1950s Hercules Bomber Jacket

[guygardner]

Just got this in the mail today. The seller said he was pretty sure it was a 1940s-50s Sears Hercules, although the tag is gone. Anyone seen a model like this before?

It is very stiff Horsehide. I couldn't move in it when I first put it on. I used a little warm water on the surface in a few places to soften it up. The leather is in amazing condition for its age. There is no cracking, just some fading in a few places and some creasing. The jacket has flap pockets (no snaps). The lining is a kind of quilted green rayon I'm guessing and the sleeve lining is definitely cotton. The storm cuffs and waist fabric are in pretty rough shape (lots of holes and tearing). The zipper works fine and is brass with "RAYMO" engraved down the front.

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[guygardner]

No Hercules jacket collectors out there?

 

[ButteMT61]

Patience Luke! It's been one day, it's Sunday. And it's Easter. There's Herc fans here for sure! Nice jacket.

 

[gruvi]

Great color and nice fit.

 

[GoodTimesGone]

I'm not 100% sure that's a Hercules. It could be since Hercules jackets were manufactured from the '30s to the '60s and I have certainly not seen them all. I've owned five different Hercules jackets and seen a few in Rin Tanaka's books, as well as many listed on ebay over the years. The thing is none of them have had non-fastening pocket flaps like that. They've either been snap or handwarmer pockets. In the past I've had a couple of '50s era jackets made by Grais that had flaps with no snaps, but the flap shape was scalloped not rectangular like yours. The labels on those said "Flightmaster By Grais." One was horsehide, the other steer. One of them had a green lining like you describe. However, other jacket makers used that color of lining back then. I have two civilian Cooper Sportswear A-2s from the '40s and they have that same lining. Ironically I did a search on ebay tonight for "horsehide jacket" and found three vintage jackets with non-fastening flaps. Two of them had no labels, and the other had only a genuine horsehide label so no clues there. Looks like you have a vintage jacket with leather still in good condition. The fit looks right too. I've purchased a few over the years that looked like they had barely been worn yet were dried out beyond help from decades of neglect (no conditioning).
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Tom

 

[guygardner]

"Patience Luke! It's been one day, it's Sunday. And it's Easter. There's Herc fans here for sure! Nice jacket."

True. I was hoping to give it a bump before it fell off the bottom of the page though.

 

[guygardner]

I'm not 100% sure that's a Hercules. It could be since Hercules jackets were manufactured from the '30s to the '60s and I have certainly not seen them all. I've owned five different Hercules jackets and seen a few in Rin Tanaka's books, as well as many listed on ebay over the years. The thing is none of them have had non-fastening pocket flaps like that. They've either been snap or handwarmer pockets. In the past I've had a couple of '50s era jackets made by Grais that had flaps with no snaps, but the flap shape was scalloped not rectangular like yours. The labels on those said "Flightmaster By Grais." One was horsehide, the other steer. One of them had a green lining like you describe. However, other jacket makers used that color of lining back then. I have two civilian Cooper Sportswear A-2s from the '40s and they have that same lining. Ironically I did a search on ebay tonight for "horsehide jacket" and found three vintage jackets with non-fastening flaps. Two of them had no labels, and the other had only a genuine horsehide label so no clues there. Looks like you have a vintage jacket with leather still in good condition. The fit looks right too. I've purchased a few over the years that looked like they had barely been worn yet were dried out beyond help from decades of neglect (no conditioning).
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Tom

Thanks for the feedback. I'm not sure about the date either. I was surprised by how good the condition of the leather was. I wasn't expecting it to still be this tough either. Seems like I will have to break it in still. The armholes are cut a little lower than I had thought they would be from reading about vintage jackets. The whole jacket tends to lift a bit when I raise my arms up.

I did find one jacket on ebay that looks similar, has the flap pockets and Hercules tag, but the lining and zipper are different:

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/170766191056?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2648#ht_889wt_696

 

[guygardner]

Here is a photo of the lining. Seems to have been sewn with red and green thread, giving it a red hue when seen from one angle or green from another and a shine to its surface.

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[guygardner]

It can still stand up on its own:

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[guygardner]

Do you think I am right in guessing 1950s?

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[GoodTimesGone]

I'd say '50s is a good guess.
http://www.ebay.ca/itm/170766191056...23.l2648#ht_889wt_696&clk_rvr_id=331311612823
Wow! That jacket on that ebay link is pretty high priced considering the amount of red rot! :eeek:
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Tom

 

[guygardner]

I'd say '50s is a good guess.
http://www.ebay.ca/itm/170766191056...23.l2648#ht_889wt_696&clk_rvr_id=331311612823
Wow! That jacket on that ebay link is pretty high priced considering the amount of red rot! :eeek:
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Tom

Thanks Tom,

Yeah, I thought the jacket in that auction was pretty overpriced considering how rough it looked. The jacket looks like it's dying.

 

[kyboots]

I think it is a great looking jacket. Would love to have myself.--John

 

[guygardner]

Thanks for the feedback guys.

Now seems to be a good time to watch ebay, since there is less competition in the spring-summer than in the fall-winter.

 

[himelator]

identifying

Do you think I am right in guessing 1950s?

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so the big problem identifying a specific brand in this type of jacket is the "commoness" of the pattern. However the easiest and likely only way is to note the ribbing knit, zigzag rayon sharkskin liner and the unique egg yolk? sleeve liner? I cannot tell what the fabric is but it is unusual. So once you have unique identifyers the network of fedora jacket guys will sooner or later find one with these configs and hopefully it has a tag in it. I generally dont collect bomber style jackets unless they are exceptional...its just not my thing...but I might have this jacket somewhere in a box or a friend might have it in their collections. If something springs to mind I will get back to you. The liner was a fairly common type that was sold to many jacket companies ..but the sleeves...very unique....also very skinny cut...your lucky you found one that cut style.

 

[Deleted member 16736]

Jacket looks great. I love the 50's-era horsehide bombers and Hercules was the most famous line of them. I only wish they came in my size more often. Finding a 26" sleeve in a vintage jacket is damn near impossible!

 

[guygardner]

so the big problem identifying a specific brand in this type of jacket is the "commoness" of the pattern. However the easiest and likely only way is to note the ribbing knit, zigzag rayon sharkskin liner and the unique egg yolk? sleeve liner? I cannot tell what the fabric is but it is unusual. So once you have unique identifyers the network of fedora jacket guys will sooner or later find one with these configs and hopefully it has a tag in it. I generally dont collect bomber style jackets unless they are exceptional...its just not my thing...but I might have this jacket somewhere in a box or a friend might have it in their collections. If something springs to mind I will get back to you. The liner was a fairly common type that was sold to many jacket companies ..but the sleeves...very unique....also very skinny cut...your lucky you found one that cut style.

The sleeve linings seem to be made of cotton canvas. I was a little hesitant at first when I saw the jacket, because bombers are almost always too wide for me, but the cut and thick hide mean it doesn't have the typically baggy fit. Have you seen this brand of zipper before? Most of the jackets I've seen on ebay from that time have Talon zippers. Thanks for the help.

 

[guygardner]

Jacket looks great. I love the 50's-era horsehide bombers and Hercules was the most famous line of them. I only wish they came in my size more often. Finding a 26" sleeve in a vintage jacket is damn near impossible!

Yeah, the sleeves are a little shorter than other jackets this size I've had in the past. Any shorter and they wouldn't fit me. I guess sleeves from that period were designed to be shorter than those of newer jackets?

 

[VintageTQ]

Beautiful jacket and remarkable condition too. Like others have said tho ive seen and owned a lot of Hercules and im just not so sure this is one. Its very similar to a De Long Sportswear jacket that i currently have

 

[guygardner]

Beautiful jacket and remarkable condition too. Like others have said tho ive seen and owned a lot of Hercules and im just not so sure this is one. Its very similar to a De Long Sportswear jacket that i currently have

Thanks VintageTQ,

I'd love to see photos of your jacket to compare. I have no idea which brand manufactured this jacket. From what I've read and from what people have said, Grais is another likely possibility.

cheers,
Guygardner