German Leather Jacket Resource

[Noodles]

Hi there,

I´m new to this forum and this is my first thread.
Found this leather motorcycle coat for a great bargain in a Berlin thrift shop, I couldn´t believe my eyes when I saw that it was so cheap but in nearly deadstock condition allthough from the 1930s to 1950s.
I´m not sure how to estimate the year it was made but I guess late 1930s could be a good deal... the coat by the way is super heavy and rigid, the zipper reads RITZ and the label inside H.A. Lederbekleidung

Any thoughts on it? Could it be made from horsehide leather?



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Many thanks!

 

[Dinerman]

 

[Tony B]

I haven't missed a seem anywhere have I, that is one peice of leather all the way down that coat isn't it?

 

[Dinerman]

Yep. One piece front and it's the longest overcoat I own. My mannequin is as high as it goes, sitting on top of a box. Quite a piece of work. Stitch marks from removed epaulettes. Sword Hanger. None of the snaps match, and it's got a '30s riri zipper. Pretty interesting.

 

[Marc Chevalier]

Yep. One piece front ...

Must have been a hell of a horse!

 

[alicegingle]

Very nice leather coat/jacket, BK!

 

[kampkatz]

Noodles, with that much leather it has to be either horse or cow.

 

[Dinerman]

 

[Metatron]

Nice, if intimidating.

 

[esteban68]

Does Anyone have one of these long coats with the leg straps, for motorcycle use? That's my next purchase!

I know this is a bit old but I seem to recall that the Kradmantel were made out of rubberised canvas to keep out the worst that the weather could throw at them, look at a few original clips of motorcycle troops in the mud in Russian Spring! I think there was a lighter unrubberised version too?

 

[Tony B]

Gerry ebay always has a few either look for kradmantel, kradmelder or kradmeldermantel.

Yep there was a version in tan twill for hot climbes as well.

I do like the look of those brown leather trenchcoats but couldn't bring myelf to wear one...I wear a fedora to keep the weather(read rain) of my face and from going down the back of my neck when it is cold and would just feel like Herr Flick or Von Schmallhausen from allo allo ( I have the limp as well when my back is gone which doesn't help) which would be bad enough but deep down I know with the way I carry clothes it would be more of a cross between Martin bormann and fatty Goring....If I had got my hands on one of those when I was a headbanger living in london I would have lived in the thing tough, so good luck to anyone who can pull one off, probably some of the best coats ever made as budget just didn't seem to come into it, I dread to think what something with that attention to detail would cost new these days.

Regards tony

 

[esteban68]

Sad fact is Tony the only thing that really goes with a long coat really is a fedora/ trilby shaped hat...I have a Duster coat from way back and it looks daft with anything other than a fedora or possibly a tweed cap when shooting.

 

[Tony B]

Yeah I know and I know I will probably end up with one of them eventually anyway I just don't know if I would ever wear it...I would fell like a pillock ...which is particularly stupid as if I saw someone else wearing that getup I would admire it for what it is...a bloody good coat and a nice hat.

Must be too many years making little soldiers for nazi fan boys....I like some of the gear but have developed a hell of an aversion to some of the people who are into it so they taint it, in my mind at least, for normal people (that counts me out anyway)who just like the old styles for what they are......well that and the fact that getting one in my size in good nick would be very unlikely

I'll stick with coats about 32-33 inches for now but If I ever did happen to come across one of those brown ones I know it would probably end up being mine.

Regards Tony

 

[simonson]

I have the very same jacket as seen on posts #8/9 bought at a Leeds University secondhandstall in the early '90's for £60. The lining is in need of repair and I'm getting that sorted out as it is a rather special number imho. I bumped into a guy a a reading by John Sinclair, erstwhile manager of the MC5 in the 60's/70's and he had a black version also made by hafa. He claimed that the black ones were issued as overcoats to the German SS and the brown to the Austrian SS. I'm wary of the truth to this statement - anyone know anymore of the historical time frame in which these were made?
Peter

 

[Tony B]

Tere was no austrian or german ss as seperate entities the ss was pan euroean including some eastern european membes who were non germanic the only distinctive feature of thee uniform regs were that they were not allowed to wear the ss lightning strikes, austrians were regarded as germans for the purposes of the ss, and neither issued leather coats.

The officially acceptable coats for officers were bought at there own expence, officers were given a number of tokens to spend on clothes from officially endorsed suppliers but the leather coats were bought at your own expence and had to confiom to a certain cut which was based on the wool issue overcoats, and were banned during the war as a waste of resources but this was ignored to a degree. The sanctiond coats were grey with lighter grey lapels for senior officers(general and above I think) not black or brown that is hollywood stuff.

Not some nazi fan, I sculpt model soldiers for a living and have a book collection on this stuff that you wouldn't believe.

Onr thing I noticed is that certain people on ebay always Put the 50s-70s cop coats on ebay as WW2, all the post war gerry coats from this post war period seem to be the wrap around type but you see the odd one with buttons and horizontal pockets which are far more attractive to me and this is what I have only realised recently THEY AIN'T GERMAN they are usually dutch brands being gelmok, hercules etc. so if you want one of theM search for "oude leren jas" or "solex jas" and you might turn up something that you want ..and the dutch don't put the fake nazi tag on them to appeal to a certain type so they are cheaper....often far cheaper.

Regards Tony

 

[Fastuni]

Munich second-hand shop find:

1930's - 50's, unlabelled - probably German (due to the yoke features) - heavy leather jacket.
The front zipper is a replacement, the belt is missing.
The leather must be horse or cow, the lining is moleskin:

The original zippers on the pockets have little "flames" on them... does this point to a certain brand or origin?

Best Regards

 

[majormajor]

Very nice jacket. A good find

 

[Fastuni]

Thanks - I immediately spotted the patina and heavy leather of this lone beauty amidst a rack full of 1970-90's thin-skinned "fashion jackets".
To make a good story better: the price-tag was something like 100 USD, but this second-hand store has a policy of giving 50% discount for serious damages. Well the belt was missing and the sleeve lining had to be re-sewn... so I got my 50% off.

Best Regards

 

[simonson]

Tere was no austrian or german ss as seperate entities the ss was pan euroean including some eastern european membes who were non germanic the only distinctive feature of thee uniform regs were that they were not allowed to wear the ss lightning strikes, austrians were regarded as germans for the purposes of the ss, and neither issued leather coats.

glad you cleared that up.

Thanks,

Peter

 

[Dinerman]

Erlmeir Ledermodelle. Stocko snaps. Provisions for a snap-on mouton collar. Removable buttons by Overhoff & Co.