This is an eBay find, a jacket that has been around on eBay for a while, having been checked out and passed on by @JMax and @Marc mndt - too small for them. I have been looking for a vintage straight zip for a while (Cal etc), so I took a chance at this no-name Highwayman style jacket by sending an offer. The P2P measurement turned out to be correct - 21.5, but the sleeve was not 25" but rather 23" (good thing 23" works for me, particularly with 18.5" shoulder width). Hem is 17", so t-shirt only, but it works. Jacket is heavy stiff steerhide (weighs 5.2 lbs for a 38 size, so the heft is definitely there). The seller says it is a California jacket. Color is dark chocolate brown. It looks like it has hardly been used over the years. The design elements (collar, yoke, snap cuffs) all scream 1940s/1950s. The hardware (more on it later) also screams 1940s/1950s. But the smooth leather feels like a 5-year old Branded or Natal, hence my confusion. All 1940s/50s jackets I handled were gnarly and grainy (both horse and steer); this one is smooth and feels new. I really hope for input from vintage heads @JMax , @Marc mndt , @tmitchell59 , @jonbuilder , @Guppy , @AeroFan_07 , @Leigh H (sorry if I missed anyone) for their thoughts on the design of this jacket, age, maker...I will give my thoughts on the age/provenance at the end of this post.
On to pics:
The fit is good, maybe I need to work on my shoulders a bit to fill out the V-shape of the jacket, lol:
Hardware:
Main zip - the Talon box design and wire pull dates to 1940s (same as on @jonbuilder Star Glove), the teeth are more 1950s.
Pocket zips - Talon, dated by Dinerman to mid 1940s (https://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/dating-outerwear-by-zipper-design.73884/):
Snaps - United Carr, dated by Dinerman to mid 1940s (https://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/dating-clothes-by-snaps.75667/) - dots between United and Carr. First pic from Dinerman, second pic from the jacket:
Design elements - here's where it gets a bit weird:
The cream-colored patch to protect the neck area from wear is leather (no sign of wear):
Pockets are lined with leather (with stretch marks, so the maker consciously used "lower quality" leather for pocket lining:
Snap cuffs are typical 1940s/1950s, pristine:
So what do I think? I think it is a custom 1940s/1950s jacket (maybe a prototype). I think custom because of the leather neck wear protector and leather lining of the pockets. Mass makers would not use leather in these spots. But if you guys have seen these elements in other jackets (or will see in the future), please holler. I would love to place this jacket somehow. Thanks for reading.
On to pics:
The fit is good, maybe I need to work on my shoulders a bit to fill out the V-shape of the jacket, lol:
Hardware:
Main zip - the Talon box design and wire pull dates to 1940s (same as on @jonbuilder Star Glove), the teeth are more 1950s.
Pocket zips - Talon, dated by Dinerman to mid 1940s (https://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/dating-outerwear-by-zipper-design.73884/):
Snaps - United Carr, dated by Dinerman to mid 1940s (https://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/dating-clothes-by-snaps.75667/) - dots between United and Carr. First pic from Dinerman, second pic from the jacket:
Design elements - here's where it gets a bit weird:
The cream-colored patch to protect the neck area from wear is leather (no sign of wear):
Pockets are lined with leather (with stretch marks, so the maker consciously used "lower quality" leather for pocket lining:
Snap cuffs are typical 1940s/1950s, pristine:
So what do I think? I think it is a custom 1940s/1950s jacket (maybe a prototype). I think custom because of the leather neck wear protector and leather lining of the pockets. Mass makers would not use leather in these spots. But if you guys have seen these elements in other jackets (or will see in the future), please holler. I would love to place this jacket somehow. Thanks for reading.
