Show us your suits

[The real Henry]

Reine Wolle, btw, means pure wool. Another hint at a postwar origin, methinks.

As I come from Germany I can say you seem to be right, because at least I haven't seen any kind of German 1930s clothing with a "Reine Wolle" tag. Also the fact that the jacket is total lined makes me think it's a post-war suit.

...late 40s to early 50s is my guess, but not later!!!



Regards,
Henrik

 

[Baron Kurtz]

i've never seen a wool 30s/40s euro or british jacket that isn't fully lined. The partial lining seems to be an American phenomenon.

bk

 

[Miss Sis]

The only unlined British suits were linen or silk ones (tropical weight)

All Ben's suit jackets are lined.

 

[Marc Chevalier]

Your suit is German (from Bremerhaven). Just as a guess, I'd say early 1950s.

I agree with half of the above.


Your suit is clearly German, and not just because the label indicates it. Back then, German tailoring was so thorough, so detailed, that it might as well have been called engineering. However, I'd say that your suit dates back to the 1930s, or at most the early '40s. Post-WWII German suits (c. 1945-1955) had narrower lapels and were almost always made of cheap, scratchy fabrics. Also, the jackets tended to be oddly asymmetrical. Not surprising, considering Germany's situation at war's end.


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[slicedbread]

that suit really is unbelievably beautiful. Daks waist adjuster, too. I'm still crying that i didn't get it. If you ever find you don't want it any more, or it doesn't fit you, i'll triple or even quadruple what you paid for it.

bk

Upon further inspection of the suit, I'm not quite sure you'd still be willing to offer such a price...The suit is in IMMACULATE condition. The fabric is nearly pristine. No snags, no wear at all it seems. Naturally, there is a faint smoke odor that can be easily dealt with... Although the fabric is in GREAT condition, there is one flaw. There is a hole on one of the legs of the slacks...It's not a small hole. It's about 1 cm by 1 cm...Is there any possibility of fixing the hole with minimal signs of repairing?

 

[Baron Kurtz]

Where is the hole? That worried me a bit too. I'm sure i could deal with it and wear the suit in perfect happiness.

bk

 

[Marc Chevalier]

... what does Reine Wolle mean??

Ready? It means "Pure Wool."

.

 

[slicedbread]

The hole is pretty low, but the jacket covers it if you're wearing it...I have a tailor friend that I'm going to bring it to and see if she can do anything for it without compromising the pants...

 

[Marc Chevalier]

A good reweaver can patch the hole and weave the edges into the leg. It wouldn't be noticeable unless someone were looking for it. However, such repairs don't come cheap. Usually $50 and up.

 

[slicedbread]

my tailor friend will probably slip me a discount...Im just worried about the size of the hole...

 

[slicedbread]

Ready? It means "Pure Wool."

.

yes...i figured as much, but who knows for all i know it could've said "belongs to stupid"

 

[Marc Chevalier]

Im just worried about the size of the hole...

The repair would end up being a square patch of fabric (probably taken from the excess trouser hem). The trick is in matching the weave of the patch with the weave of the fabric around it, and to make the seams as invisible as possible. A skilled reweaver can do this, but they're a dying breed.


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[Baron Kurtz]

i've even done it myself with quite good invisibility success.

bk

 

[Benny Holiday]

i've never seen a wool 30s/40s euro or british jacket that isn't fully lined. The partial lining seems to be an American phenomenon.

bk

Quite so. The Australian suits were fully lined also, just to add that extra layer of warmth to the already heavy wool that we need so much down here where even in winter it's usually quite warm during the day!

Or perhaps all Aussie suits made during the Golden Era were manufactured in Hobart? lol

 

[Baron Kurtz]

Naaah, there was probably a Royal decree that "those damn Aussies" need to suffer a bit - make 'em use stupidly heavy wool, and make their tailors line the jackets. Break away from the commonwealth, indeed!

bk

 

[slicedbread]

This suit is one that i bought probably a few minutes after it was posted...should be in before saturday (hopefully tomorrow)

 

[Marc Chevalier]

Great suit -- with great butterscotch buttons! (Celluloid? Corozo? Bakelite?)

.

 

[slicedbread]

seller wasnt quite as descriptive as I'd have liked, but the clear pictures spoke for him...but that's what got me. the buttons!

 

[Marc Chevalier]

Good eye there! Those buttons are as vintage as all get out. They were seen on suits from around the 'teens until the '40s.

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[Jovan]

I'm not sure, however, if I like the look of lighter buttons on a suit. I prefer black horn with most anything.