Recent catches

[Robert Conway]

It's been pretty thin recently, but this morning in Hollywood I hit pay dirt.


(pictures)
http://tinyurl.com/e2yce

First up is a nice two button, notch collar, stripped suit. It fell in my lap for a mere $30 bucks.

The jacket is about a 42 and the pants perhaps a 34/35 (32 inseam). Unfortunately it doesn't fit. The pants have a Talon zipper and suspender buttons. Their waist is nice and tall, but it's not a Hollywood type.

The suit is a beautiful, medium Prussian blue. The thicker stripe is an off white, about an inch apart. The secondary stripe is a tiny dashed line, light magenta in color. The color is really gorgeous, but doesn't show up very well in the pictures.

Overall the suit is very nicely made and the quality of the cloth (wool?) is also very good. Definitely a cut above average. The manufacturer was 'Deluxe FashionTailored Clothes' and there is a union label.

I'm guessing late 30's, early 40's? Anyone?



Next up is a 1939 set of tails, for which I paid a staggering $25.

This is a really nice piece, but it is heavily worn. The lining is shot and the edges of the lapels are worn down. But that's ok, it will make a very nice reference piece, if I should ever decide to have one made...

The label says custom tailored by Kuppenheimer, Los Angeles. I wonder if they were located in down town Los Angeles...

The cloth is extremely heavy, heavier than that of the two other tux I own. Not sure if tails are usually made from heavier material, than a regular tux, but this thing wears a ton. Can anyone share their experience?

I think the lapels and lining may be silk.

Unfortunately the vest is missing and like an idiot, this didn't dawn on me until I got home. Tomorrow I need to go back to the store and see if I can find it.

This set of tails looks to me like a dead ringer for the style, which William Powell wears, in the second Thin Man film. I prefer it's straight lapels over the half-moon looking, rounder lapels I've seen on other jackets around this time period. I think the rounder lapels may be a hold over from the 20's


Anyone else come across anything interesting lately?


Cheers,

Robert Conway

 

[simmo]

That pinstripe would be a perfect fit for me.Very nice.One day i will buy my first vintage suit ..... i hope.

 

[Baron Kurtz]

Well, Mr. Conway, i'd say paydirt is the word. The blue suit has, unless i'm very much mistaken, 1936 union labels - dating the suit from 1936 to early 1939. The 1939 union labels i've seen have the "union made suit/vest/jacket" etc in the middle by the number. My 1936 union labels are like the ones on your suit - still with the number in the middle, but with the writing off to one side. (To be sure, check the number after "copyright" on the bottom left of the label - I can't read the number on your image.) Great find!

My recent finds have been pretty slim around here also. Other than online purchases (see other threads), this week i've found a 40s tie for $1, a $12 1954 dated German (Gerhart Thomas of Köln) hand tailored jacket that fits me perfectly (and retains 30s/40s style wide notch lapels and high 3 button stance), a $6 40s hat for the Baroness, a couple of linen pocket hankies, and a $5 Stetson Fifteen. EDIT: i also got a $6 vintage newsboy. Not a bad week! The midwest is brimming with vintage ...

bk

 

[shindeco]

You scored a coup, indeed, Mr. Conway. Last week I found a blue serge, double breasted suit (mid to late 40s) for $78 (Canadian) which I thought was pretty good but you definitely topped that!! The suit is currently at the tailor and the camera is in Asia so it may be a while before pictures are possible.

 

[Robert Conway]

Thank you gentlemen.

Baron, I checked the label again and you are right on the money.Next to the copyright it says 1939.

 

[Baron Kurtz]

Alright, i was right off the money. I thought '36 ... oh well

bk

 

[Briscoeteque]

That blue suit is beautiful, I'd love to have the exact same one. The color is out of this world. Hey, did you just say it doesn't fit? I'd fit me wonderfully, if you'd like to give it a good home.

I've just got to keep looking on ebay, those thrift stores have nothing. Just ugly 70's suits.

 

[resortes805]

Actually I scored pretty big at a local thrift store in the past week. I think someone must have recently passed away or cleaned out their closest becuase this place had a bunch! I'll try and post pics when I can...

-Skeleton lined single breasted green tweed herringbone with vest. Pants are high waisted, inward facing pleats dropped belt loops. I'd say it early 50's becuase there is is a small vent in the coat. I found no union label, it just says 'Woolf Brothers' on the inside pocket label.

-Green almost turquoise single breasted gab suit with vest and, for some reason, two pairs of identical matching trousers. Dated 1948.

-Patch pocket linen sports coat. It looks early 50's. There are two inside labels one says "Luxury Lined Palm Beach" and the other says "Hanny's Phoenix"

-And then..to my surprise, a brown and tan Hollywood jacket! It's missing the lining though.

Last but not least, a bustle of ties from the '30's to 40's.

 

[shindeco]

Suits with two pairs of trousers were not uncommon. The idea was to alternate the trousers to prolong the wear as they usually wore out before the jacket. My dad occasionally talks about a Donegal tweed suit he had in the 40s that had two pairs of trousers. He was a school teacher and was out playing baseball with the kids one day at lunch when he caught the trouser leg and it ripped up the side. He just ran home and put on the other pair. (the suit is LONG gone, of course:cry: )

 

[Matt Deckard]

With the thinner materials they use today and the quality of how clothes are made I think two pairs of trousers are a necessity... especially if you are wearing your suits on a daily basis rather than just for special occasions like most moder men tend to do.