Reference book for vintage leather jackets

[Creeping Past]

Can anyone recommend a reference book on vintage leather jackets, please? Coffee table, art, or even a hardcore historical research tome, military or civilian jackets, ancient and modern, all suggestions considered.

I'm designing a custom jacket and I've collected many images, from FL posts and elsewhere. I know more or less where I'm heading on shape, length and collar, but I'm short on detail regarding variant zip and button closures, sides and backs.

Cheers

CP

 

[Peacoat]

John Chapman has a CD that is a good historical reference with plenty of pictures of the WWII, and later, flying jackets. I think it is about $30 USD.

 

[H.Johnson]

Rin Tanaka, author extraordinaire. Search on Amazon.

 

[Fletch]

Unfortunately, the only really good paper 'n ink books are in Japanese. They got into the hobby early enough that no one in the West had enough access to, or knowledge about jackets to make a serious study until Chapman came along. Interest in, and access to, pre-WW2, noncombat US flight gear is still pretty much confined to Japan.

Full Gear, by Mituhiro Aota (sometimes called Aota Mituhiro), is considered the magnum opus, but is mostly unavailable in the West, even secondhand.

 

[Creeping Past]

Thank you, gentlemen.

I'm going to add some items to my Amazon Christmas list and see what happens.

I think one of our FL number needs to get scribbling and assembling photos or, if they're a publisher...

 

[green papaya]

HELL BENT for LEATHER the SAGA of the AR & G-1 leather flight jackets

is an excellent coffee table / reference book to have , lots of nice photos to use for reference.

http://www.amazon.com/Hell-Bent-Lea...=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1225304162&sr=1-9

this book is available on amazon books for around $20 hardcover edition

 

[H.Johnson]

It depends whether you want accuracy or anecdote...

 

[aswatland]

It depends whether you want accuracy or anecdote...

Too true. This book is useful, but there are many statements not backed up with evidence. The Art of the flight Jacket by Mcguire is a must for pics of original A2s. The most detailed source if John Chapman's CD.

 

[Dudleydoright]

There isn't one

So far all the books recommended only refer to military flight jackets and not 'Vintage' jackets as was mentoned in the original post.

I've got a good dozen that show military, as well as copies of the Real McCoy's yearbook which has great photos of repro vintage styled jackets. I've never seen anything which has loads of civvy jackets from any period.

I'm inclined to think that that would an ideal magnum opus for someone. As would doing translation sheets for all the great Japanese books...............

Dave

 

[H.Johnson]

RIN TANAKA!!!!!

Motorcycle Jackets - a Century of Leather Design.

Start from there are go on to his other book Motorcycle Jackets - Ultimate Biker Fashion. Both by Osprey.

Hundreds of British and American civilian jackets, bike and otherwise going back to the early 20th C.

In English (sort of)

 

[Burnsie]

There is one

Info PM'd to Creeping Past as it's a live eBay auction - Large hardcover, English text, Vintage leather non-military jackets. CP if you pick it up you can share with us!

 

[Creeping Past]

Rin Tin Knacker... No. 1 on my to-buy list, should Burnsie's tip off shoot sky high.

Thanks, chaps.

 

[Doctor Damage]

The book below is quite good, although it's 99.9% photos. There is almost no text and my knowledge isn't good enough to check the accuracy of what little there is. However, the range and variety of vintage American leather jackets is astounding spanning several decades, starting in the 1920s. Tons of motorcycle jackets of all types and configs, a bunch of barnstormers, some other non-moto leathers. It's an excellent coffee table book to keep handy when you want to sit down for a few minutes and flip through a book (better time waster than television or social media!).

 

[tmitchell59]

The book below is quite good, although it's 99.9% photos. There is almost no text and my knowledge isn't good enough to check the accuracy of what little there is. However, the range and variety of vintage American leather jackets is astounding spanning several decades, starting in the 1920s. Tons of motorcycle jackets of all types and configs, a bunch of barnstormers, some other non-moto leathers. It's an excellent coffee table book to keep handy when you want to sit down for a few minutes and flip through a book (better time waster than television or social media!).

Thanks for the review. I have the Rin Tanaka books. I've seen this one on ebay, but not sure if it would be what I wanted. Sounds like it is. I will have to find this one again and get it.

 

[2wheelgrplr]

Besides that Lightning book, also check out Japanese magazine Clutch. They do a focus on leather jackets every so often, and have taken out a few dedicated leather jacket one-off magazine through the years. Good pictures even if you can't read Japanese. Also, maybe check out Men's File, an English-language heritage apparel & lifestyle focused magazine that has stuff on leather jackets every once in a while.