http://www.ebay.com/itm/271416082201
This vintage Chimayo Indian blanket vest was made by Americraft of El Paso, Texas, probably in the 1970s. The design and cut of these vests changed very little since the 1930s or earlier. This one has a white field, with black, turquoise, red and yellow pattern. It is a one button version, with a loop closure. The button is missing.
Chest (pit to pit): 21″
Length: 21-1/2″
http://www.ebay.com/itm/271416072068
This vintage vest was made from Chimayo Indian blanket material. It has a five button front with loop closure. The material is a vibrant blue with red, yellow, white and blue designs. The edges of the interior are lined. Unfortunately, there are no tags, but there were several makers of these vests based out of New Mexico and Texas.
Chest (pit to pit): 20-1/2″
Length: 23″
http://www.ebay.com/itm/271324386244
This vintage fly fishing vest was made in the 1930s or 1940s. It is similar in cut and style to two made by Remington under the DriDux label which I recently sold, but no longer has a tag, so I can’t say for certain. It has a three button front, with two large wraparound cargo pockets. There is a flapped breast pocket. The other side has a felt pad to store flies in. Most have a simple piece of sheepskin, but this one snaps closed for greater storage and protection. The vest has a fly rod loop on one side, and a metal ring to attach gear to on the other.
Also see: https://vintagehaberdashers.com/2013/11/09/rem-dridux/
https://vintagehaberdashers.com/2013/10/26/hunting-and-fishing-jacket/
Chest (pit to pit): 22″ (doubled = 44″)
Length: 21-1/2″
http://www.ebay.com/itm/271306401483
This vintage jacket was made in the 1940s under the WeatherBak label. This style was designed for hunters and fisherman, with space for every possible need. The canvas is advertised as “snag-pruf”, and the picture on the label of a hunter in the rain, along with the brand name reinforces the idea of water resistance which goes along whit this kind of tight, high quality canvas. Although canvas will get wet in the rain, the fibers swell with moisture, making a tight fabric even tighter, not allowing the water to actually pass through. I took some canvas gear on a canoe trip in Nova Scotia a year and a half ago. It rained the entire trip and my vintage canvas duffle was soaked, but everything inside remained dry.
The jacket has a short cut. There are pleated breast pockets, and wraparound double hip pockets. One has a divider with separate flaps, one has a single flap. There is a fly rod loop, a waist drawstring, pockets on each sleeve, and a roomy rear game pocket. There are two interior pockets. Room to fit everything you own! The underarms have open bottoms, an alternative to gussets for greater range of motion.
Chest (pit to pit): 23″
Shoulder to shoulder: 19″
Sleeve (shoulder to cuff): 23″
Length: 21-1/2″
For a modern leather interpretation of this style, check out: http://fcancan.blogspot.com/2013/10/i-had-dream-part2.html
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″
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″
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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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http://www.ebay.com/itm/281191020912
This vintage vest was made in the 1930s by Red Head Brand under their Blue Bill label. In the 1940s, Blue Bill changed their logo, and began including the (R) symbol. It has closed bottomed canvas shotgun shell pockets, 38 on the front and 18 on the back, for a total of 56. The shotgun shells on the back take the place of the more traditional belted back. The vest has a five button front.
Also see, Red Head no. 1
and Red Head no. 2
Chest (pit to pit): 19″ (doubled = 38″)
Length: 18-1/2″
http://www.ebay.com/itm/281191023485
This vintage hunting vest was made in the 1930s. It no longer bears a label, but it is typical of the products of some of the smaller companies making vests at that time. It has a high button stance, broadly cut shoulders, 32 shotgun shell pockets, a plain back and lightweight canvas, worn soft over the years.
Chest (pit to pit): 20″
Length: 17-3/4″
http://www.ebay.com/itm/271287384189
This vintage hunting vest was made in the 1930s by Red Head Brand. It has 34 closed bottom canvas shell pockets on the front, and 16 on the back, for a total of 50. The vest has a five button front. It has an early style Red Head label, the small square version with “Reg. US Pat. Off”, and “Fits the Sport” above and below the main logo. The jacket was obviously worn hard, and as is often the case with items like this, which are purely functional, was probably passed down and worn for multiple generations. It is unusual to see one of these hunting vests in this green colored canvas, usually you find them in brown.
Chest (pit to pit): 18″ (doubled = 36″)
Length: 17-1/2″
http://www.ebay.com/itm/281177331596
This vintage hunting vest was made in the 1930s by the Marshall Clothing Manufacturing Company of Butler, Indiana, under their “Gamemaster” label. The Marshall Clothing company was a well regarded manufacturer of sportswear- letterman jackets, basketball uniforms, gym shorts and the like. This vest has a five button front, with a high neck closure, reminiscent of early Brown’s Beach vests, also marketed towards the hunting market. This one is made of brown canvas, with closed bottomed loops for 32 shotgun shells. These loops are all covered with flaps to protect the cartridges from the elements. This vest also has a flapped bellows pleated breast pocket.
Chest (pit to pit): 22″ (doubled = 44″)
Length: 21″
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