1930's Sears Hercules in Great Condition: One of A Kind

[Deleted member 16736]

I've seen this jacket in black on the Rivet Head and Vintage Work Wear blogs and recently it was reproduced by Rainbow Country in Japan as the Single Rider Jacket. Well, here is an original in incredible condition for its age. And this one is in brown horsehide. The only other originals I've seen have all been in black. An original 1939 ad for this jacket appears in "Everyday Fashions of the Thirties" and there are two color choices: black and mahogany brown. Never thought I'd see the mahogany, but here it is:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Hercules-Ho...52?pt=US_CSA_MC_Outerwear&hash=item25782c4a34

And for one in black:

http://www.vintageworkwear.com/2011/10/1930s-hercules-cossack-style-belt-back.html

Seller apparently has no clue how valuable it is. I asked him for some basic measurements and told him the age of his jacket. The bidders will be all over this one.

 

[Ishmael]

That's awesome! Will be very interesting to see how much this one goes for! Hope my Rainbow Country holds up that well!

Do you have a scan of the "Everyday Fashions of the Thirties" ad?

 

[Ishmael]

Joel Shapiro, found the ad you mentioned in "Everyday Fashions of the Thirties". Here it is. $7.79!

Thanks for the tip on this ad. Very cool!

 

[Deleted member 16736]

Thanks for scanning the ad. This model has a plaid wool lining (new for 1939!), so the jacket for sale is older than 1939.

 

[handymike]

Looks like this one was originally black!
A brown one was featured here on the lounge:
http://www.thefedoralounge.com/show...forum.-Help-needed-with-Hercules-Sears-Jacket

 

[Deleted member 16736]

Looks like this one was originally black!
A brown one was featured here on the lounge:
http://www.thefedoralounge.com/show...forum.-Help-needed-with-Hercules-Sears-Jacket

This is a different jacket. Notice the back is completely different.

 

[bretron]

Well, there goes my chance at a good deal...

 

[Deleted member 16736]

Well, there goes my chance at a good deal...

The seller has already rejected bids up to $500. This jacket is worth 3X as much. The bidders would have priced this jacket appropriately regardless of whether he knew its value going into the auction. This jacket belonged to his grandfather and hung in his closet for 30 years. He deserves full value.

 

[Ishmael]

I prefer the back design of the Ebay jacket (and my RC), but that jacket bought by rodilla and featured on that other thread is in awesome condition, and a great fit! Wow!

Joel, do you think this one will go for >$1500? It doesn't appear to be in great condition, and it may be a bit large for many of the high bidders (i.e. Japanese).

 

[Deleted member 16736]

I prefer the back design of the Ebay jacket (and my RC), but that jacket bought by rodilla and featured on that other thread is in awesome condition, and a great fit! Wow!

Joel, do you think this one will go for >$1500? It doesn't appear to be in great condition, and it may be a bit large for many of the high bidders (i.e. Japanese).

What's wrong with the condition? The pictures aren't great, but from the pictures and the description, I'd say it's in excellent condition as good or better than the other two jackets. And larger sizes usually go for a premium. And when you add in the fact it's mahogany, I'd say the chances are very good it will trade near $1500. I couldn't say whether it's going over $1500, but if a bidding war breaks out, anything is possible.

I agree that Rodilla's Hercules is a thing of beauty. I also like the back design.

 

[Ishmael]

Sorry. You're probably right. I don't know anything about these things. I talked with a Rainbow Country dealer here in Japan who said he saw one in much better condition than this one and in a smaller Japanese size go for over $6,000 two years ago.

The photos aren't great. Hopefully whoever gets it takes some better pics!

 

[Ishmael]

Handy Mike, I guess you are referring to this statement by member "Damn Engineer":

"I have an excellent original Hercules I thin a size 42, It was my Dad's. I started to put it on Ebay since he has been gone for a few years. But I just could not do it. He bought this jacket used in the 60's but it was only used for his "good" outdoor jacket. In his later years you could not pull his hooded Carrhart off of him. I know what Dad would tell me if he was here: "If you can get THAT kind of money for it, SELL IT". Dad was extremely thrifty, he grew up in the depression era, and was in WWII. "

 

[strokes1251]

In the end the bidders decides the price. I've seen sellers thinking stuff is gonna go for hundreds and don't accept offers early on and at the end of the auction the item barely hits the hundred dollar mark.

 

[handymike]

Well, he's already got $200 ;-)

 

[HardBoiledMarlowe]

It looks like he ended it and relisted it with a $500 starting bid. http://www.ebay.com/itm/1930s-Hercules-Horsehide-Leather-Jacket-/160930709427?pt=US_CSA_MC_Outerwear&hash=item257837bfb3

 

[Deleted member 16736]

He also updated the description and took several pictures of the zipper, both of which I recommended that he do. I never heard of Lenzip, but so far as he and I know, it's original. I think the condition is wonderful. I don't know if I'd ever treat it with anything (Dr. Jackson's?), but it looks good as is.

 

[Dinerman]

Apparently lenzip has been around since just after WWII, but that puller design is modern.

 

[bretron]

Apparently lenzip has been around since just after WWII, but that puller design is modern.

+1

Wish there was a photo of the stopper box and end of tape, which would go a heck of a long way in identifying the zipper as vintage original, vintage replacement, or "recent" replacement. For now, my money is on this being the latter, tho I don't see any obvious signs of new stitch marks so it may just be a new puller. No way that's a period accurate puller tho. Or at least that's my opinion