Show Us Your OVERCOATS

[Two Types]

Nice and simple, that one.

 

[HeyMoe]

Wearing a vintage-ish Camel Hair today. No manufacturers label, just a late 50s - early 60s union label and a label that says "Hand Tailored in New York".

 

[Rabbit]

1952 C.D. Greatcoat:

early/mid 1930s wool bouclé DB belted back overcoat:

CC41 tweed fully belted overcoat:

 

[herringbonekid]

excellent coats Nik, (and outfits as usual. those shoes are the perfect conker-brown colour).

is the bouclé one American ?

 

[Rabbit]

Thank you, HBK. The shoe color is a favorite of mine, I got several versions of these shoes (cap toe, punched half brogue, full brogue).

Yes, the bouclé is American. My indoor photography is a bit limited due to bad lighting even though there is enough space, so I'm shamelessly posting the seller's pics as a collage.

Any suggestions about the dating? The liner material is in fact mohair-alpaka, but the coat could be bespoke. There are no maker's labels in it, only a Union label. The liner at the upper back is backed with a flannel- or fleece-like material.
The construction is simply amazing. On my frame (jockey type is the best description), the shoulders are as narrow as my built will allow, yet there is no restriction of movement. The chest, back and waist are also quite fitted and still not restricting at all.

 

[simonc]

I'm unclear on why some double breasted jackets or coats had 6 buttons and some had 4 (some had 8 too) but I don't seem to know why or what was the reason for the different count.

 

[DamianM]

Thank you, HBK. The shoe color is a favorite of mine, I got several versions of these shoes (cap toe, punched half brogue, full brogue).

Yes, the bouclé is American. My indoor photography is a bit limited due to bad lighting even though there is enough space, so I'm shamelessly posting the seller's pics as a collage.

Any suggestions about the dating? The liner material is in fact mohair-alpaka, but the coat could be bespoke. There are no maker's labels in it, only a Union label. The liner at the upper back is backed with a flannel- or fleece-like material.
The construction is simply amazing. On my frame (jockey type is the best description), the shoulders are as narrow as my built will allow, yet there is no restriction of movement. The chest, back and waist are also quite fitted and still not restricting at all.

This one in particular is from the early 1930s.
From Investigator 1947. An amazing seller with a great collection
And he lives near by. SoCal is the vintage capital of the world

 

[Rabbit]

I, too, think that early 30s is the most likely date, but I don't know how to rule out late 20s (1928, 1929).

On a different note, has anyone ever seen a bouclé overcoat from a decade other than the 30s?
This is not for dating purposes, I'm just interested in knowing if this fabric was ever used outside the 30s. I've seen only 30s bouclé overcoats so far. A British chap told me that there was a resurgence of bouclé fabric in the late 50s or early 60s, in the shape of shorter, lighterweight topcoats. I haven't seen any of that sort, though, nor any ads or catalogue illustrations.

 

[herringbonekid]

bouclé was around in the 20s (evidence to follow).

here's some bouclé country suit fabric from a Burtons mid 30s catalogue:

i also have a piece of CC41 bouclé similar to the above:

 

[Rabbit]

Good info, thanks.

I'm beginning to realize that as long as the bouclé yarn is twisted and knotted just a little, it seems to count as bouclé. The CC41 fabric piece looks only slightly knobby, it's not heavily twisted like the grey overcoat which, by the way, is extremely heavy even by 1930s standards. The fabric in the Burtons Laird illustrations looks like it has quite small knots in the yarn.

A closeup of the coat's bouclé:

 

[herringbonekid]

The fabric in the Burtons Laird illustrations looks like it has quite small knots in the yarn.

it does, but that's because it's 18oz rather than 36 - 42 oz. thicker yarn, bigger loops.

 

[Dinerman]

I, too, think that early 30s is the most likely date, but I don't know how to rule out late 20s (1928, 1929).

That union label was only used 1933-c.1935. A different variation on it was introduced in 1936. Really helps narrow the dating down.

 

[Rabbit]

Thank you, Dinerman, most helpful.


1920s early-mid 20s, brownish heather with green and purple yarns, unlined, 106cm back length

Undoubtedly a 1920s piece, with a wonderful nap to the fabric. Look at those buttons!

Details:

 

[Rabbit]

1920s Ever-Warm by Rice-Friedman (Milwaukee, WI), lighter greenish heather, wool lined, 108cm back length, flared cut

I'd be interested to learn more about the timeframe when this style of fully belted overcoat with button closure was offered. The ad from 1921 fits the overall style. Do we have more ads/catalogue illustrations from other years? Any other information when this style started and when it went out of fashion? I'd have placed it in the first half of the twenties, but the evidence is meager.

Details:

1921 ad, the coat in the middle:

 

[Rabbit]

mid 1930s Worth-Weil, quarterlined, navy

Details:

 

[Rabbit]

1948 Howard Clothes Lampaka, dark grey, quarterlined, dated Oct 1st 1948, with 1939-49 Union label

Details (photos with flash; the liner is rayon and photographs too shiny):

 

[herringbonekid]

very envious of those two 1920s coats Rabbit !

i think the higher button stance and narrower shoulders work better with your smaller build than the 30s coats.

i can't be certain when the buttoned-belt went out of style (i'd guess late 20s) but i'd agree with your early 20s date estimate.
the coats resemble ones in early 20s U.S. catalogues i have.

here's some examples from Charles William, fall-winter 20-21:

 

[Rabbit]

Thanks for the scans, HBK!

I agree; I feel right at home in the 20s coats.
The 1948 Howard Lampaka is clearly not the cut for me, I can see that in the photos now. I'll put it up for sale. I must say, it's very helpful to see fit pictures of oneself. I have been wearing this coat occasionally and can confirm that it's the right size for me (ideal for a 38 chest, I think, and I take a 37 chest), only the cut is decidedly of the latter half of forties, too boxy for me.
The 30s overcoats (Worth-Weil, bouclé, even the pleated beltback) look just right to me, though, despite the perceived weight being shifted a bit to the lower half.

 

[herringbonekid]

did you find the 20s coats on U.S. ebay ?

p.s. what's that location you use in the photos ?

 

[Rabbit]

Yes, I did, on the other hand, no. I found the dark brown 20s coat on U.S. ebay. It was listed as a BIN and sold maybe an hour after it was listed. I just happended to be there. The other 20s coat and the Worth-Weil, along with a 20s trouser, I got from the same seller after chatting for a while with her. She's a thrifter in a town in Wisconsin not far from Milwaukee where the Ever-Warm was originally bought. All of this stuff was found in an old farmhouse, as part of a household clearance, and by all indications belonged to one and the same man.

I took these photos in front of the Stiftskirche, the church just behind the house where I live. It was built in the 14th century and finished around the end of that century. At the moment there's a container full of green waste parked just next to the photos that doesn't belong there, so I couldn't shoot the nicer spot there.