British bike jacket – can you help me date it? Clix zip, Newey studs...

[Mr Badger]

Hey folks, Mrs Badger and I were out and about in some quite rotten weather today – I took some more Bam-Balam Belts to one of my stockists and we checked out a flea market in between downpours – but a 'why the hell not?' visit to a usually very poor car boot sale, which is in some smelly cattle pens at an agricultural market, turned up trumps!

I spotted an old leather jacket hanging on a gatepost to one of the cattle pens, and when I picked it up, I realised that it must be quite old – lambskin/capeskin by the feel of it – and thought my wife would like it... sure enough, she was thrilled, and the guy only wanted a fiver for it!

There's no label, nor maker's mark anywhere, but it's deffo not steer, the main zipper is an oblong Clix (sorry, couldn't get a decent pic with a cameraphone), the others no-name ball-pulls with brown tape (could've faded from black), the press studs are Newey, and the lining a lightly quilted red cotton rayon (deffo no man-made fibres).

I was thinking that it may be either a Rivett's or a Mascot (although the collar ends aren't squared-off), any ideas about a maker / date?

I used some rejuvenator on it, repaired a few small nicks with leather glue and *gulp* found out that it fits ME! Too big for Mrs Badger, after all...

 

[Mr Badger]

Just managed to take some quite in focus snaps of the zips...

 

[Carlos840]

To me it screams Lewis leather!

http://www.lewisleathers.com/89

The side buckles are the same design, the sleeve zipper position, the red lining...
The Fact that they used "clix" zippers in the 70s

http://www.leather-monkeys.com/32-lewis-leathers-aviakit-super-monza

They could be ordered without the logo on the chest to...

But then, i don't recognise the model, and i don;t think they ever used lambskin/capeskin.

 

[Mr Badger]

To me it screams Lewis leather!

http://www.lewisleathers.com/89

The side buckles are the same design, the sleeve zipper position, the red lining...
The Fact that they used "clix" zippers in the 70s

http://www.leather-monkeys.com/32-lewis-leathers-aviakit-super-monza

They could be ordered without the logo on the chest to...

But then, i don't recognise the model, and i don;t think they ever used lambskin/capeskin.

It IS very close to a Lewis Leathers 'Lightning', but without the 'change pocket' on one arm... a friend of mine said there were loads of different companies making these jacket in Britain during the 1970s, I guess even using the same buckles and zips, but having handled quite a number of Brit jackets from then, this deffo seems earlier, especially given the lightweight hide...

 

[aswatland]

The hardware is typical of that used by LL and other British makers in the late 60s early 70s. It looks very much like a LL Lightning jacket from the 1970s. Nice find BTW.

 

[Highwaymanman]

The side buckles are the same as those used by Lewis but I've noticed that many other companies of that era used the exact same ones too. It looks like a Lightning rip off to me. I had a Super Monza with a Talon main zip but they used many different ones over the years. It is a verfy nice find, good for you!

 

[Mr Badger]

The hardware is typical of that used by LL and other British makers in the late 60s early 70s. It looks very much like a LL Lightning jacket from the 1970s. Nice find BTW.

The side buckles are the same as those used by Lewis but I've noticed that many other companies of that era used the exact same ones too. It looks like a Lightning rip off to me. I had a Super Monza with a Talon main zip but they used many different ones over the years. It is a verfy nice find, good for you!

Thanks gents, never heard of LL – aswatland, what leather do you think it is? There's a little flaking and the finish is generally quite worn/open, so I was thinking deer/cape, although I guess it could be plain old cow... Mrs Badger has just gifted me the jacket, BTW, uttering the words, "I'll wear it occasionally, with a big sweater, OK?"

 

[aswatland]

LL=Lewis Leathers! My guess is cow hide as MC jackets needed to be hard wearing.

 

[Mr Badger]

LL=Lewis Leathers! My guess is cow hide as MC jackets needed to be hard wearing.

:eusa_doh: Just saw that, serves me right for trying to keep up the conversation and cook the dinner at the same time! Result!

 

[pipvh]

http://www.hi-starclassics.co.uk/Jackets/Highwayman/vintage highwayman.htm - scroll down a bit until you find 'Highwayman Manila 34.'

 

[Carlos840]

The back is not the same, the OP's back is a one piece back...

 

[Mr Badger]

http://www.hi-starclassics.co.uk/Jackets/Highwayman/vintage highwayman.htm - scroll down a bit until you find 'Highwayman Manila 34.'

The back is not the same, the OP's back is a one piece back...

Yup, no yoke on it! Thanks tho, pipvh, getting closer to identifying it! It fits me pretty good, I think... gonna give it the Mink Oil treatment this afternoon... have already hung a Watney's Red Barrel keychain on the missing 'ball chain' zipper, and a 'ring pull' off the main zipper, don't think I wanna put patches on it tho'...

 

[rocketeer]

Early Lewis jackets had a cotton type lining during the 1960s, later they went over to nylon type linings similar to the Highwayman jackets. As the years went by the quality of Lewis Leathers jackets went a bit down hill a bit.
They also took over some other labels such as Kett. Not sure if Highwayman met this fate but they dissapeared from the jacket market during the 1970s I believe.
I have a poor condition Kett with a gold rayon lining(badge display jacket) and also wore another Kett with blue nylon during my early 1980s riding days.
Over the years I have had a few jackets, when they were common at car boots etc I would buy the rough ones and take them apart for spare ball zips, buckles and other items. Now it appears even the rough stuff is in demand.
Neat jacket by the way I always have preferred this design over the 'Brando' look or even the 'D' pocket jackets. Just a shame ours moo'd or bahhhhd rather than whinnied

We need a permanent biker or bike jacket thread here, just like the A2 guys
J

 

[Edward]

It IS very close to a Lewis Leathers 'Lightning', but without the 'change pocket' on one arm... a friend of mine said there were loads of different companies making these jacket in Britain during the 1970s, I guess even using the same buckles and zips, but having handled quite a number of Brit jackets from then, this deffo seems earlier, especially given the lightweight hide...

That would be my guess. It might also have been a copy from another brand that Lewis owned, I've seen a fair bit of stuff that came out under the Aviakit name, which if memory serves LL also owned. If the hide is so lightweight it feels almost like it could be lamb - lighter than an A2 by some way, for instance - that sounds very typical of the late-60s British stuff I've handled. I don't think I've ever touched a Lewis (or comparable brand) of any age that I would even remotely trust to protect anything in a spill.... To the best of my knowledge, Lewis back in the day (and others) were almost always cowhide. I've seen lamb Lewises of modern production, but I think that's a recent thing in their more fashion-oriented jackets. If it turned out ot be a Lewis it's a real bargain, but evne if not a lot of the "also ran" brands like Mascot and so on I now see reaching £150 and up. Back in my really hardcore Rocky Horror days, jackets like Tim Curry's (probably a Plainsman - in line with Dominators, Corsairs, et cetera - that generic style) were shifting for two hundred; I'm sure they're a lot more now (especially for the infiteily better-looking, non-fringed models).

 

[Mr Badger]

Early Lewis jackets had a cotton type lining during the 1960s, later they went over to nylon type linings similar to the Highwayman jackets. As the years went by the quality of Lewis Leathers jackets went a bit down hill a bit.
They also took over some other labels such as Kett. Not sure if Highwayman met this fate but they dissapeared from the jacket market during the 1970s I believe... I always have preferred this design over the 'Brando' look or even the 'D' pocket jackets. Just a shame ours moo'd or bahhhhd rather than whinnied

That would be my guess. It might also have been a copy from another brand that Lewis owned, I've seen a fair bit of stuff that came out under the Aviakit name, which if memory serves LL also owned. If the hide is so lightweight it feels almost like it could be lamb - lighter than an A2 by some way, for instance - that sounds very typical of the late-60s British stuff I've handled. I don't think I've ever touched a Lewis (or comparable brand) of any age that I would even remotely trust to protect anything in a spill.... To the best of my knowledge, Lewis back in the day (and others) were almost always cowhide. I've seen lamb Lewises of modern production, but I think that's a recent thing in their more fashion-oriented jackets. If it turned out ot be a Lewis it's a real bargain, but evne if not a lot of the "also ran" brands like Mascot and so on I now see reaching £150 and up. Back in my really hardcore Rocky Horror days, jackets like Tim Curry's (probably a Plainsman - in line with Dominators, Corsairs, et cetera - that generic style) were shifting for two hundred; I'm sure they're a lot more now (especially for the infiteily better-looking, non-fringed models).

It's deffo red, lightly quilted cotton rayon, lining-wise... to be honest, I prefer D-pocket jackets (used to have an old Canuck Brimaco like that), or the Lewis Bronx model, but I kinda like this one, probably cos it only cost a fiver! Edward, it is REALLY light, in terms of the hide, but that's quite refreshing – it's certainly lighter than the 'deadstock' condition late-60s LL Bronx I bagged down Brick Lane market in '92, that was definitely cowhide – I really regret swapping that for a minty Levis 'Big E' jacket around '93, especially given the prices they're reaching now, but it was a touch tight on me...

 

[pipvh]

Aha, yes, I see what you mean. I reckon Edward is right: a LL sub-brand along the lines of Highwayman/John Pollock/Kett/Mascot... I think I remember reading about a fairly lively East London leather jacket industry in the late 60s/early 70s which produced quite a few of those brands. When I say 'sub,' by the way, I don't mean in terms of quality. I had an early 60s Highwayman for a bit and it was an amazingly nice piece of kit.

 

[pipvh]

Watney's Red Barrel keychain: pure class.

 

[Edward]

That Stud arrangement on the left hand lapel (model's left), with the regular stud you'd expect, and then a second one t'other way around (I bnever did figure out what those were for) is very typical of the British jackets I've seen of that period. Not sure who introduced it - maybe it was Lewis? - but I've seen it on lots of British bike leathers from the 60s right up to the 70s.

 

[Mr Badger]

Aha, yes, I see what you mean. I reckon Edward is right: a LL sub-brand along the lines of Highwayman/John Pollock/Kett/Mascot... I think I remember reading about a fairly lively East London leather jacket industry in the late 60s/early 70s which produced quite a few of those brands. When I say 'sub,' by the way, I don't mean in terms of quality. I had an early 60s Highwayman for a bit and it was an amazingly nice piece of kit.

Certainly no offence taken, squire – if the East End leather trade was owt like back in the early 1990s, when I lived just off Shoreditch High St then Brick Lane, then it was thriving...

Watney's Red Barrel keychain: pure class.

Sadly, it's the later barrel shape, am still looking for one of the classic ones...

That Stud arrangement on the left hand lapel (model's left), with the regular stud you'd expect, and then a second one t'other way around (I bnever did figure out what those were for) is very typical of the British jackets I've seen of that period. Not sure who introduced it - maybe it was Lewis? - but I've seen it on lots of British bike leathers from the 60s right up to the 70s.

Allow me to solve that conundrum for you, chief – voila!

Pretty neat arrangement, I'd say... I've used some Mink Oil on the jacket, it's coming up really very well indeed!

 

[pipvh]

Sadly, it's the later barrel shape, am still looking for one of the classic ones...

Party Seven?