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Vintage Outerwear: Threads of the Past

Canuck Panda

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Vintage finds is about where to look.

One denim dealer in Japan wrote in his blog that he looks for the pre-war stuff in the mines, or whatever remains as a ghost town from the mining days. As most of the denim were worn by the mine workers, and then just forgotten in the sheds or what not by its descendants.

And for motorcycle jackets, Bucos and Harleys, they seem to be plenty available in most of the Harley sponsored tent events in California back in the 90s and 2000s. That seems to be where most vintage Harley custom shops in Japan got theirs.

If a vintage jacket has made its journey to the auction sites by professional or amateur dealers, then it has already included their cut of finder's fee. Finders fee vary depending on the potential target customer audience.

The 10k dollars Peters just hangs on a wire coat hanger, with the zipper forced up skipping the first two teeth, very little respect has been shown. I think most members here would have at least put it on a tailor's form and properly zip up the jacket. Some might even put it in a glass fronted frame case and hang it on the wall. The difference between doing things for money and doing things for passion.

I think Indian was the more popular bike choice before the war, then the company went away sort of and didn't regroup and resurface till modern days. Is there any Indian ride and meets events in California still? Are they mostly modern or do they have vintage bikes? That's where I would look for a vintage Peters if I were there. And also a Johnson Bros, if it exists.
 

Canuck Panda

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Do you guys think the Wards/Cats-eyes jacket could be made by Los Angeles Sportogs Company? Based on the way the vertical tag that is sewn to the label tag?

los angeles sportogs wards catseye.jpg


Cuffs too. Many other brands has those cuffs but it seems most of the LASC jackets came with those angular American cuffs with buttons. I love the cats eye design, or any symmetry design for that matter. Was sorting through my photos last night and it might be the booze talking but I made this assumption connection.
 

tmitchell59

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Peters are the Leather Togs of the West Coast. They were in the same league, perhaps a league of their own.

Thanks to everyone for poste/re-posting these Peters pictures. each jacket tells a very unique story, no doubt all made to order; no rack? I'm just speculating-just building my vision of that time in jacket making. This is the best of the Gold Age. these folks hit the peak that has only been re-done or re-imagined. These designs are nearing the Century mark and yet remain something to want.
 

Canuck Panda

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Here is another thought, Did the Leathertog company make the Beck 333 jacket? Look under the arms, it has the same Leathertog single football sleeve and not the triangle panel on the Schotts.
And to stretch my conspiracy a bit further. Could Durable have some connection to the leathertog company? There are a lot of similar details. Again the single french stitched football sleeve. And the body taper. Leathertogs has strong taper in the body (in the 30s! when everything else were more or less straight) and big wide shoulders, so do the Durable. Most other biker jackets are narrower and straighter and no fancy thing going on underneath the sleeves. And the top sleeve zip. Just some thoughts.
Peters jackets rock! Nothing else like it. The fan back give the hourglass shape while the torso is actually just very straight. No comparables in the same time period. Also in the time of French seams the Peters opted to use the triple stitched fold over seams, during the time of full cotton threads.
 

jeo

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Here is another thought, Did the Leathertog company make the Beck 333 jacket? Look under the arms, it has the same Leathertog single football sleeve and not the triangle panel on the Schotts.
And to stretch my conspiracy a bit further. Could Durable have some connection to the leathertog company? There are a lot of similar details. Again the single french stitched football sleeve. And the body taper. Leathertogs has strong taper in the body (in the 30s! when everything else were more or less straight) and big wide shoulders, so do the Durable. Most other biker jackets are narrower and straighter and no fancy thing going on underneath the sleeves. And the top sleeve zip. Just some thoughts.
Peters jackets rock! Nothing else like it. The fan back give the hourglass shape while the torso is actually just very straight. No comparables in the same time period. Also in the time of French seams the Peters opted to use the triple stitched fold over seams, during the time of full cotton threads.

Stu from Lost Worlds seems to believe the early Becks were made by Leathertogs. There are some similarities. I’ve compared my LT and my Beck 333s and they do have very similar construction techniques. The Tanaka books also suggest that there was a different maker other than Schott for the early Becks.

Don’t think Durable has any connection to LT whatsoever.
 

tmitchell59

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Do you guys think the Wards/Cats-eyes jacket could be made by Los Angeles Sportogs Company? Based on the way the vertical tag that is sewn to the label tag?

View attachment 549148

Cuffs too. Many other brands has those cuffs but it seems most of the LASC jackets came with those angular American cuffs with buttons. I love the cats eye design, or any symmetry design for that matter. Was sorting I always question through my photos last night and it might be the booze talking but I made this assumption connection.
I Have had the same question regarding the label and the Maker of the cat eye. I originally thought California sports wear because of this stitching on the lapel fold.
1696274628207.png


I have one in black and brown period I originally thought the black 1 was made by Seattle woollen. It has no tag . The horse hide tag on my Brown one is not associated with California sports Ware, which I have questioned.

Here is a Californian horsehide tag on the same Ward's label.
1696274665673.png
If csc were the maker it would have this label.

I tried to recall where I had seen the ribbon tag like the LA Sportogs. You may have found it
 
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tmitchell59

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I agree, never seen a Hercules like this. I would remember! I think of this beautiful black label as late 40s and short lived. I see few of this label. Sure looks great on this jacket!

I see more of a Monarch.
 
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jeo

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I agree, never seen a Hercules like this. I would remember! I think of this beautiful black label as late 40s and short lived. I see few of this label. Sure looks great on this jacket!

I see more of a Monarch.
Only thing that looks like Monarch to me are the buckles. But I’ve seen that exact horsehide tag on plenty of Roughwears, never on a Monarch. Patch pockets look Roughwear too. Fairly certain it’s RW, I’d bet good money on it.
 
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Canuck Panda

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tmitchell59

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On auction for ridiculous asking money, but this is the first time Ive seen one of these, straight outta the catalogue

View attachment 554261 View attachment 554262 View attachment 554263 View attachment 554264 View attachment 554265 View attachment 554266 View attachment 554267 View attachment 554268

The vintage wool has a fancier weave than the modern meltons.
This is a beauty indeed. These combo jackets were very popular in the 30s and early 40s, but seldom seen today. This one, like most, have capeskin leather trim. Capeskin is so delicate most don't survive. I would be cautious wearing this.

Golden Fleece goes way back, but I see very few of their labels.
 

tmitchell59

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Only thing that looks like Monarch to me are the buckles. But I’ve seen that exact horsehide tag on plenty of Roughwears, never on a Monarch. Patch pockets look Roughwear too. Fairly certain it’s RW, I’d bet good money on it.
Just found this label in a Windward made by Roughwear.

I have discovered another tag used by Roughwear on catalog labeled jackets. It identifies RW as a maker for a variety of Hercules jackets c.1950s.
20231022_122724.jpg
 

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