First Vintage Suit

[thunderw21]

Picked this up at Goodwill the other day.

It's a three-piece SB 'Kuppenheimer' suit. Made of beautiful dark blue wool with alternating blue and tan pinstripes.
The jacket has 3 buttons, high armholes, 3 non-functional buttons on the arm, no vents. It is a bit tight in the chest but not bad. The sleeves are short. The date on the union label is unreadable but it has red numbers, indicating a date anywhere from 1936-1960s(?).

The vest has all of its buttons and an adjustment strap in back. It is tight on me and probably a bit short.

The trousers are plain front and have no cuff, though a crease shows that it might have been cuffed at one point. It has a button fly with a snap at the top. Like the jacket sleeves, the trousers are a bit short but can be let down some. They are a snug fit but are fine.

I originally bought this suit to sell since it wasn't the best fitting but after looking at it I can't resist keeping it. It doesn't fit right so I think I still might sell it. I'll see.

It's in perfect, practically unworn condition. No mothholes or stains at all. I see why vintage suits are so highly treasured: their construction and fit is practically unrivaled by suits we see today.

Onto the pics. They're not the best, i was using someone elses camera. I'll get more when I go home.

The pattern (this scan does not do justice):

A general view:

Wearing it (mind the shirt ):

At what time period would you place this? It strikes me as 1940s for some reason.
Cheers,
Billy

 

[Kentucky Blues]

I gotta say it looks 30's to me, and I wish it were mine And judging from how you describe how it fits you, you should probably give it to me :lol:

 

[thunderw21]

I gotta say it looks 30's to me, and I wish it were mine And judging from how you describe how it fits you, you should probably give it to me :lol:

Maybe for the right price.

 

[Kentucky Blues]

seriously though, it doesn't look too terribly short... just think of it as an excuse to wear cufflinks

 

[happyfilmluvguy]

Two button barrel cuffs might hide the sleeve length. You won't have much trouble finding a dress shirt with barrel cuffs either. I can't find a decent photo of one, though.

 

[Tomasso]

It doesn't fit right so I think I still might sell it.

Sorry to say but I agree with you on the fit. [huh]

 

[thunderw21]

I don't know what a suit like this should bring.
If you were to buy this suit what price would you pay? $200? $300? I'm completely in the dark and want a price that is fair to both the buy and the seller.
I see similar suits in the classifieds asking anywhere from $200-$400 or so. Please, educate me.

 

[Baron Kurtz]

other than the arms, i'd say that was a pretty good fit. But then, i like a trim fitting suit jacket.

Let's see a picture of the union label. Will be easier for dating. The gripper snaps at the top of the waistband along with the lapels/button stance is saying mid 40s to me, but the union label will probably be definitive.

Lovely suit! I'd lengthen the arms and keep him.

I've seen those suits in the classifieds too. It all depends on the size. If it's 38 or smaller, in what is a relatively (objectively, compared to others i've seen) uninteresting fabric, more than $125 is frankly taking the piss. More than that is called being greedy and you're unlikely to sell it. You wouldn't get that price on eBay for this suit*. For a small American suit (read: not rare, at all) found at the goodwill you can get tons of profit and not be greedy. Think: even asking $100 you've almost made 10 times your money - assuming your goodwill is like mine were: about $13-$15 for a 3 piece.

bk

*This does not hold true for very rare (linen, Palm Beach) or very interesting (see the teal green/blue one in the classifieds) fabrics in small sizes.

 

[Alan Eardley]

Lengthening the arms.

The photo of the sleeve seam shows quite a sharp bias. That implies a tapered sleeve which is often accompanied by a mitred seam on the inside of the turn-up. This means that there is a seam at 45 degrees running from the corner of the turn-up into the lining. I (or, more importantly, my seamstress) have never found a way to shorten these up satisfactorily.

I often say, 'If you can't adjust the fit, adjust your attitude to the fit'. That would not be considered a very short sleeve in the 30s or 40s.

Alan

 

[Baron Kurtz]

now you mention it, with a bit of linen showing those wouldn't be that short. Still a little short maybe, but not ridiculous . . .

Keeping/selling, therefore, would be down to what the legs 'n waist of the trousers are like.

bk

 

[Feraud]

Kuppenheimer's a Keeper

The suit fits you nicely. The tapered waist creates the silhouette many people try to emulate.
Take a picture wearing French cuffs and judge if the jacket sleeves appear short. I think it will look fine.

 

[slicedbread]

from the info you gave me in the pm, (re: the label has scissors), then i think that dates it to late 30's, early 40's?

about the price, BK knows better than me

About the fit, would you mind elaborating tomasso?? Is it just the length or the overall cut too?

 

[thunderw21]

Union label:

 

[slicedbread]

1939-'49

 

[Orgetorix]

Yes, it's definitely pre-'49. This is the post-'49 tag. The thrift stores near me are dripping with 'em.

 

[Tomasso]

About the fit, would you mind elaborating tomasso?? Is it just the length or the overall cut too?

IMO, the jacket length is a touch too short(although they were worn shorter in the 20's, early 30's). The short sleeves could be mitigated by shirt cuff but the result would be showing too much cuff for my taste. Lastly, the inability to cuff the trousers would be a deal breaker in my book. [huh]

 

[Baron Kurtz]

yes, so with that union label i'd put that to the middle-late 1940s. The snap at the waist i've only encountered in late 40s and early 50s trousers. There was, by the way, a brief incarnation of the 1949 union label with the old style graphic - like the one you show - before they moveed to the new graphic of Orgetorix's post. I have no idea how long this label was in use, and i've never seen one in person (only a single photo, but it was unequivocal) . . . this in itself suggesting a brief existence since i have inspected literally thousands of these suits.

Again, a lovely suit.

On price, looking through the classifieds, slicedbread's suits are in the "exceptional" category, whether it be fabric, details like belt backs etc. These are worth more, and i think he prices them fairly. And looking again at the fabric of this suit, i see some herringbone and overstripe so probably I was a little hasty in my rating of 'ordinary'

bk

 

[Matt Deckard]

put on a shirt and tie and post the pics

 

[slicedbread]

IMO, the jacket length is a touch too short(although they were worn shorter in the 20's, early 30's). The short sleeves could be mitigated by shirt cuff but the result would be showing too much cuff for my taste. Lastly, the inability to cuff the trousers would be a deal breaker in my book. [huh]

Ah, I see...No cuffs is

Alan Eardley, did you mean that you don't think the sleeves can be lengthened?

 

[Jovan]

put on a shirt and tie and post the pics

Seconded!