than earlier models, as well as a quilted nylon lining. These are rare to find in larger sizes like this, and even rarer to find in such good condition.

Tagged size: 44
Chest (pit to pit): 26″ (doubled = 52″)
Shoulder to shoulder: 21″
Sleeve (shoulder to cuff): 24-3/4″
Length (base of collar to hem): 25″

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1950s Lazarus single breasted overcoat

http://www.ebay.com/itm/271738995073
This vintage coat was made in the early 1950s for the F & R Lazarus Company of Columbus, Ohio. It is single breasted, with a three button front, raglan shoulders and handwarmer pockets. It is made in a muted plaid wool. The coat is half lined and bears an early variant 1949 union label.

Chest (pit to pit): 26″ (Doubled = 52″)
Sleeve (center of collar to cuff): 36″ (roughly equivalent to a 25″ sleeve)
Length (base of collar to hem): 45-1/2″;

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1940s overdyed brown Hudson’s Bay point blanket coat

http://www.ebay.com/itm/271738984147
This vintage coat was made in the 1940s by the Hudson’s Bay Company. It is made of the English production blankets, which helps with the dating. The coat has broad shoulders and a double breasted cut. It has handwarmer pockets and a plain back. It appears that the coat was at one point overdyed dark brown. Although Hudson’s Bay did make shorter length bay blanket coats, I have not seen this particular style from them before, which, in combination with the period color change makes me wonder if this was at some point professionally altered from a longer coat. Whatever the case may be, it was done well, and gives it a distinctive and sporty look.

Chest (pit to pit): 23″
Shoulder to shoulder: 18″
Sleeve (shoulder to cuff): 26″
Length (base of collar to hem): 28″

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