Interesting 1940s German biker jacket.

[Sloan1874]

Saw this on Ebay. Has a bootlegger feel, though I can never understand the slightly useless looking mini-pockets German biker jackets are peppered with. Still, a nice looking jacket.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/RARE-1940...pt=UK_Men_s_Coats_Jackets&hash=item27c38f540e

 

[Ishmael]

Interesting jacket. Is that a rising sun at the top of the sleeves?

 

[Sloan1874]

It's described as a "spider's web design", but given the deco period, a rising sun design would make more sense.

 

[Baron Kurtz]

Those slightly useless mini pockets are typically just the right size for a zippo and a softpack of Gauloises (one pocket for each). There's usually a larger pocket inside German leather jackets for more useful things like maps/pipe.

bk

 

[Sloan1874]

A smoking bikers jacket, nice. I wonder if they thought about what sort of pipe it could carry: calabash, corncob or venturi. Hmmm

 

[Metatron]

'More useful things like a map/pipe'
Haha, yes I think a pipe is far superior to cigarrettes for inducing a zen state of mind.

 

[Richard G]

Bergfreund Motorcycle Jacket

I have an almost identical jacket by the same manufacturer - only minute details are different. The lower outside pockets are deep enough to hold a well-stuffed wallet easily. They reach down to the hem of the jacket. I feel the jacket on ebay is way overpriced and that's why it hasn't moved in ages. The red piping is plastic and very brittle. It cracks and splits up. I have had my jacket relined with a cotton fabric that is very similar to the original, the split seams repaired and all the plastic piping replaced with red leather piping. Now it is fun to wear (in spring an summer) and to enjoy the distressed look. But all in all even at Swiss labor prices it was still considerably cheaper than the one offered through ebay. The jacket is quite different from the US or UK styles of the period and that makes it stand out among the others in the closet.
Cheers from Zurich
Richard

 

[Baron Kurtz]

I also have essentially the same Bergfreünd jacket with only subtle differences! They must have been rather popular … Mine is made in light-ish hide that appears to be steer - maybe storse, who knows. But not the heavy bullhide the vintage German jackets are so famous for.

Yes, the piping on mine is also plastic, though on mine it is supple and not at all brittle. Something to do with storage over the years, no doubt.

And yes, that eBay one is way overpriced. They've been realising nice prices on US eBay in recent months … but not THAT nice! There's a chap on UK ebay with a few up for rather more reasonable £150 BINs, and he can't shift them.

 

[Sloan1874]

I also have essentially the same Bergfreünd jacket with only subtle differences! They must have been rather popular … Mine is made in light-ish hide that appears to be steer - maybe storse, who knows. But not the heavy bullhide the vintage German jackets are so famous for.

Yes, the piping on mine is also plastic, though on mine it is supple and not at all brittle. Something to do with storage over the years, no doubt.

And yes, that eBay one is way overpriced. They've been realising nice prices on US eBay in recent months … but not THAT nice! There's a chap on UK ebay with a few up for rather more reasonable £150 BINs, and he can't shift them.

Do you have a link *looks out credit card*

 

[Baron Kurtz]

Here you go. Also, depending on your size, I might have something to let go significantly cheaper than these. I have quite a range of sizes and colours of German jackets from this era.

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?68226-50s-german-Leather-Jackets-in-UK-eBay

 

[Sloan1874]

Here you go. Also, depending on your size, I might have something to let go significantly cheaper than these. I have quite a range of sizes and colours of German jackets from this era.

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?68226-50s-german-Leather-Jackets-in-UK-eBay

Cheers for that. Unfortunately, I'm a slim 36, so I'd need to do some measuring. Will have a think...