1960s Hudson’s Bay Point Blanket coat

Posted on February 21, 2014 by Spencer Stewart

http://www.ebay.com/itm/271404687198
This vintage coat was made in the early 1960s by the Hudson’s Bay Company from their iconic multi-stripe point blankets. It is their “Olympic” model, a belted, double breasted style with tab adjusters at the wrists, handwarmer pockets at the chest and patch pockets on the hips. The style was made, essentially unchanged, since the 1920s. Whereas some blanket mackinaws of this style were made using the Hudson’s Bay fabric by other manufacturers, this one was made and sold by Hudson’s Bay themselves. This is the same style and era as was worn by the Canadian Olympic team at the 1964 Innsbruck Winter Olympic games. The stripes on this one are inverted from what most are – usually you see the indigo stripe on the bottom. However, even looking at the photos of the Canadian Olympic team all wearing matching versions of this coat, a percentage have this rarer flipped design. The position of the stripes relative to the features of the coats differ in nearly every coat in those pictures as well. I suppose each cutter had their own way of positioning the pattern. The coat is fully lined, which, along with the particular style of label, distinguish it from earlier manufacture coats.

Chest (pit to pit): 24″ (doubled = 48″)
Shoulder to shoulder: 20″
Sleeve (shoulder to cuff): 26″
Length (base of collar to hem): 35″

1920s / 1930s Olympic Cap

Posted on February 9, 2014 by Spencer Stewart

http://www.ebay.com/itm/271397653107
This vintage cap was made by Knox hats in the late 1920s or early 1930s as part of the uniform of the United States Olympic team. It’s difficult to say with 100% certainty, but this looks consistent with what was worn at either the 1928 St. Moritz or the 1932 Lake Placid games. It is made from white felt in a traditional flat-cap style, with an embroidered US Olympic shield crest consistent with the early games. The cap has a cream colored leather sweatband of the type typical of the late 1920s and early 1930s. The deep embossing is also typical of what Knox was producing in this era. The style of brim is something I have never seen before. Usually the brim on these flat caps is a separate piece, usually with a snap on the top. This is interfaced inside for a degree of stiffness, then decoratively stitched, presumably so that the cap can be rolled up and stowed easily. There is a remnant of the original size tag, but not enough to tell the size. The sweatband measures 22″ in circumference.

1930s Shanhouse Hudson’s Bay Point Blanket Mackinaw Coat

Posted on February 9, 2014 by Spencer Stewart

http://www.ebay.com/itm/281263182073
This vintage mackinaw coat was made around 1936 by W. Shanhouse and Sons of Rockford, Illinois. Shanhouse Sportswear was a well known maker of the time, producing high quality mackinaws, like this one, as well as a variety of leather jackets. At the time, the Hudson’s Bay Point blanket wool option was the most expensive mackinaw available from Shanhouse. Hudson’s Bay blanket wool was prized for its extreme warmth, wind blocking, vibrant color and luxurious nap. This red and black color scheme was probably the most popular, followed by the multi-stripe.

I’ve sold a lot of these blanket mackinaws, and I think this one may be my favorite design so far. It has wide, pointed lapels, with the black stripe positioned underneath for a bit of extra “pop”. This one retains its original hood, attached under the collar with a red knit wool panel for a bit of stretch when worn. The hood spreads when not in use, doing up with a Talon zipper with a rare sunburst bell-shaped puller. Whereas many of these coats had pressed metal buckles, or leather covered ones, this one has a high quality, heavy duty cast buckle. The buttons are original and have a nice red swirl pattern to them. The ones on the sleeves have turned a bit more brown over the years. Instead of regular patch pockets, this one has fancy saddlebag pockets, and uses the red and black of the stripe nicely for contrast.
As is typical on these earlier mackinaws, this one is unlined. The blankets used on these earlier Hudson’s Bay Blanket coats were of much higher quality than later ones, thicker, denser and with a deeper nap. Compare a 1930s coat to a 1970s one and you’ll see what I mean. The points on this coat are located on the side seam. This one features an extra-large version of the Hudson’s Bay label, and a wonderfully designed “Shanhouse” label. The coat bears a United Garment Workers of America “Duck Goods” union label.

Chest (pit to pit): 22″ (doubled = 44″)
Shoulder to shoulder: 18″
Sleeve (shoulder to cuff): 26-1/2″
Length (base of collar to hem): 33″

1964 Olympic Parade Coat

Posted on July 28, 2013 by Spencer Stewart

http://www.ebay.com/itm/271245931468
This coat was made by Lakeland for the 1964 winter olympic games in Innsbruck, Austria. It is made of heavy white blanket wool material, with red white and blue knit details. It has a shawl collar, slash handwarmer pockets and buttoned adjuster tabs on the wrists. The coat is lined in blue pile, and has a tag which reads, “Lakeland Sportswear / Parade Coat / Selected for wear by the U.S. Olympic Team / IX Winter Olympic Games / Innsbruck, Austria 1964”. It is tagged a size 40.
These coats were also available in limited numbers as a commemorative model in the winter of 1963. A standard Lakeland “Clicker” car coat sold for $26 at that time. This Olympic Parade Coat sold for more than double, retailing at $55.

Chest (pit to pit): 24″
Shoulder to Shoulder: 18″
Sleeve (shoulder to cuff): 24-1/2″
Length: 36″

1950s / 1960s Ocean Champion swimsuit

Posted on July 7, 2013 by Spencer Stewart

http://www.ebay.com/itm/271234498990
This vintage swimsuit was made in the 1950s or 1960s by Ocean Champion. Ocean Champion was one of the first companies to move away from wool and lastex blends, and into modern materials. This box is slightly later than the other pair I’m listing, rephrased to read “The Choice of World Champions” instead of “Chosen by the U.S. Olympic Team”. The pattern and model is the same.
As the box says, the suit is two independent layers, a trunk within a trunk. At this point, the manufacturer Ocean Pool Supply Co., was headquartered in Huntington Station, Long Island, NY.

Waist (unstretched): 13″ (doubled = 26″)
Waist (stretched): 17″ (doubled = 34″)
Rise: 14-1/2″
Side Seam: 10″

1950s Ocean Champion swimsuit

Posted on July 7, 2013 by Spencer Stewart

http://www.ebay.com/itm/271234495023
This vintage swimsuit was made in the 1950s by Ocean Champion. Ocean Champion was one of the first companies to move away from wool and lastex blends, and into modern materials. At the point this suit was made, Ocean Champion was the official suit of the United States Men’s and Women’s Swimming and Water Polo Olympic teams.
As the box says, the suit is two independent layers, a trunk within a trunk. At this point, the manufacturer Ocean Pool Supply Co., was headquartered at 155 W. 23rd St., NYC.

Waist (unstretched): 13-1/2″ (doubled = 27″)
Waist (stretched): 17″ (doubled = 34″)
Rise: 14″
Side Seam: 10″

Adam Olympian 1964 Olympics uniform hat

Posted on May 8, 2013 by Spencer Stewart

http://www.ebay.com/itm/281104260763

This vintage hat was made in 1964 by the Adam Hat Company as part of the uniform worn by US athletes at the Tokyo Olympic Games. This particular example was worn by Bob Hoffman of York, Pennsylvania, coach of the US weightlifting team. Bob Hoffman was owner of York Barbell, and one of the inventors of modern weightlifting. 1964 was the last year he coached the US Olympic team,

The hat is made of bone colored fur felt. It has a classic early 1960s fedora/cowboy hybrid styling, similar to Stetson’s iconic “Open Road”, but with a two cord hatband. It has a bound edge and a black leather sweatband. Appropriately, the model name is the “Olympian”. Included in the photos below are a photo of Bob Hoffman wearing this hat at the Olympic Games, as well as two of other athletes wearing this same model which show more detail.

Size: 7-3/8
Brim Width: 3″
Ribbon Width: 1/4″
Crown Height: 5-1/4″

Bob Hoffman wearing the hat in 1964.

Other Olympians wearing the same model.

photo ShootoutAtTheOlympicCorralImage2.jpg

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