2 Vintage "Scotch Mist" Coats (One with TARTAN lining) from HEIR to GUMMI BEAR FORTUNE!

[tweedydon]

PETER VAN B. HEIDE--HEIR TO THE 'GUMMI BEAR FORTUNE'--OVERCOATS​

Provenance:

Straight out of central casting...

If you wanted a stereotype of the sort of person who would have worn classic Ivy Style clothing (Harris tweeds, Scottish shetlands, tweed overcoats...) during the Golden Age of Ivy Style you couldn't do better than Peter van Heide.

Heir to the Heide Candy Company fortune--founded in 1959 by his grandfather, Henry Heide, whose New York Times obituary noted that he was known as "the dean of American candy manufacturing", and known mainly for producing Gummi bears!--Peter was a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, and then became the Executive Vice President of the Heide company. (Located at Jujyfruit Lane!) His wife was active in the Junior League of Princeton, and they enjoyed training therapy dogs on their private New Jersey estate after retirement.

True to his heritage Peter took dressing seriously, but not too seriously, and invested in timeless, classic clothing--most of which he kept on hangers that he had made with his name and address, so that he could distinguish his hangers from those of the hotel when travelling.

I'm very pleased to offer two of Peter's coats--both classic charcoal herringbone overcoats; one with a heavy tartan lining for colder days, and one without!

The pictures below are of Peter's New Jersey estate, which he strolled with his dogs, wearing the coats that are available here.

 

[tweedydon]

PETER VAN B. HEIDE'S "WARM FALL AND WINTER OVERCOAT" WITH TARTAN LINING

FROM ROGERS PEET, NEW YORK CITY​

This coat is spectacular--not the least because it is simply packed with the history of American enterprise! Peter Heide was the heir to the Henry Heide Company candy fortune, and, as befits the third generation of an American manufacturing dynasty that produced household name goods (including Gummi Bears!) he dressed in classic Ivy Style. This lovely coat is a testament to Peter's exemplary good taste--starting with the fact that it was originally purchased at Rogers Peet.

Founded in 1874, Rogers Peet sold classic clothing to its upscale clientele. But it wasn't content with being a standard, conservative store, and introduced several innovations into American retailing--including attaching labels to garments showing their fabric composition, attaching price tags to eliminate haggling, and offering a no-questions asked money back guarantee. The ease of purchase and transparency that these innovations provided to Peet's clientele solidified its reputation as one of the "better things" in life--"respectable, conservative, and clean", as the song "Marry the Man Today" described the store in the 1950 musical *Guys and Dolls*. It ceased to be an independent store in 1962, when it was purchased by Cluett, Peabody, & Co., the makers of Arrow shirts.

This overcoat shows just why Peter Van Heide chose to purchase from Rogers Peet. Cut from dark charcoal grey mid-heavyweight Scottish herringbone tweed this is a classic mid-century overcoat with a single-breasted front with a three button closure and wonderfully narrow lapels, designed for style rather than fashion. It has a single hook vent at the rear, and the sleeves have two button cuffs. Itstwo deep front pockets are lined in duck.

The coat is half-lined in duck-backed bemberg; the sleeves are also lined in this material. In addition to this the coat is also fully lined in authentic MacArthur tartan, which is likely kilt-quality wool. The coat carries the full complement of labels; the wonderful vintage interior shoulder label identifies it as a "Scotch Mist" showerproof coat, and it carries both interior lining and inside pocket Rogers Peet labels.

This coat was Union made in the USA. It dates from early 1962; the Union label inside it was in use from 1962, and the interior Rogers Peet label predates the 1962 takeover.

This coat is in absolutely excellent condition--not surprisingly, as it was stored in a cedar closet.

Asking $125, OR OFFER, boxed, shipped and insured in the USA!

Tagged 40L. Measurements:

Chest: 23
Sleeve: 26 1/2 (+1 3/4)
Shoulder: 19 1/2
Length: 42 1/2

 

[tweedydon]

PETER VAN B. HEIDE'S "FALL AND SPRING" SCOTTISH TWEED OVERCOAT ​

Like its brother, this coat is packed with the history of American enterprise! Formerly the property of Peter Heide, the heir to the Heide candy fortune, this was purchased from the upscale store Rogers Peet by Peter early in 1962.

Cut from a lighter charcoal grey mid-weight Scottish herringbone tweed this is a classic mid-century overcoat with a single-breasted front with a three button closure. It also has wonderfully narrow lapels, designed for style rather than fashion. It has a single hook vent at the rear, and the sleeves have four button cuffs. Its two deep front pockets are lined in duck.

The coat is fully lined, and fully canvassed, and features a rear center vent. It has a deep vertical interior pocket and an on-seam horizontal interior pocket, also.

The coat carries the full complement of labels; the wonderful vintage interior shoulder label identifies it as a "Scotch Mist" showerproof coat, and it carries both interior lining and inside pocket Rogers Peet labels.

This coat was Union made in the USA. It dates from early 1962; the Union label inside it was in use from 1962, and the interior Rogers Peet label predates the 1962 takeover.

At some point Peter wore this coat to a trade convention, and then absent mindedly attached his name label to the interior of the coat--where it stuck! This could readily be removed with careful application of heat from a hairdryer, but this is likely to leave a mark on the lining. It also has some minor age foxing to the lining at the hem. Of course, this won't be seen when worn, but because of this this coat is in Very Good condition.

Asking $65, OR OFFER, boxed, shipped and insured in the USA!

Tagged 41. Measurements:

Chest: 22 1/2
Sleeve: 26 1/2 (+2 1/4)
Shoulder: 19
Length: 40 1/4

 

[tweedydon]

"Fall and Spring" is sold!