Questions About the United States Navy Peacoat

[Peacoat]

Thank you for finding the answer. That means a lot to me. It is also very interesting to learn more about how these jackets are used. I always wondered why so many of these jackets have survived in such good condition. Knowing they were not used for ship work makes a lot of sense. I wonder if that also explains why most peacoats do not have rank patches on them. My father was in the Navy Reserves in the early 60's. As a young boy, I distinctly remember his uniform stored in a box in the attic. He recently passed and I will lay him to rest this spring.

I'm sorry for your loss.

Many sailors were never stationed in a cold climate, and didn't wear their coats much, if all. So never had their rank sewed on. That's another reason they are in such good shape–never worn.

 

[trentstanton]

Is a size 44 WW2 coat a rare find? Feel it's the first I've seen.

 

[Dudley]

Very good question. I am wondering the same. I am on the hunt for a 40 in good condition. Not many are coming up.

Is a size 44 WW2 coat a rare find? Feel it's the first I've seen

 

[jms09]

Very good question. I am wondering the same. I am on the hunt for a 40 in good condition. Not many are coming up.

Is that the 38 you bought before that I saw pop back up?

 

[Peacoat]

Is a size 44 WW2 coat a rare find? Feel it's the first I've seen.

Yes, a 44 in WWII is rare. Buy it if all else is good.

 

[trentstanton]

Yes, a 44 in WWII is rare. Buy it if all else is good.

It looks to be decent. Liner is messed up and pictures aren't all that detailed. Asking 60.

 

[Dudley]

Is that the 38 you bought before that I saw pop back up?

Yes. This is the jacket I returned because it was auctioned as a 38, and the tag clearly said 36. Looks like the auction title is a little schizophrenic saying both 38 and 36. This jacket is a 9 in terms of condition. All the buttons need resewing, but the fabric, labels are pristine. I hated to send it back. The seller is good too, he admitted the mistake and accepted an easy return

 

[trentstanton]

Yes. This is the jacket I returned because it was auctioned as a 38, and the tag clearly said 36. Looks like the auction title is a little schizophrenic saying both 38 and 36. This jacket is a 9 in terms of condition. All the buttons need resewing, but the fabric, labels are pristine. I hated to send it back. The seller is good too, he admitted the mistake and accepted an easy return

This appears to be the same coat @spotmark bought last week? I'm confused. I looked at recently sold and looks like it sold for 17 the previous week. It was relisted with same pics.

 

[Dudley]

This appears to be the same coat @spotmark bought last week? I'm confused. I looked at recently sold and looks like it sold for 17 the previous week. It was relisted with same pics.

To eliminate confusion, This is the jacket I am talking about. jms09 was asking me about this one I purchased and then returned.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/334786588732?hash=item4df2d5f03c:g:WiwAAOSwzWZj9S21

His measurement are off. Pit to pit is 19.5.

 

[Dudley]

Difference between a WWI button left, and WWII and beyond button right. 1 3/8" versus 1 1/4". Sizable difference. The buttons must be very prominent on a WW I jacket.

Next step, polish up the rubber WWI's and see if I can bring back the shine.

 

[Peacoat]

Difference between a WWI button left, and WWII and beyond button right. 1 3/8" versus 1 1/4". Sizable difference. The buttons must be very prominent on a WW I jacket.

Next step, polish up the rubber WWI's and see if I can bring back the shine.

Not to be pedantic * but these "rubber" buttons are actually Bakelite buttons. Introduced in the 1920s, they were the first completely synthetic plastic buttons.
_____
* But after studying these coats for well over 20 years, I just can't help myself

 

[Dudley]

Not to be pedantic * but these "rubber" buttons are actually Bakelite buttons. Introduced in the 1920s, they were the first completely synthetic plastic buttons.
_____
* But after studying these coats for well over 20 years, I just can't help myself

Very interesting. The back of button reads AHR Co. HP. Bakelite is hard and non flexible making it fragile. I wonder if that is why the few WW I jackets I have seen have replacement buttons? Folks selling these buttons still refer to them as rubber for some reason.

 

[Peacoat]

Very interesting. The back of button reads AHR Co. HP. Bakelite is hard and non flexible making it fragile. I wonder if that is why the few WW I jackets I have seen have replacement buttons? Folks selling these buttons still refer to them as rubber for some reason.

Rubber has been around much longer than Bakelite which didn't see use until the 1920s–don't remember the exact year. So, the early buttons could well have been rubber.

I found my WWI type buttons (stars around the perimeter of the button) and none of them have the letters "AHR Co. HP." They are all the hard Bakelite buttons.

Do your buttons feel like rubber, or the harder Bakelite?

 

[Dudley]

The

Do your buttons feel like rubber, or the harder Bakelite?

they feel hard like Bakelite. Sound like poker chips.

 

[trentstanton]

This is a bit sketchy. Someone just won this coat in bid for $26, maybe even from here and the same seller listed it again for $400 lol. Didn't someone here but this?

 

[Peacoat]

The

they feel hard like Bakelite. Sound like poker chips.

If the seller lists them as rubber buttons, I would think they are anything but. Most sellers know as much about peacoats and their accessories as does the rabbit who lives in my backyard.

 

[spoonbelly1950]

Very good question. I am wondering the same. I am on the hunt for a 40 in good condition. Not many are coming up.

Size 44 in a WWII is pretty rare. I found a 46 WWII a few years ago - in almost new condition.

 

[jms09]

This is a bit sketchy. Someone just won this coat in bid for $26, maybe even from here and the same seller listed it again for $400 lol. Didn't someone here but this?
View attachment 498059

This is indeed strange. I literally bought this from the exact same seller for $68. It was in great condition, but it was just a tad too big for my preferences. I thought the older 6-button coats might fit closer to the WWII versions, but they’re pretty consistent with the 60’s Kersey coats.

 

[Peacoat]

H

Size 44 in a WWII is pretty rare. I found a 46 WWII a few years ago - in almost new condition.

Hey Spoon, why the name change?

 

[spoonbelly1950]

H

Hey Spoon, why the name change?

I had to change my password and being not very swift with computers I screwed everything up and wound up having to change this and that.