What are these for?

[Enoch]

I recently purchased a corduroy coat from an antiques shop and I noticed it has a sewn in half belt and two D ring metal hooks hanging in the back. It's a bit large for me but would make a suitable short top coat while out riding. The hooks have me perplexed. My speculation is that it's a fly fisherman's jacket and that he could attach his wicker fishing basket back there rather than put it over his shoulder but with all the knowledge around here I figured I'd asked, included are photos of what I'm talking about. I'm familiar with the wicker baskets and as I recall, they have two hooks that attach to a shoulder strap. Thanks for any help.

 

[GHT]

This is just a speculative guess. D rings were common on military wear, there's a legend that the metal D-rings on the belt in the back were designed to carry grenades, but they were apparently designed to fasten map cases and other field gear to the belt. It could be that they serve no purpose at all and that they have become a fashion accessory. Much like the epaulette which was also copied from the military. The military use of the epaulette was to attach the wearer's rank.

 

[Enoch]

I'm starting to carry a cane now for my vertigo and I was trying to find some way I could rig something back there that I could slide my cane into when I'm busy at the supermarket or whatever. Kind of like those back sword holders you see in movies.

 

[Carlos840]

As @GHT said, the D rings are traditionally found on the back of military style trench coats.
Considering your coat also has epaulettes my guess is someone just decided to add trench coat style cues to a single breasted coat. It looks kinda cool.

I doubt it has anything to do with fly fishing...

 

[Enoch]

As @GHT said, the D rings are traditionally found on the back of military style trench coats.
Considering your coat also has epaulettes my guess is someone just decided to add trench coat style cues to a single breasted coat. It looks kinda cool.

I doubt it has anything to do with fly fishing...

 

[zebedee]

Poaching?

 

[Skyhawk]

Yes those were traditionally used to loop horse rains through so you could lead a horse, and still hold a riffle at the ready.

No just kidding! I don't know but it is an interesting mystery.

 

[M Brown]

quick detach fanny pack?

 

[Enoch]

Come to think of it, I bought a couple of pairs of ancient GDR (DDR) military breeches for riding not too long ago. The same style of ring is sewn into the waistband of the breeches in three places. Once at middle back, twice in the front but they're sewn inside the waist band of the breeches. I assumed they supported some load bearing suspender. I recall the Wehrmacht had a load bearing suspender called a "Y Strap" in WWII and it replaced an internal load bearing suspender in later tunics. These pants also have normal suspender buttons on them. From the shape of the rings, they give me the impression they were designed to be removed quickly. Probably just a hook inserted into the D ring. Pull down and release.

Regular street fashion owes a great deal to practical outdoors and military clothing..

 

[Enoch]

Yes those were traditionally used to loop horse rains through so you could lead a horse, and still hold a riffle at the ready.

No just kidding! I don't know but it is an interesting mystery.

 

[Enoch]

Speaking of which, German horse mounted bands had reigns attached to their boots (or perhaps stirrups so they could hold a drum, or whatever, and direct the horse.) It was probably similar to all mounted bands but I recall reading that in a book on the Axis cavalry.

 

[GHT]

I'm starting to carry a cane now for my vertigo and I was trying to find some way I could rig something back there that I could slide my cane into when I'm busy at the supermarket or whatever. Kind of like those back sword holders you see in movies.

The word cane, for an aid or support, is well known in the UK but we still call them a walking stick. I have used one since my hip replacement surgery. Times I have left it in a shop, in the toilet, in the post office, but nowadays it never leaves my side. My missus came up with a double elasticated loop. A bit like elastic hand cuffs. A small loop around the cane and a larger loop around the wrist. My walking stick also has a name, it's called Michael, as in Michael Caine.

 

[Enoch]

The word cane, for an aid or support, is well known in the UK but we still call them a walking stick. I have used one since my hip replacement surgery. Times I have left it in a shop, in the toilet, in the post office, but nowadays it never leaves my side. My missus came up with a double elasticated loop. A bit like elastic hand cuffs. A small loop around the cane and a larger loop around the wrist. My walking stick also has a name, it's called Michael, as in Michael Caine.

Yes, when I hear "cane" vs. "walking stick" I tend to think of the former as a medical necessity and the latter a fashionable accessory carried by gentlemen in earlier times. Truth be told, it's both for me. To aid me when I'm not feeling so great in one way or another (lost my balance kneeling down and banged a rib on some boxes just prior to writing this) but I also like it as a fashion accessory and I've got several, including a blackthorn walking stick known to the Irish as a Shillelagh. An Irish gentleman's walking and beating the shiite out of someone stick. Good combination. It has a leather lace tied to it so I can attach it to my wrist. I bought it and some others at Fashionable Canes whose ads are showing up on this site when I visit.

I've also got a sword cane that I put a point on tonight. The sharpening contraption I bought worked well with one of my knives but wouldn't stay put on the sword. I used an extra coarse diamond honing tool and did it by eye. Unless I can find something not too expensive contraption, I think I should be able to put an edge on it just eyeing it. Probably not as good w/o the little contraption for getting a perfect angle but the sharp point was the most important thing anyway.

I've also got a stick with a cat's head handle on it. It reminds me of my beloved Beate [Beatrice], a Flame or Colour Point cat, similar to a Siamese, but with white and red markings. I had to give her up when I moved a couple years back. So I'm not all violence when it comes to walking sticks. LOL

 

[Seb Lucas]

Yeah, I think this cord jacket may be a fashion version of a military style and has incorporated these as part of the look. Is it from the 1970's? Near as I can work out, military jackets had belts with rings to hang equipment off, like map cases. Later years this became decorative.

 

[Enoch]

Yeah, I think this cord jacket may be a fashion version of a military style and has incorporated these as part of the look. Is it from the 1970's? Near as I can work out, military jackets had belts with rings to hang equipment off, like map cases. Later years this became decorative.

My bet is that it's from the Seventies. It's label is McGregor. There's a picture somewhere that I saved of a Japanese beaurocrat wearing a coat with a similar lapel (though smaller than my coat). Either WWII era or earlier. The penultimate top button is buttoned and you can just see a hint of his tie. The coat also has vertical slash pockets with buttons. It reminded me of the kinds of coats worn by the likes of Cecil Rhodes and also the fashion effectation of only buttoning the top button in the 19th C., both illustrated below.