Yet another nameless, tagless Cafe Racer

[AeroFan_07]

Asking if anyone might be able to help identify this older, rather oddly large Cafe Racer. Purchased locally at an estate sale, but will soon be moving it along as it's just an incorrect fit for me.

Details I know:
Single piece back with external kidney panel
Action back
2-pocket with original zippers and chain and loop style pulls, same as sleeves
Has a replaced sateen liner
Replaced main zipper with #5 YKK Brass
Has side waist adjustment straps


Some photos:

And a few close-ups of the zippers and some details:

The above photo illustrates one of the things I like most about the jacket. Note the placement of the sleeve zips, which stop about 1" short of the hem of the sleeve. I think this is smart, as the zipper never really stays zipped all the way to the end anyway. I have seen only a few jackets made this way, all on FL and not in person.

There are some Character-Traits to this jacket, as you will see illustrated below. Several seams need repaired, which I may take it to the Amish shop in northern Iowa and have this work done prior to sale.





And the lining will need a little work as well. However it's quite a wearable jacket as-is. There is a light tobacco odor, however the leather smell is trying to come back! Guess I should wear it in the rain tomorrow for a while.

Leather - wondering at this point if it might be Horsehide? More likely a cowhide but who really knows? It's 2.5 - 3 ounce weight, nice patina and grain. Estimate the weight at just over 5 lbs. Very black, no teacore effect at all.

Age, I suspect 1960's given the zippers and overall style plus the action back sleeve & rear shoulders. All zippers work well and still feel substantial. It's nicely stitched, has seen a few repairs over the years but is in rather nice shape for a vintage CR. Wish this jacket could share it's story!

Here's the measurements, I would tend to place this squarely as a 46R if it has something like a tag:

Shoulders: 20"
Pit to Pit 24.5"
Waist (adjustable): 22.5"
Sleeve Length Straight: 24.5
Sleeve Length Around: 26"
Torso Length (from bottom of collar to hem): 22"
Zipper stops 3" short of hem

Any thoughts? ...

 

[Seb Lucas]

1970's Brooks. Steer. Pretty common. I'm looking on the phone so detail is limited. I've owned several.

Schott made these too. If the snaps are decorated it's likely a later Brooks.

 

[Guppy]

I had a jacket like that, it had no label and I wasn't sure who made it. It's a common pattern to several makers, I've seen examples by Schott, Excelled, Lesco, and Brooks.

 

[Monitor]

Same as @Seb Lucas , I'll go with the black / red label, possibly Korea made Brooks as well. That's their collar config. All the other details are there. It could've just as easily been one of the Sears versions but I'm pretty sure it's Brooks.

 

[bn1966]

I had a Brooks that looked like yours. Identical I think from memory

 

[AeroFan_07]

Sounds quite likely here. I didn't photo it yet but the snaps on the collar are plain chrome.

 

[ton312]

I’m not sure it is a Brooks. Strictly academic but Brooks always stamp the collar snaps and the handwarmers zipper pulls should be ring type:

I’m going to say your jacket is more than likely a Reed Randy. Buckles are slightly different too.

 

[tmitchell59]

I'm not seeing a Brooks, leather looks too nice.

 

[Seb Lucas]

You're right, it may not be a Brooks. But having unstamped snaps is a feature I have in 2 of my later era Brooks jackets.

 

[ton312]

You're right, it may not be a Brooks. But having unstamped snaps is a feature I have in 2 of my later era Brooks jackets.

That’s interesting Seb. I haven’t had one that way but I know these things were mass produced and I’m sure those type of details were often over looked.

 

[Seb Lucas]

That’s interesting Seb. I haven’t had one that way but I know these things were mass produced and I’m sure those type of details were often over looked.

I sometimes wonder if the same company made them all with a few mods to suggest different makers. Also, was it not the case that Brooks outsourced to a good Korean maker some time in the late 1970's? I'm not a great student of leather but I suspect there are some interesting stories out there.

 

[AeroFan_07]

^^ Would be interesting to understand that. Would be even more interesting to see so many people actually Wearing Leather jackets again, instead of all the plastic recycled-pop bottle Soft Shell jackets everyone here seems to wear continuously. Yes, I even have a few.

To Terry's point about the leather, in fact, it is a little nicer and a bit more substantial than many of the really thin & light Cafe Racers I have handled. As for the collar, here's a grainy picture that gives more details, later this week I'll get a good shot of it and post it. Somehow missed that detail earlier. This also shows that the jacket at one time has a zip-in liner.

 

[Seb Lucas]

Yep, tbe Brooks has a liner. Mine still has. Typically these later period jackets had thicker steer.

 

[Monitor]

I still believe it's Brooks - or a Korean made jacket based on Brooks patterns. I read somewhere Brooks did outsource production to Korea during the 70's and even the black / yellow label Brooks jackets that people automatically assume are US made, most probably aren't. The moment the embroidered "Made in USA" disappeared from the tag, you cannot be sure.

It could just as well be Gap! You can occasionally find a Gap Cafe racer jacket that's virtually indistinguishable from the classic two chest pockets Brooks CR. They probably got a hold of the patterns Brooks sent to Korea while outsourcing or something. Maybe Brooks sold them, I don't know for sure...

But in any case, I'd say this is a Brooks CR.

 

[bn1966]

My Brooks snaps on that model weren't stamped either, unlike my 'Gold Label' version which is still a regular wearer on my Vespa

 

[AeroFan_07]

This is now for sale - it's a pretty large jacket...
https://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/vintage-60s-70s-cafe-racer-black-apx-46.98768/