Questions About the United States Navy Peacoat

[Spoonbelly]

WOW! Then I stand by my original comments. That is as cool as it gets. Congratulations.

What a coincidence that you got a 1947 peacoat, and a Coast Guard peacoat at that. Those tags are so rare that I have never seen one. And I have seen thousands of peacoat tags. You really got lucky on that search. PC

Hello Peacoat,
4 years ago I found a WW II Coast Guard peacoat on ebay. I think it was only $40.00. It thought it was going to be a size 46, but I think it was actually a 44 - a tinch too small for me. It had the CG tag. The material on that coat was probably the most beautiful of any coat that I have had - even nicer then the WWII that I currently have. I don't know what year that coat was. I wound up reselling it on ebay.

 

[billysmom]

I agree, Spoonbelly. I have a '50s era Navy peacoat that's very nice, but this old Coast Guard coat's fabric is a notch above with its fine soft, finish and dense weave. And it's in flawless condition except for the fragility of its almost 70 year old button thread

 

[Peacoat]

I have a 1949 peacoat that has the nicest fabric of any of the other 20 or so peacoats I have had over the years.* So, based on what Sue says about her C. 1947 Coast Guard peacoat, I would think a very high quality fabric was sourced by the manufacturer for several years in the late 1940s.

I date her CG peacoat as 1947 as that is the date I would give a Navy peacoat with a similar tag.

__________
*Still have most of them.

 

[Spoonbelly]

I agree, Spoonbelly. I have a '50s era Navy peacoat that's very nice, but this old Coast Guard coat's fabric is a notch above with its fine soft, finish and dense weave. And it's in flawless condition except for the fragility of its almost 70 year old button thread

The material description you gave sounds just like the coat I had. I wish it had fit me though. I've noticed also that '49 and '58 have above average exceptional fabric. I bought a '49 for my wife but unfortunately it did not fit right so I resold it on ebay. It was also in EXCELLENT shape.

 

[Spoonbelly]

I have a 1949 peacoat that has the nicest fabric of any of the other 20 or so peacoats I have had over the years.* So, based on what Sue says about her C. 1947 Coast Guard peacoat, I would think a very high quality fabric was sourced by the manufacturer for several years in the late 1940s.

I date her CG peacoat as 1947 as that is the date I would give a Navy peacoat with a similar tag.

__________
*Still have most of them.

From what I remember the WWII CG coat and the '49 were not the same exact materials. The CG coat felt like very dense, short velvet like, soft tuff material. The '49 was soft but also felt thicker then and heavier then most other Kerseys. I've only worn one of my coats once so far this season. This week the temps are going down well into the 20s up here in NY so I'll be doing some wearing of the peas this week for sure.

 

[Spoonbelly]

I found a photo of my dad at the Coast Guard Academy in 1947 wearing his peacoat. And now (from eBay) I have one just like it in my size! (I'm 5'5", 120#) How cool is that????

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Sue,
I guess you probably don't get much wear time with those peacoats down in Fort Worth? New York is a different story though. I'll be wearing a few of mine this week as temps are going down to the lower 20s. I know someone who lives in Dallas.

 

[Jtaaron]

Hello peacoat. This is my first time posting to a forum so please excuse any incorrect protocol. I recent purchased a vintage peacoat and I'm trying to date it, and since I'm not sure how to post a picture on here I'll do my best to describe it.
Tag says: MANUFACTURED FOR
NAVAL CLOTHING DEPOT
(With 2 fouled anchors in the corner, one on each side of the words)
Under that: 100% WOOL EXCLUSIVE OF ORNAMENTATION
Under that: NAME (which is blank)
Under that: SERVICE NO. (Which in blank)
Under that: CONTRACT NO. N140-62236s-27531b
Under that: SIZE 38
Then under the tag it has a name written in white with the numbers 530 52 71 under it.
it's navy blue with hand warmer pockets lined with tan corduroy.
It has a single stitching around each cuff about half an inch up and then a double stitching about 3 inches up from there.

It does not have the additional 'garment care instructions' tag that was mentioned that some of them have and I don't see holes from where the stitching for it would have been if it did and it just fell out, which makes me believe it's one of the versions that never had it.
Thank you

 

[Peacoat]

Your protocol is just fine. I would put that peacoat at about 1949, or perhaps a year earlier. Could even be a 1950 tag that was missing the "Cleaning Instructions" part of the tag. But if I had to put money on it, I would say 1949.

Welcome to the Lounge. PC

EDIT NOTE: Peacoats in 1949 didn't have the "cleaning instructions" tag, at least not that I have been able to determine. That tag was added starting in about 1950. For the next two or three years, sometimes it was used, and sometimes it wasn't, as best as I can determine.

 

[Jtaaron]

Your protocol is just fine. I would put that peacoat at about 1949, or perhaps a year earlier. Could even be a 1950 tag that was missing the "Cleaning Instructions" part of the tag. But if I had to put money on it, I would say 1949.

Welcome to the Lounge. PC

EDIT NOTE: Peacoats in 1949 didn't have the "cleaning instructions" tag, at least not that I have been able to determine. That tag was added starting in about 1950. For the next two or three years, sometimes it was used, and sometimes it wasn't, as best as I can determine.

Awesome. Thanks very much for the info.

 

[Peacoat]

From what I remember the WWII CG coat and the '49 were not the same exact materials. The CG coat felt like very dense, short velvet like, soft tuff material. The '49 was soft but also felt thicker then and heavier then most other Kerseys. I've only worn one of my coats once so far this season. This week the temps are going down well into the 20s up here in NY so I'll be doing some wearing of the peas this week for sure.

Spoon, yes I agree as to the difference in materials between the Navy WWII coats and the Navy 1949 coats. But are you saying the WWII CG coat was not the same material as the Navy WWII peacoats and was a higher quality material than the 1949 Navy coats? If so, that is a very interesting proposition.

My theory, based on only a rudimentary knowledge of military contracts and the inter service connection between the CG and the Navy, was that both used the same contractors who sourced the same material from the same suppliers. The materials used in the coats, therefore, would basically be the same, as would the specs and the construction.

I would like to pursue this absurdly arcane subject to its conclusion, but I find myself lacking in the time necessary for another peacoat project. I have already devoted several years of my life to determining the provenance of US Navy peacoats. Time now for someone else to shoulder the burden and carry the torch.

 

[Spoonbelly]

Spoon, yes I agree as to the difference in materials between the Navy WWII coats and the Navy 1949 coats. But are you saying the WWII CG coat was not the same material as the Navy WWII peacoats and was a higher quality material than the 1949 Navy coats? If so, that is a very interesting proposition.

My theory, based on only a rudimentary knowledge of military contracts and the inter service connection between the CG and the Navy, was that both used the same contractors who sourced the same material from the same suppliers. The materials used in the coats, therefore, would basically be the same, as would the specs and the construction.

I would like to pursue this absurdly arcane subject to its conclusion, but I find myself lacking in the time necessary for another peacoat project. I have already devoted several years of my life to determining the provenance of US Navy peacoats. Time now for someone else to shoulder the burden and carry the torch.

From what I remember the material from my WW II US Navy coat was not the exact same as the material from the WWII CG coat. I remember feeling bummed out about the CG coat being a tinch small and that I would wind up selling it back on ebay. Both were also different materials then the 1949 Navy coat that I had also resold on ebay due to it not fitting my wife that great. The CG coat felt more velvet like while still being dense and strong. The '49 coat looked and felt thicker and maybe heavier then other Kerseys. Maybe the difference in the 2 WWII coats was that both were made during different years thus yielding different materials.

 

[the cappuccino kid]

Dear members of Fedora Lounge

Does the Post WWII six button peacoat have the throat latch that the eight button have?
I just got a eight button of ebay which is great but I want a size larger.

Best whishes

the cappuccino kid

 

[Peacoat]

Dear members of Fedora Lounge

Does the Post WWII six button peacoat have the throat latch that the eight button have?
I just got a eight button of ebay which is great but I want a size larger.

Best whishes

the cappuccino kid

On the post WWII coats, buttons under the collar replaced the throat latch. After 1965 there was only one button under the collar as 1965 was the last year for coats that buttoned either left or right. The post 1965 coats only buttoned left flap over right flap.

Welcome to the Lounge, Kid.

 

[David Minton]

Dear members of Fedora Lounge

Does the Post WWII six button peacoat have the throat latch that the eight button have?
I just got a eight button of ebay which is great but I want a size larger.

Best whishes

the cappuccino kid

I bid on one once on eBay, but didn't win. I should have saved photos of it. It was probably a transitional piece with a new body style with a leftover old style collar. Or, it might have been a repair job, it was hard to tell from the photos. So while I believe they exist, they are likely very rare.

 

[Cooperson]

A quick question on re positioning buttons. I have two nice pea coats, a 38" and a 40". The 38" fits fine on the shoulders and sleeves but is just too snug to button up. I haven't sold it because it's such a fine quality coat, the wool just feels softer and better quality than the larger 40". Question is, if I move the buttons in by 1 1/2", so I can wear it, will it devalue the coat in any way? Bare in mind the buttons will have to be sewn through the inner lining, so the thread will show on the inside. Also, will the old position of the buttons be visible, holes or marks etc.

I'm probably being a bit too sensitive but I see these coats as a piece of history that should be preserved in their original condition, if possible, but I would also really like to wear it and get some use out of it.

Thoughts and opinions very welome.

 

[Peacoat]

Coops, I wouldn't worry about devaluing the coat. The buttons can always be moved back to the original position. And, no, the original position of the buttons won't be visible from the exterior of the coat.

Moving the buttons 1 1/2" may cause a bit of asymmetry. I think 1" would be OK. Just take a look at it and see what you think. I believe these coats need to be worn, and whatever we can do to get them that way is a good thing.

Let me know how it goes.

 

[Cooperson]

Coops, I wouldn't worry about devaluing the coat. The buttons can always be moved back to the original position. And, no, the original position of the buttons won't be visible from the exterior of the coat.

Moving the buttons 1 1/2" may cause a bit of asymmetry. I think 1" would be OK. Just take a look at it and see what you think. I believe these coats need to be worn, and whatever we can do to get them that way is a good thing.

Let me know how it goes.

Good news, thank you my friend, I think 1" will be ok. I'll get my good lady on it ASAP.

 

[the cappuccino kid]

Thankyou sirs!

I also been pondering the question of moving the buttons. My peacoat has almost a tailored fit but I would like to wear an extra thick sweater during winter.
I belive the sleeves have been shortend during its past (one seam close to the cuff and a second seam 1½"from the cuff). Anyone with experience from lengthening the sleeves?

 

[Peacoat]

If your peacoat has a good close fit, I wouldn't do any alterations. Get another coat with a looser fit that will accommodate a sweater. See the fitting section in my dating guide for help in getting the proper fit. In Sweden, you will need a sweater under the peacoat for warmth.

Lengthening the sleeves will cost about $45. Look inside the cuff to see how much material remains. A seamstress can add a bias to give a little more length, if necessary. A simple job.

 

[David Minton]

Thankyou sirs!

I also been pondering the question of moving the buttons. My peacoat has almost a tailored fit but I would like to wear an extra thick sweater during winter.
I belive the sleeves have been shortend during its past (one seam close to the cuff and a second seam 1½"from the cuff). Anyone with experience from lengthening the sleeves?

I have not lengthened the sleeves, but before you do, check the wear at the edge. If there is wear, you will get a stripe of worn area once the sleeve is lengthened.

Personally, I would get another coat before I corrected a coat that was already altered. If you are a common size, you can get post WWII coats for around $45 on eBay if you are patient.