1940s horsehide half-belt leather jacket

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″

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WWII German leather breeches

http://www.ebay.com/itm/271163019110

These vintage leather breeches were part of an American GI’s estate, a bring-back from the war. They are leather with a sheepskin lining, designed for cold weather usage. I’m not sure whether they were intended for motorcycle or for aviation usage. Distinctively German yoked front. Fishtail back. Broadfall design with buttons on the hips. Back adjuster belt, button calves. The back cinch belt is broken, and there is some damage to the leather at the crotch and at the back, but overall, these are in very solid shape.

Waist: 16″
Inseam: 22″

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1930s Irish Tweed overcoat

As seen HERE

http://www.ebay.com/itm/281070726333

This vintage overcoat was made in the mid 1930s from “Obrien Fleece” tweed. It was sold in Saint Paul, Minnesota by the Golden Rule store. Obrien Fleece was a high end Irish tweed fabric of the period, made, as the tag states, in the Irish Free State. The Irish Free State existed from 1922-1937, which helps to date this coat. It has classic double breasted styling with raglan shoulders, patch pockets and cuffed sleeves. There is a throat latch inside the coat by the store label. A somewhat unusual feature is the small interior pocket, closed with an early Talon ball and chain zipper. The Talon name is seen on the slider and on the ball. Really incredible, detailed labels.

Chest (pit to pit): 25″
Raglan sleeve (center to cuff): 36″

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For more on trade with the Irish Free State (and some great art) see HERE

Reproduction leather and plaid jacket

http://www.ebay.com/itm/271162993951

This reproduction jacket has a great vintage style. Leather front and collar, with zipper breast pocket and round stitching on the pockets. Belt back with side adjusters, and yoked shoulders. Diamond weave green and black wool plaid. There is leather reinforcement on the cuffs and leather patches on the elbows.

Chest: 23″
Shoulder to Shoulder: 18″
Sleeve (shoulder to cuff): 25-1/2″

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Shawl Collar army mackinaw

I feel that the shawl collared officer’s Mackinaw is one of the best looking, most practical coats to have come out of WWII. I’ve sold two so far, one by the Progressive Clothing Mfg. Co. (full post), the other a custom job for Captain H. W. Largent of Presque Isle, Maine (full post).  I have a spot on repro done in the ’60s by Lakeland in bright red wool, and three more originals that I should be listing next week.  The design was essentially a civilian one, a holdover from a style popular in the ’20s for wool outdoors and hunting coats, like the ones seen in this post. I believe the original pattern from which this coat evolved was an m1926.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/281070705722

This vintage shawl collar mackinaw was custom tailored during WWII for an army officer. It has a wide shawl collar, epaulettes, a double breasted front and flapped patch pockets. The coat is fully lined.

Chest (pit to pit): 23″
Shoulder to Shoulder: 19″
Sleeve (shoulder to cuff): 25″

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WWII army officer’s overcoat

http://www.ebay.com/itm/281070713310
This vintage overcoat was made for an Army officer during WWII. Buttons of the type seen more typically on the short mackinaw overcoats. Nipped waist, belted back. Bad mothing on back near vent and hem.

Chest: 20″
Shoulder to Shoulder: 18″
Sleeve (shoulder to cuff): 25-1/2″

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Gordon and Ferguson Field and Stream plaid western jacket

I saw one of these on Ira Gitlin at the Blob’s Park Buddy Holly tribute concert back in early February, and commented on what a cool jacket it was.  Somewhat weirdly, the next day I found a nearly identical jacket and snapped it up.  It’s funny how the world works.

Photo by Michael G. Stewart

http://www.ebay.com/itm/281070743767

This vintage jacket was made in the 1950s by Gordon and Ferguson of St. Paul, MN under their Field and Stream label. It is a western style jacket, with peak lapels, buttoned saddlebag pockets, and a yoked back with bi-swing shoulders.

Chest: 22″
Shoulder to Shoulder: 18″
Shoulder to cuff: 24″

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Women’s Mouton Collar Overcoat

I have sold a number of these, a Philcraft, a Supreme Fashion Tailored, a Zero King and a McDorsey. Not great sellers, in all honesty, but fantastic coats. Great materials, stylish, practical, and with the wide shoulders and nipped waist, really evocative of the era. I bought this one off the internet thinking it would be another of the same, but it shows up, and it’s not a men’s coat from the estate of a WWII vet as the seller claimed, but the ladies version, probably belonging to his wife. If you’re a seller- I’m probably the kind of guy you want as a buyer, because I didn’t complain. It’s interesting, having both the men’s and women’s versions, to compare the two. This is still a remarkably masculine cut. The defining feature of the style is the square, heavily padded shoulders. These are a bit narrower, but proportionately, they have the same effect as on the men’s coat. This one is heavily darted to nip the waist in to give it a more feminine form, but it looks more like this was a pattern adapted from the men’s than an entirely new one.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/281070735374

This vintage women’s overcoat was made in the later part of the 1940s. It has wide, heavily padded shoulder and a luxurious mouton collar. It is double breasted, belted and has turnback cuffs.

Chest: 22″
Shoulder to Shoulder: 18″
Sleeve: 24-1/2″

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Champ Featherweight fedora hat

It feels like a while since I’ve been in the fedora business.  It used to be they were my bread and butter.  I sold hats with a very small vintage clothing sideline.  There was a time, not too long ago, where I could walk into an antique store and come out with two or three golden-era fedoras or homburgs, at great prices.  But the ebay market has gone through the roof, and antique shops seem to be more picked over now.  Taking gambles on badly listed ebay hats to flip isn’t worth it when the price gets to big to comfortably eat.  While this Champ is a bit dirty and a bit past the era I prefer, it was still refreshing to see it quietly sitting on a shelf at an antique store, waiting to be taken home, steamed out and cleaned up.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/281070476177

This vintage fedora was made by Champ in the early 1960s. It is a lightweight fur felt, with a bound brim, and simple hat band. It has a c-crease. Size 7-1/8

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1960s Winklepickers by Ritchie Deluxe

http://www.ebay.com/itm/271160095555

These vintage shoes were made in the 1960s.  They are marked Ritchie DeLuxe and Genesco. They are a cap toe winklepicker design, with extremely pointed toes and a cuban heel.  They have leather soles and nailed heels.  The heel lining on the right shoe is a bit loose, and there is a small punch through the leather in that shoe, both visible in the shot showing the text inside the shoe.  They are stamped a size 8D on the footbed.  From the amount of wear on these, I’d say they were tried on once or twice, but never actually worn, as even all the text on the sole is legible. The sole measures 12″ heel to toe, and 4″ at the widest part.    Photobucket

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