ALL ORIGINAL Irvin RAF type Jackets - Loving that Wolf in sheeps' clothing!

[Two Types]

When I posted the link to the sale of that Coastal Command Irvin on here i included the words "I thought one of you might find it of interest."
It seems I rather underestimated!

It shows how much I know ...... (i.e. not a lot)

 

[alsendk]

There certainly is a keen interest in Irvin jackets here.Just the many messages shows it.
It has been very interesting and have been giving a lot of knowledge, and fine pictures, to be here, and I hope it develops in time....winter is coming up

 

[irvinsuit]

Your CC jacket could date from 1942 onwards. The contract label will help me to date it.

Hi Andrew, I have honestly tried really hard to obtain the contract details from the label and all I can determine is as follows:
CONTRACT STORES 4250 I cannot be certain about the numbers. Is there an established way to get info from faded labels ? Sorry I cannot offer hard data, however I am going to load some photos tonight.

Thanks

Steve ( with the hooded Irvin ).

 

[irvinsuit]

Hooded Irvin Photos

Pre restoration links...

http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj57/irvinsuit/P1020154.jpg

http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj57/irvinsuit/P1020152.jpg

http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj57/irvinsuit/P1020150.jpg

http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj57/irvinsuit/P1020149.jpg

http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj57/irvinsuit/P1020147.jpg

http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj57/irvinsuit/P1020138.jpg

http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj57/irvinsuit/P1020137.jpg

http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj57/irvinsuit/P1020134.jpg

http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj57/irvinsuit/P1020129.jpg

http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj57/irvinsuit/P1020127.jpg

http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj57/irvinsuit/P1020140.jpg

 

[B-24J]

Markings

Hi Andrew, I have honestly tried really hard to obtain the contract details from the label and all I can determine is as follows:
CONTRACT STORES 4250 I cannot be certain about the numbers. Is there an established way to get info from faded labels ? Sorry I cannot offer hard data, however I am going to load some photos tonight.

Thanks

Steve ( with the hooded Irvin ).

Hi Irvinsuit,

Sometimes faded markings can be enhanced with a filter. Perhaps Spitfire might know more about that.

If you post a photo of the label, I can try using Photoshop.

John

 

[alsendk]

In some way ultra violet light, as used in discoteques,for checking ticket or intrance mark on wrist, lights up the strangest things in fabric.
I have one from when playing music, and it lights up half my wardrobe....especially cotton and viscose....worth a try if you can get the device

Your Irvin really looks fine and strong Steve, with lots of Sheep wool left on the jacket, will be very exiting to follow, if it will come back with the chestnut brown Irvin colour some day. and a very yellow hood

 

[Spitfire]

That is some corker of a jacket you got there, Irvinsuit! And I am very sure, it will look like straight out of the depot, when it's done.
Reg. label - I am no magician - but I too would try to use photoshop or something like it, to edit a pic of the label, in order to see faded details.

 

[PADDY]

That's a very nice find and will be a good practical jacket for the winter! Well Done.

 

[Smithy]

Let me join the throng of those singing your new jacket's praises. A ripper of a purchase and can't wait to see the photos after Aero have had their paws on it!

 

[Two Types]

is this another genuine Irvin, in need of restoration?

(I'm guessing that's a replacement zip?)

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Genuine-Vintage-WW2-British-RAF-Bomber-Jacket-REAL-LEATHER-AND-SHEEPSKIN-/190716263243?pt=UK_Men_s_Vintage_Coats_Jackets&hash=item2c67933b4b

4 days left, no bids so far, starting bids at £50.

 

[alsendk]

I think this Irvin is past restoration unfortunally, But my big norwegian forest cat would love to cuddle inside the Shearling if he could

 

[aswatland]

It is a genuine Irvin, but in poor condition.

 

[aswatland]

Hi Andrew, I have honestly tried really hard to obtain the contract details from the label and all I can determine is as follows:
CONTRACT STORES 4250 I cannot be certain about the numbers. Is there an established way to get info from faded labels ? Sorry I cannot offer hard data, however I am going to load some photos tonight.

Thanks

Steve ( with the hooded Irvin ).

Any chance of posting a close up photo of the label?

 

[irvinsuit]

Any chance of posting a close up photo of the label?

Hi Andrew, sorry the delay in responding to you. Here is a link to the label photo, it's not great but it's all that I have for now. http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj57/irvinsuit/P1020126.jpg

The jacket is with Aero now for a new main zip and some other general repairs. Will commented that the arm zips alone were worth the money that I paid for the jacket. Will also reckoned that it might have been made by Links and it is not a late war jacket just like you suggested to me. I thought that the different colours of interior fur indicated a late war pattern but I am learning different.

Steve.

 

[aswatland]

Thanks for the picture of the label. It is very hard to make out the contract number. It could well be a Links jacket. The medium belt loops rule out Wareings. These CC jackets are more difficult to assign to a specific maker partly because they do not have a collar! Most of these yellow-hooded Irvins were made in 1941-3 to coincide with the rapid expansion of the RAF's Coastal Command.

 

[Mk Vb]

Here's another one...this Irvin is big....longer than my first and bigger in the body, and even longer in the arms. In fact, it's massive. Don't know how Simon finds them but he does, and when he got his hands on this he called me first. It's got a label still, with all but the YOM invisible. Says 1945...
Zips are period but have been replaced - DOT main and Lighnings in the sleeves apparently. Chain and collar elastic are still with it. It's certainly seen a lot of use since 45, but is totally structurally sound. It was to put it mildly, pretty grubby, and rather stinky, but a day in the sun inside out cured most of the odour. To wear it was super rough, obviously the fleece was dirty and gritty, so I decided to give it a vacuum, and then tackle cleaning the fleece somehow.
I decided a spray bottle with a dash of wool mix and dermatological fabric softener was the least obtrusive approach. With the aid of a scrubbing brush to fluff up the fleece, I dampened it one panel at a time and with both the brush and my hands, massaged the liquid in, without soaking through to the hide. I then used sections of clean towel to remove the liquid (like towel-drying your dog) and as you can see, a fair amount of funk was liberated from the fleece. Then the wife's blow-dryer on cool finished off the process. The fleece is now MUCH more soft and fluffy, but I still reckon it could do with another cycle of this process to get it really clean and wearable.
I must admit I really like the elaborate panelwork in the back of the jacket, and the sleeve panels are reminiscent of Irvin trousers, perhaps Andrew would be able to make an accurate assessment, but I reckon this one may have been put together from recycled pants? But anyways, it fits me (to the point of being roomy) and it's defiinitely one of the biggest Irvins I have seen...
Next it's off to my leather repairer/restorer for a hide preserving treatment, as Simon did Pecard it before shipping, but it definitely needs more nourishment...
Sadly, Spring is here so it's probably gonna be a good 6 month wait to get some good wearing in!

(Don't even think about nesting on the sheep, Beagle!)

You can see the brown funk on the white towel...

This jacket has a massive wingspan.....the sleeves are 27" from the shoulder to cuff!

 

[aswatland]

Your Irvin was made under the 40288 contract which was for refurbished earlier Irvins. The contract was issued in 1943 and jackets were refurbished under it until the end of the war. This jacket must have been a size 7 or 8 originally and would date from 1942-3 and was presumably badly damaged and rebuilt in 1945 using sheepskin from flying trousers perhaps. I'm not sure about the original maker, but Robinson and Ensum come to mind with the large collar rings, shaggy fleece with a close pile collar with square ends and narrower belt loops. R&E went out of business in 1943.

 

[Mk Vb]

Thank you Andrew, your boundless knowledge is always appreciated.
I'll post some more pics once it's come back from the leather conditioning treatment.

 

[alsendk]

Congrats with your new Irvin MK VB
it`s obviously a big size Irvin, and in fine condition - exept for the odour/smell, but Beagle don`t mind that I`m shure....give him five minutes alone, and he will be tunneling himself inside the Irvin, having a good time.
Mr. Swaffield have been very fair to you, offering first to take the old one back, and next to find this xx large size Irvin for you.
Sorry about the spring coming to your place....up here in the north we are in for the good Irvin weather shortly :O)
And Andrews never ending knowledge about Irvin jackets always surprises me.
Allan

 

[Mk Vb]

Yeah I'm just waiting for Andrew's definitive book to come out...which would actually be pretty amazing, and maybe more than just us Fedora Lounge nerds would buy it. Would it be a large coffee-table type photo-journal? Or more compact with lots of written history? I know that I never get tired of seeing pictures of people's Irvins, that's for sure.