Questions About the United States Navy Peacoat

[triple-d]

Irish50don.......found him. Sent him a message. Looks like he is based in Norfolk...I also bought a plaque from the USS INDEPENDENC CV62.....which was the carrier that i was on. It's in moth balls right now, waiting to be turned into razorblades....lol. May not get a peacoat, but did get a relic...lol

 

[Spoonbelly]

Ya.....certainly can't hold my breath waiting for a vintage...lol. Will probably never see one. You think Schott is the way to go for a new Peacoat?

I was wondering if there is some way you could buy a new DSCP Melton pea coat through a Navy store or through someone who is currently in The Navy. These would be the current issue Navy coats which I believe, or I could be wrong, are made by Sterlingwear.

 

[triple-d]

I was wondering if there is some way you could buy a new DSCP Melton pea coat through a Navy store or through someone who is currently in The Navy. These would be the current issue Navy coats which I believe, or I could be wrong, are made by Sterlingwear.

Good idea. I have a friend/co-worker that has a son that is a Navy pilot.......need to check into this.

 

[wquiles]

The size 38 peacoat is probably too large for your wife. Mine wears a size 34, and it is a bit large on her. A 32 would be even better. You might find a vintage size 34 for your wife that would fit closer to her body and provide more warmth than the larger size 38.

My wife and I are about the same height, and although my wife would be happier with a size 36, the size 38 works well since she layers when it gets cold enough to need the Peacoat.

For me I am enjoying my 1965 size 40 enough that I found/located another size 40 in Ebay, this time from 1949 (or close), since the coat has the same label as this one you posted in the Peacoat Dating thread:

The seller was pretty up front that it needs a little of bit of work (my Taylor will have no problems fixing the minor stuff), but it is missing one button, which I might simply replace with the one in the collar since I never use that one.

Will

 

[Spoonbelly]

My wife and I are about the same height, and although my wife would be happier with a size 36, the size 38 works well since she layers when it gets cold enough to need the Peacoat.

For me I am enjoying my 1965 size 40 enough that I found/located another size 40 in Ebay, this time from 1949 (or close), since the coat has the same label as this one you posted in the Peacoat Dating thread:

The seller was pretty up front that it needs a little of bit of work (my Taylor will have no problems fixing the minor stuff), but it is missing one button, which I might simply replace with the one in the collar since I never use that one.

Will

Just throwing out my two cents here but size 40 is a very common size. If you look a little longer you should be able to find a vintage Kersey size 40 in excellent shape.

 

[Peacoat]

I would normally agree with Spoon, but considering this is a 1949 coat, I would go for it. If the tailor can fix it, then it isn't a problem. What I would be concerned about, is there any moth damage? Ask the seller to hold the coat at an angle to a strong light source, such as a daytime window. Examine each panel individually. Done properly, this exam will show everything, even damage that isn't there yet! Some minor moth damage is OK. In fact my two favorite peacoats are the only ones in my collection that have any damage, and it is fairly extensive. One is the peacoat a buddy was issued back in 1965, and the other is my original peacoat, given to me by my brother in law.

Yes, you can use the button under the collar, or they are readily available on the bay.

Good luck.

 

[William Lin Liu]

So on ebay I came across a 6 button peacoat with a tag from WWII, is this fake? http://www.ebay.com/itm/Original-Au...814?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item43d85d09ae

edit:image url http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/NTQwWDcyMA==/z/kfIAAOSwrklU5gwh/$_12.JPG?rt=nc

 

[Peacoat]

That is a 1945 post war peacoat. Might be a very nice coat. P.C.

 

[William Lin Liu]

So if 10 button total, it must have been during WWII and not post war peacoat? I am looking at a 10 button one right now and it seems like the seller says it was from post WWII. Also thanks for your peacoat dating guide, it's really what got me into this whole thing. I also would like to say I found a WWII registry, so I did manage to look up the wearer of my jacket. Unfortunately there was like 7 J.P. Walkers and my jacket didn't give me any information to differentiate from them. This is the link in case you were curious http://aad.archives.gov/aad/fielded...995=J.P.Walker&op_24995=0&nfo_24995=V,24,1900

 

[Peacoat]

Thank you very much for the link. I lost internet service two days ago during the snow and ice "storm" and haven't checked in until now.

Yes, if it has 10 buttons total, it is WWII. I prefer to call them 8 buttons showing with the lapels in the normal or down position. Not much of a chance of confusion that way.

 

[Spoonbelly]

Thank you very much for the link. I lost internet service two days ago during the snow and ice "storm" and haven't checked in until now.

Yes, if it has 10 buttons total, it is WWII. I prefer to call them 8 buttons showing with the lapels in the normal or down position. Not much of a chance of confusion that way.

Was wondering if we know when the 8 button coats were first issued? The war ended June 1945. They must have still issued 10 button coats up until that time, and probably until all were gone. Perhaps sometime after 1945? We know that 1949 coats exist, but what were issued from '46, '47, and '48. Maybe '49 was the first year for 8 button coats?

 

[Doctor Damage]

Not vintage, but nice to see a pea coat being worn, even a civilianized model (I actually like those cuffs).

 

[Peacoat]

Was wondering if we know when the 8 button coats were first issued? The war ended June 1945. They must have still issued 10 button coats up until that time, and probably until all were gone. Perhaps sometime after 1945? We know that 1949 coats exist, but what were issued from '46, '47, and '48. Maybe '49 was the first year for 8 button coats?

You are right, they issued the 10 button showing coats until they were gone. I know they were authorized for wear for years after the end of the war. They had been planning on changing the style for a while before the change was implemented, so they were probably able to issue all they had on hand before the change. And the change didn't happen because the war ended; the end of the war just happened to coincide with the previously determined issue date for the new style. I call them post WWII coats because the switchover date, coincidently, was right at the end of the war. I don't know the exact date, but for our purposes just after the war is good enough. I mean, that was 70 years ago.

There were actually two wars in progress in 1945, which is somewhat confusing. The end of the war in Europe was at the end of April and the first part of May, depending on the country in which the battles were being fought. The war in the Pacific was over on August 14th, I believe.

The 8 button showing coats were issued immediately after (or maybe just before?) the end of the war. The pocket tag I have labeled "Pristine 1945 Tag" in the dating guide came from an 8 button showing (new style) peacoat that was issued in 1945. So I am fairly certain very few, if any, 10 button showing peacoats were issued after the new style coat came into existence in 1945. During that time period, the military was geared up to remove people from service and not to bring them in, so inventory was smaller and more closely managed.

Hope this helps on the date questions. PC

 

[Peacoat]

So if 10 button total, it must have been during WWII and not post war peacoat? I am looking at a 10 button one right now and it seems like the seller says it was from post WWII. Also thanks for your peacoat dating guide, it's really what got me into this whole thing. I also would like to say I found a WWII registry, so I did manage to look up the wearer of my jacket. Unfortunately there was like 7 J.P. Walkers and my jacket didn't give me any information to differentiate from them. This is the link in case you were curious http://aad.archives.gov/aad/fielded...995=J.P.Walker&op_24995=0&nfo_24995=V,24,1900

Just now had a chance to open the link you provided. I have actually seen this site before, but never thought about using it for what you wanted.

You will be a long time finding the J. P. Walker who owned your US Navy peacoat on this site. It is a data base of service men in the US Army. Navy personnel are not included in the data base. Perhaps there is a concomitant site for sailors?

 

[Spoonbelly]

You are right, they issued the 10 button showing coats until they were gone. I know they were authorized for wear for years after the end of the war. They had been planning on changing the style for a while before the change was implemented, so they were probably able to issue all they had on hand before the change. And the change didn't happen because the war ended; the end of the war just happened to coincide with the previously determined issue date for the new style. I call them post WWII coats because the switchover date, coincidently, was right at the end of the war. I don't know the exact date, but for our purposes just after the war is good enough. I mean, that was 70 years ago.

There were actually two wars in progress in 1945, which is somewhat confusing. The end of the war in Europe was at the end of April and the first part of May, depending on the country in which the battles were being fought. The war in the Pacific was over on August 14th, I believe.

The 8 button showing coats were issued immediately after (or maybe just before?) the end of the war. The pocket tag I have labeled "Pristine 1945 Tag" in the dating guide came from an 8 button showing (new style) peacoat that was issued in 1945. So I am fairly certain very few, if any, 10 button showing peacoats were issued after the new style coat came into existence in 1945. During that time period, the military was geared up to remove people from service and not to bring them in, so inventory was smaller and more closely managed.

Hope this helps on the date questions. PC

PC, Thanks for the reply. Not sure if you knew, but I believe Vintage Trends has a listing of pea coat contract numbers and what years correspond to those contract numbers. I've been meaning to send them an email for them but haven't as of yet. I should as I have bought a pea coat and 13 button pants from them. I believe that is how they determine the years of manufacture.

 

[Peacoat]

I have had the prefix codes showing the range of years a particular contract was used, but not any list showing the exact years. By now I have pretty much narrowed the tags down to a year or so. Of course some of my dates might be off a little, but it is pretty close. Some of the tags don't have a contract number showing, so it is necessary to go by the style of tag on the coat.

I would like to see the list of numbers, if in fact, it does exist. Are you going to send the email? PC

 

[Spoonbelly]

I have had the prefix codes showing the range of years a particular contract was used, but not any list showing the exact years. By now I have pretty much narrowed the tags down to a year or so. Of course some of my dates might be off a little, but it is pretty close. Some of the tags don't have a contract number showing, so it is necessary to go by the style of tag on the coat.

I would like to see the list of numbers, if in fact, it does exist. Are you going to send the email? PC

What the heck, why not. I'll send an email and see what happens. They have two 1948 coats listed. The tags were "Naval Clothing Depot". I also noticed the prices are still going up. I'm glad I have all of the coats that I have.

 

[Peacoat]

What the heck, why not. I'll send an email and see what happens. They have two 1948 coats listed. The tags were "Naval Clothing Depot". I also noticed the prices are still going up. I'm glad I have all of the coats that I have.

Well, they got that year correct. Yes, please send them an email.

 

[William Lin Liu]

So I've obtained 4 peacoats, one returned as product not described, two got alot in partial refund to the point they were free, and this one has moth holes(despite his guarantee of none) and missing buttons. Should I just accept all peacoats I am going to buy will have some moth damage or is there a way to obtain a vintage peacoat without any damages?

 

[Flip Vinyl]

Well, I have searched ad nauseum for end of season winter coat deals...., peacoat stylin'. And then I found this thread. After returning over a dozen different coats with Ralph Lauren, Cole Haan, Andrew Marc tags, among others, in them (coats listing for upwards of $600, surely someone is inflating the real value!), I realized waiting til end of season does not guarantee you a great, defect-free coat, just a deep discount. I just obtained two USN issued coats, one from 2003ish (made by Bowdon) and one from 1972ish (made by Pembroke) (both mint, and the kersey is stiffer, perhaps never even worn).

I have very broad shoulders, athletic build, and ended up with two that were labeled 46R but the p2p measurements were 25" which would benefit me. I'm not compelled to get alterations, though I could see taking in the waist a couple inches for that extra shaping, but not in a hurry to do so. Did I mention the kersey wool is stiff? ;o) I may just take a tennis racket to it! I bought them hoping one of them would be my dressier cold weather coat for a long, long time. Well, it doesn't take 2 seconds to tell the kersey wool is superior. Tighter weave, classier, even a notch dressier. One seems like a serious uniform, the other like a well made coat made with wool. So cool to own. Really appreciate everyone's input, especially Peacoat (kudos, sir! My wallet thanks you?). Now trying to pair noggin' toppers. I think a '10s-'30s "working cap" newsboy will work nicely.

Happy to have both!