Need help identifying vintage Motorcycle Jacket

[technovox]

Given the lining, I'd say Block Built is a good guess.

The biggest identifying factor may be the buckles on the side adjustment tabs, which appear to be unique. I assume they are adjustable?

Yes. They are adjustable. And they are very similar to the buckles on a 1930's jacket by Levis featured in Rin Tanaka's book on motorcycle jackets. As is the cuff design. But Levis did not make Patrol jackets AFAIK.

 

[Edward]

I ask about steerhide as it does show up in police jackets from the 30s through the 50s. I originally was surprised by that, thinking all tough wear jackets would be Horsehide. How did a maker determine what leather to use? What they had in stock? What they could get? What they liked in a certain application? What was popular? What was cost effective?

I'd put my money on it having been a combination of durability and cost effectiveness - with the latter being slightly more important. Even back then public departments still had to justify their budgets.

Yes. They are adjustable. And they are very similar to the buckles on a 1930's jacket by Levis featured in Rin Tanaka's book on motorcycle jackets. As is the cuff design. But Levis did not make Patrol jackets AFAIK.

Who made Levis leathers back then? Did they ever do leather in-house, or did they sub ontract as they have done in more recent decades? If the latter, those commonalities might give aclue to manufacturer?

 

[jacketjunkie]

I have seen that exact pocket set-up before, but cannot remember where..

Anyway, I believe it is an Levi's jacket. Those cuffs are screaming Levi's, as does the pocket set-up and two-panel-back and even the lining isn't too far from what I have seen on old Levi's.

 

[Gamma68]

Tanaka's book (Motorcycle Jackets: A Century of Design) shows a Ralphs-Pugh jacket with what appears to be very similar herringbone lining. Ralphs-Pugh also used button cuffs and made police jackets.

Lots of companies in the 1930s/40s used two-panel backs and button cuffs. Really hard to pin down.

Has anyone ever emailed Tanaka directly to ask for a jacket ID? He's offered up his email address in the book: RintaroT@aol.com

 

[tmitchell59]

Who made Levis leathers back then? Did they ever do leather in-house, or did they sub ontract as they have done in more recent decades? If the latter, those commonalities might give aclue to manufacturer?

I too thought Levis jacket. I have my doubts. I discussed the below jacket with Ken Calder. He feels 98% that it is a Levi jacket, very similar to the Levi jacket they copied in their Speedway model. He references construction details I don't quite understand as evidence. He had years of experience looking through bales of jackets. Levi did things no one else did.

Levi told him they made some of the leather jackets and also used a bay area maker. The maker was not identified. Ken also identified cloth maker construction details in Levi labeled jackets.

I believe some Police jackets are standard line of jackets with modifications to be "police" jackets. Most of my older police jackets have button sleeves, badge holders, epaulets. Some are marked as Steerhide others Horsehide.

 

[Gamma68]

I believe some Police jackets are standard line of jackets with modifications to be "police" jackets. Most of my older police jackets have button sleeves, badge holders, epaulets. Some are marked as Steerhide others Horsehide.

This is a good point and I wondered if the badge holder on Technovox's jacket was an add-on modification to a civilian jacket. There are no other features like belt loops or laced sides that would indicate it was made specifically for police.

 

[tmitchell59]

This is a good point and I wondered if the badge holder on Technovox's jacket was an add-on modification to a civilian jacket. There are no other features like belt loops or laced sides that would indicate it was made specifically for police.

I do have older Police jackets that are purpose made. Made by uniform makers. Others just look to be standard jackets with a badge holder.

 

[technovox]

All good clues in figuring out the maker. Big thanks to Mitchell for the Levis info. Gamma's post about the similarity of lining to the Ralphs-Pugh Co. is a good lead- (pg. 39 Rin Tanaka - Motorcycle Jackets.) It could quite possibly be a Ralphs-Pugh Top-Notch jacket- they were also in San Francisco along with Levis, and may have sourced the buckles from the same vendor as Levis.

The placement of the chest pockets and badge holder is very distinctive, especially the slash pocket with a snap instead of a zipper...haven't seen this combo on any other jacket. And the photos don't show it, but there is a faint double stitch in the shape of a D-pocket outline on the left front side- which is very unusual. The mystery continues! I just wish this jacket fit me...

 

[Edward]

I believe some Police jackets are standard line of jackets with modifications to be "police" jackets. Most of my older police jackets have button sleeves, badge holders, epaulets. Some are marked as Steerhide others Horsehide.

Sould be easy to identify if policed leathers were uniformalised (even if private purchase). If any PDs offered a leather jacket as an option but didn't specify a particular design for pp, then that would wide the field considerably. The thing that intrigued me when I fist got my Taylors Chicago PD jacket and I went looking for information , finding their website was just how wide the range of designs are, obviously something that is finalised at state rather than federal level.

 

[Corky Corcovado]

http://www.billkelsomfg.com/store/en.php?p=productview&prod=439
This is a Blockbilt D-Pocket.