Pea Coat - ebay

[Noro]

Hi everyone,
I found a pea coat on ebay and I am seriously thinking about getting it, but I still have doubts. Could anyone help me resolve them?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=280782484755

The tag looks very similar to those from 1960's posted in the sticky (thanks Peacoat), but what puzzles me even more is that it is supposed to be man's coat, but seller claims it is unisex with both buttoning from left to right and right to left possible - also shown on the photo. Is this common?

 

[Atticus Finch]

Hi everyone,
I found a pea coat on ebay and I am seriously thinking about getting it, but I still have doubts. Could anyone help me resolve them?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=280782484755

The tag looks very similar to those from 1960's posted in the sticky (thanks Peacoat), but what puzzles me even more is that it is supposed to be man's coat, but seller claims it is unisex with both buttoning from left to right and right to left possible - also shown on the photo. Is this common?

I don't know as much about Pea Coats as some others here, but I can read a military spec tag. This is an issued, 1964 Pea Coat. Its the real deal.

AF

 

[Noro]

Thanks.

 

[Aether]

Hi Noro,

I'm pretty sure all peacoats have 'unisex' buttoning, my 1961 version does.

Hope you get it, everyone should have one! I've been wearing mine today

 

[Noro]

I didn't know the buttoning was made like this, it completely surprised me. Hopefully, I will be wearing mine in the near future

 

[Atticus Finch]

I'm trying to envision how a double breasted pea coat could button in two ways. Both of mine button with the left half of the coat over lapping the right half. The left half has button holes and a row of buttons. The right half has a row of buttons. I don't recall seeing button holes on the right half, but maybe I never looked closely enough. I will tonight!

AF

 

[Noirblack]

Seems odd, but maybe at some point an extra set of button holes was added to the coat.

 

[Peacoat]

Buttoning the coat both ways ended in 1965, as did the "US NAVY" tag. The original reason for the bi--sided buttoning feature is one that eludes me. Perhaps to allow more even wear to the front of the coat?

Although this coat has an an anomaly tag, Atticus is correct about it being a 1964 peacoat. I would have expected a 1964 peacoat to carry the US NAVY tag, as did pea coats from about 1958 through 1965.

 

[Atticus Finch]

Well...I almost hate to say this...but my 1978 Vi Mil has button holes on both sides and so does my 1992 Sterlingwear of Boston. Again...I'm clearly no expert on peacoats...but I had never noticed this odd trait before I started following this thread.

I guess I've always just buttoned them left over right without much thought to any other option.

AF

 

[Peacoat]

Now that is odd. None of my pea coats after 1965, nor any of the ones I have seen after that date, have the rows of buttons (complete rows--not just a single button hole) on both sides of the coat.

 

[gyrobroyeur]

Buttoning the coat both ways ended in 1965, as did the "US NAVY" tag. The original reason for the bi--sided buttoning feature is one that eludes me. Perhaps to allow more even wear to the front of the coat?

Although this coat has an an anomaly tag, Atticus is correct about it being a 1964 peacoat. I would have expected a 1964 peacoat to carry the US NAVY tag, as did pea coats from about 1958 through 1965.

The reason to bi sided butoning is the particularity of naval coats. When saillors used to spend Time on the deck, to keep direction on windy area, it was usefull to change the way to close it on the good side to let the wind sliding on the upper side. Duffle coats permited to change it too for the same Reason. Cheers.

 

[Noro]

I'd like to thank everyone for responding, I've won the auction and I can't wait to wear it. I only hope it will fit me and the condition will be as good as I was promised.