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WTB: Lewis Leathers Dominator (40-42 / L)

Messages
16,848
That one's been killing me for some time now. I even have saved all the photos from the listing. Beautiful jacket it is, but it'd be a bit too large. Same measurements as the Aero I sold, and that jacket had just too much room... It would bother me. If I had cash for two, I wouldn't hesitate a second.

I wonder what it is? Mascot? Rivets? Highwayman?
 

Ricky Sinaga

One of the Regulars
Messages
212
Location
Jakarta, Indonesia
It is look alike my Schott 680

MdSAY
 

Sabicas

New in Town
Messages
1
I was in the same position wanting a Dominator but not finding anything. I even bought a used Eastman Luftwaffe jacket but it didn't fit and eventually I decided to spend the money. I went into the LL shop in London and got measured up. I opted for the 551T (slim fit) and had it made from what they call heavy sheep leather. I'll post a picture of mine soon, but here is a very similar one. As you see the cut is slim and they include a small pocket on the arm. I got the zips with the beige tape like in the photo. I love the jacket more than any jacket I've ever owned and it's nice to get one made to measure.

DSC_3045.jpg
 

Benproof

A-List Customer
Messages
350
Location
England
That one's been killing me for some time now. I even have saved all the photos from the listing. Beautiful jacket it is, but it'd be a bit too large. Same measurements as the Aero I sold, and that jacket had just too much room... It would bother me. If I had cash for two, I wouldn't hesitate a second.

I wonder what it is? Mascot? Rivets? Highwayman?


I don't know. Lewis Leathers sizing is 2" smaller than true size for me. I wear LL size 40" and Aero custom 38". The LL 40" have no spare room to mess with. So a 42" may fit you.

That seems to fit with the seller's dimensions of 19" across at the shoulders in the link. Although I can't fathom the armpit measurements. It looks like it was made for.... Batman lol.

Looks like the seller has relisted again.
 
Messages
16,848
I was in the same position wanting a Dominator but not finding anything. I even bought a used Eastman Luftwaffe jacket but it didn't fit and eventually I decided to spend the money. I went into the LL shop in London and got measured up. I opted for the 551T (slim fit) and had it made from what they call heavy sheep leather. I'll post a picture of mine soon, but here is a very similar one. As you see the cut is slim and they include a small pocket on the arm. I got the zips with the beige tape like in the photo. I love the jacket more than any jacket I've ever owned and it's nice to get one made to measure.

DSC_3045.jpg

Wow, that's an insanely perfect fit! It's exactly how I would have spec'ed mine - beige zipper tape and sleeve pocket. Congratulations, man and post some photos of your jacket! :D
I've seen some pictures of the LL sheep, it looks three times as good as their cow! How tough (heavy/thick) is their sheep, though??
 
Last edited:
Messages
16,848
I don't know. Lewis Leathers sizing is 2" smaller than true size for me. I wear LL size 40" and Aero custom 38". The LL 40" have no spare room to mess with. So a 42" may fit you.

That seems to fit with the seller's dimensions of 19" across at the shoulders in the link. Although I can't fathom the armpit measurements. It looks like it was made for.... Batman lol.

Looks like the seller has relisted again.

Problem is, I'm not sure if it's an LL. It's probably a Highwayman (brand), plus the seller listed the chest size at close to 60cm, which would make it too large for me. Sort of. I mean, it wouldn't be bad, but it'd start bothering me after a few days. That's why I had to sell the HWM. I want the jacket to fit like on Sabicas photo above... But I guess I'd have to go custom for that.
 

Benproof

A-List Customer
Messages
350
Location
England
It's not a Lewis Leathers with those ghastly metal studs and Aero zippers. Looks like a Frankenjacket! My goodness - what was the original owner thinking when those were bulleted on. There looks like a few removed from the collar area too.

i think you're right - the arm pit dimensions clearly reflect the older pattern cuts which were very generous in the chest when no one wore jackets quite as tight fitting as this generation.

The slim fit cut is easier to get in the LL jackets than Aero! Nice jacket that.
 

GraceNote13

One of the Regulars
Messages
165
Monitor, what's your leather preference from LL? I'm thinking of selling a lot of my current jackets to thin down my collection. I would still want an LL but I've only had there steer hide so I have no idea which leather to choose if i started looking for another LL jacket. Living in the states seeing an LL jacket is pretty rare so my exposure to there leather choices has been extremely limited. If you weren't so tall my Monza would be a cheap buy for you. Lol


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Messages
16,848
Monitor, what's your leather preference from LL? I'm thinking of selling a lot of my current jackets to thin down my collection. I would still want an LL but I've only had there steer hide so I have no idea which leather to choose if i started looking for another LL jacket. Living in the states seeing an LL jacket is pretty rare so my exposure to there leather choices has been extremely limited. If you weren't so tall my Monza would be a cheap buy for you. Lol

GraceNote, having only seen their cow, I can't really comment on their other leathers. Haven't heard all that many good things about their horsehide. Plasticy is the most common adjective I've heard in relation to that particular hide. Carlos and Fanch should know more about it.

However, on the photos, I'd say that their sheep looks absolutely the best. To me, at least. Supposedly, it's a very substantial hide, too.
This was recently posted on LL Facebook. It's a sheep Dominator donned by some actor or a singer, I've no idea. But I really, really love the way this looks!
https://scontent-vie1-1.xx.fbcdn.ne...=eeeebb2b13c421dd1b634fdecd91d113&oe=576739A0
https://scontent-vie1-1.xx.fbcdn.ne...=054de90f7d29fce175b86482a99965c5&oe=57523D8C

lol GraceNote, what size is the Monza, again?? It's a beautiful jacket & one such grain is not something commonly seen on their jackets. I was instantly in love with the pictures you've posted of it.
Also, did you had a particular LL model in mind? :)
 
Messages
16,848
It's not a Lewis Leathers with those ghastly metal studs and Aero zippers. Looks like a Frankenjacket! My goodness - what was the original owner thinking when those were bulleted on. There looks like a few removed from the collar area too.

i think you're right - the arm pit dimensions clearly reflect the older pattern cuts which were very generous in the chest when no one wore jackets quite as tight fitting as this generation.

Yep, that jacket's been seriously messed with. If they hadn't removed the waist tab... But it's one of my fav details on these jackets so I'd rather give it a wait for something better to pop up. :)
 

Kater Karlo

One of the Regulars
Messages
128
Location
Germany
http://m.ebay.com/itm/Lewis-Leather...%3A31ae365b15e0aa668e97cc3cfffcf47c%7Ciid%3A1



Long shot, I know, but I would like to own a Lewis Leathers (to think I could've had it for a few $'s) and what better jacket to start with than a Dominator so... Hoping to acquire a LL Dominator in a size 40 to 42 (perhaps 44) or L. New ones are a bit too pricey for my pocket and for some insane reason, they're even more expensive on eBay, so I'm hoping that perhaps someone here has got one they bought during their pvnk days and want to pass it on now for a reasonable price. :) Don't care about the condition, just as long as the jacket is holding together.



Thanks and cheers![/QUOTE]
 
Messages
16,848
Is that lamb? Seems awfully lightweight. Very nice, though. In any case, it's no longer important. I couldn't afford a zipper from an LL jacket right now. Thanks for the link, tho!
 

Edward

Bartender
Messages
25,082
Location
London, UK
The 59er Highwayman replicate a jacket made by Rivett's of Leytonstone, one of many designs they sold under the 'Highwayman' brand. When Ken made the first Aero Highwayman jacket c. 1983, it was based on an original Rivett's item, but cut boxier as a more American style jacket. The 59er model goes back and replicates the original more directly. Rivett's were a rival to D. Lewis / Aviakit back in the Sixties, and made similar stuff - you'll find echoes of all the main Lewis designs in the Highwayman brand, though afaik it went both ways: I've seen a Highwayman or two that was a straight copy of the Lightning, and on the other hand, I've seen shirt-collar styles from Highwayman that were made in the late fifties - before Lewis' introduction of their versions in 62. At some point Lewis bought out the Rivett's of Leytonstone company, though I don't know exactly when (I do know a guy who aced speedway in the 70s in the UK, and the two camps in leathers among them were Lewis and Rivett's, but that could well have been so even with the same parent company). Lewis did drop the Highwayman brand at some point, long enough that when they tried to use it again in the early 90s, Aero had legitimately taken ownership.

Leathermonkeys started as second hand dealers, mainly in Lewises, and then later also added their own range of Lewis copies. They caused some upset by using the RTM "Lewis" in their auction titles on eBay selling their copies. I've never handled one, so I don't know what the quality is like. At the price (significantly less than half that of a Lewis, and currently as low as £249 a pop across their range), they certainly won't be UK made, though I have no idea wrt the quality.

Another option out there is Hi Star Classics. http://hi-star.co.uk/ These guys have been dealing in vintage bike jackets for decades (twenty years ago I used to look at them in Camden market and goggle at the £200 price for an original - now I wish I had picked one up at that for my Franknfurter jacket!). They have original Lewis, Highwayman, and others at the going rate (the photos concentrate on the more decorate Rocker jackets, but they also do the plainer options!). In recent years, they've taken to making their own copies as well, on a custom basis - I hear tell they're around £500, and made in the UK. Again, I don't know who makes them for them or the quality, but they do certainly look nice.

As well as Mascot, GoldTop are a British brand that has been revived of late - https://www.goldtop.co.uk/jackets ; I'm waiting for them to finish their work on getting their jackets to look right with armouring, and then I'll buy one of their 1959 model jackets to patch-up as my own Rocker jacket.
 

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