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″

Late 1920s tweed jacket

Posted on October 26, 2013 by Spencer Stewart

http://www.ebay.com/itm/281195246419

This vintage jacket was made in the late 1920s or very early 1930s by Capps clothes. It is made of a bold herringbone tweed. The jacket has fishmouth peak lapels, a slanted breast pocket, and a three button front. The jacket is unvented, has a cotton petal lining with taped seams. The jacket is deadstock and still has the original tag, identifying the model as “York”, sewn under the collar. This is the perfect jacket for an upcoming tweed ride, tweed pub crawl or general autumnal wear.

Chest (pit to pit): 20″
Shoulder to shoulder: 17″
Sleeve (shoulder to cuff): 24-1/2″
Length: 29″

East West Musical Instruments style leather jacket

Posted on October 26, 2013 by Spencer Stewart

http://www.ebay.com/itm/271306455788
This vintage leather jacket was made in the late 1960s – 1970s time frame, and is one of the coolest from that era I’ve seen in a long time. The western pictorial theme, with a desert landcape and a bird (or is that a “Gilded Palace of Sin” era Sneaky Pete pterodactyl?) put me in mind of Nudie’s rodeo tailors. The western yoking and brass studs on the front further that western theme. This style of jacket was pioneered by California’s “East West Musical Instruments” although this jacket isn’t nearly as complex as most of their output. There’s no, or evidence that there was one, so who actually made the jacket is a bit of a mystery. There is a standard style for the era “Medium” size tag. My guess would be it was made by a small custom leather shop. The jacket is leather, sewn rough-out. It has a snap front.

Chest (pit to pit): 21″ (doubled = 42″)
Waist: 18″ (doubled = 36″)
Shoulder to shoulder: 18-1/2″
Sleeve (shoulder to cuff): 24″
Length: 22″

Mid-Western Sport Togs deerskin jacket

Posted on October 26, 2013 by Spencer Stewart

http://www.ebay.com/itm/271306482905
This vintage jacket was made by Mid-Western Sport Togs, of Berlin, Wisconsin, probably in the early 1960s. It is a western style, with a fringed hem, sleeves and yoke. The jacket is made of deerskin. At some point, the original buttons were changed out for the current metal eagle buttons.

Chest (pit to pit): 22″
Shoulder to shoulder: 17″
Sleeve (shoulder to cuff): 22″
Length (not including fringe): 25″

1950s Hell on Wheels Motorcycle Club Jacket

Posted on October 26, 2013 by Spencer Stewart

http://www.ebay.com/itm/271306503829
This vintage jacket was made in the 1950s by Peters Sportswear. It is made of black gabardine with yellow piping on the collar, sleeves and pockets. The original owner was a member of the “Hell on Wheels” motorcycle club, when it was still a sanctioned AMA club. The original owner’s name, “Dan” is chainstitched in yellow thread on the chest. It looks like the name was originally longer (Danny?), but that stitches were picked out. The chest also bears a American Motorcyclist Association patch and the club name, “Hell on Wheels”. Somewhat enigmatically, the jacket also has a football letter, “S” stitched on. The cuffs have dragon liberty cuffs sewn to the outside for a bit of extra flair. The jacket has a brass Serval zipper with a pin lock

Chest (pit to pit): 24″
Shoulder to Shoulder: 19″
Sleeve (shoulder to cuff): 23″
Length: 23″

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″

Green Hunting Vest

Posted on October 19, 2013 by Spencer Stewart

http://www.ebay.com/itm/281191411402
As someone who has been collecting and researching vintage hunting vests, this one strikes me as particularly interesting. It’s not as old as most of the ones I’m selling, probably dating from the 1960s, but it’s made in an earlier style. Although hunting vests were a purely functional garment and didn’t really change with fashion, certain details did change over time, largely with innovations in materials and hardware. By the time this vest was made, the closed bottomed canvas loops has largely been supplanted by elastic knit loops, which were easier and less expensive to construct, and lay flat when not in use. This vest has the older style loops, heavily reinforced at the bottoms. This vest is reinforced throughout with green textured naugahyde, making for extremely strong seams. Another unusual thing about this vest is its color. Most hunting vests of this type are in shades of brown canvas. This one is in a minty gray green with forest green trim. The vest has DOT snaps throughout, and a removable, vinyl lined game bag.

Chest (pit to pit): 21″
Length (with gamebag): 30″
Length (without gamebag): 22-1/4″

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″

Western Field Hunting Vest

Posted on October 19, 2013 by Spencer Stewart

http://www.ebay.com/itm/281191393899
This hunting vest was sold by Montgomery Ward under their house brand “Western Field”. It is made of canvas, and has a rear external game bag, a plaid lining, and a serval zipper. There are two large bellows pockets on the front, and elasticized pockets for sixteen shotgun shells.

Chest (pit to pit): 24-1/2″ (doubled = 49″)
Length: 24″

1910s “The Gem” hunting vest

Posted on October 19, 2013 by Spencer Stewart

http://www.ebay.com/itm/271301060308
This vintage hunting vest was made by the Gem Shirt Company of Dayton, Ohio in the 1910s. The Gem Shirt Co. diversified into canvas hunting clothes in the early part of the 20th century, innovating the usage of lined waterproof game bags. They were a high end maker at the time, making their products from an excellent grade of cotton canvas duck. The vest has 32 closed bottomed reinforced corduroy shotgun shell pockets on the front of the vest. The corduroy material is somewhat unusual, a nice early detail. The back of the vest has a buckled belt, and a stitched-on tab added by the original owner, probably to hold his hunting license. The vest has a five button front, with metal buttons reading “The Gem”. The buttons attach via grommets and rings. The vest has a typically 1910s style yellow on black label.

Chest (pit to pit): 21″ (double = 42″)
Length: 18-1/2″

1911. “The Gem” trademark registered. Logo matches that on this vest.

1912 – Ad for The Gem hunting coats

1917 – Photo of “The Gem” hunting coat

1918. Guiterman Bros Town and Country vest, Gem Hunting Coat and a Springfield Rifle

1923. Gem Hunting Vests and coats. This is the last I can find on the company.

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Tag Archives: mens

Alpaca lined shawl collar mackinaw

Late 1920s tweed jacket

East West Musical Instruments style leather jacket

Mid-Western Sport Togs deerskin jacket

1950s Hell on Wheels Motorcycle Club Jacket

1940s snap front hunting vest

Green Hunting Vest

J.C. Higgins Hunting Vest

Western Field Hunting Vest

1910s “The Gem” hunting vest