ALL ORIGINAL Irvin RAF type Jackets - Loving that Wolf in sheeps' clothing!

aswatland · Jan 30, 2011

DGL IRVIN

Here are some pics of a size 6 DGL Irvin from their 1943 contract, 10421. I have another identical jacket with the spec label, this contract number which is marked a size 5 and this jacket is a larger jacket. I am posting some pictures here for reference purposes as it is now up for sale. It has the typical DGL features, very large collar rings, a square ended collar and a thick fleece which is golden with coppery tones.

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?53917-D.G.L-Irvin-size-6&p=1166121#post1166121

irvinsuit · Feb 3, 2011

The world has gone mad !!! An Internet auction site has a pair of un-issued mint condition Irvin Trousers at £750 I like to have a warm rear end especially in this UK winter however £750 is in my opinion completely NUTS !!! They are fantastic trousers and the inner fur looks lovely but not at that price.

aswatland · Feb 3, 2011

I saw them yesterday. They are really over priced. They may be in near mint condition but who would seriously want them for £750 to wear or display? I loved the cardboard box which the seller suugests is original to the trousers!

aswatland · Feb 6, 2011

Here's the perfect fitting Irvin!

This one belongs to a friend of mine who bought it recently. The previous owner had machine washed it. It has shrunk from a size 2 to a -2! BTW its a late War Links made jacket.

FRASER_NASH · Feb 6, 2011

At least it's 'clean!!' I bet he must be kicking himself now. What a shame - poor guy.

Steven C P · Feb 6, 2011

FRASER_NASH said:
At least it's 'clean!!' I bet he must be kicking himself now. What a shame - poor guy.

It's my jacket and just fits my girlfriend who is UK size 6. It has gone a little "stiff" but as she seldom likes my "grubby old jackets" (phillistine !) she was very pleased as this one smells of Persil or similar. Hopefully when AS has finished restoring it she will be happy to wear it. The really sad thing is that it would have been almost mint (outside coating absolutely intact and nice fleece with no wear or balding)before its' encounter with what must have been at least a 40 degree wash. I have washed repros with no problems on a cold delicates wash. There are some strange folk about ! I have given it a good coat of Pecards and am hoping it will become supple again...
Steven,.

Steven C P · Feb 6, 2011

PS - I only paid £55 for it from Ebay and I guess one of the zips is worth that so the story is not at all sad for me although I hate to see historic items wrecked like this.

aswatland · Feb 7, 2011

IRVIN LABELS

I thought I would post these pics for reference as I often get asked about Irvin labels.

1935 Irvin Air Chute

Wareing and Co trousers -1939 contract

1941 contract Irvin Air chute jacket

D.G.LTD label and jacket. c.1942

Irvin Air Chute label from a 1940 contract electrically wired jacket

Features from the early IAC design are apparent on this 1941 contract label.

The above 1941 label has the Aeronautical Inspection Directorate stamp on it. Each inspector held a personalised signature-mark, by which he signed-off Irvin jackets and trousers. His job was oversight/supervision of a contractors' work. However the label below appears to have I.A.C. stamped on it, which pressumably stands for Irvin Air Chute and was most likely either an internal quality control stamp or a batch number.

aswatland · Feb 7, 2011

1939 Wareing's Irvin

This a great recent addition to my collection (thanks Steven!), a two panel, light-coloured fleece Irvin which is 100% in tact with all original parts! I particularly like the label, which is not identical to the 1939 Wareing's label posted above. The jacket is at least a size 6, possibly a 7. It belonged to a Blenheim pilot early in the War. Wareing's jackets from 1939 in this wonderful condition are very rare indeed. The main zip is a cast double trunnion Dot with a brass puller. The sleeve zips are early Lightnings, with their tiny leather heart-shaped pullers. Enjoy the pictures.

aswatland · Feb 7, 2011

Spitfire · Feb 7, 2011

That is some jacket, Andrew. Looking good.

aswatland · Feb 7, 2011

Thanks Soren. If you make the May Air show at Duxford again this year you might be able to examine it at close quarters.

Smithy · Feb 7, 2011

That '39 Wareings is very, very nice Andrew. Great jacket.

Thanks for all the label images, interesting and useful for the researcher. But Andrew when are you going to write the first book dedicated to the Irvin? Honestly you seriously have to do this, your breadth of knowledge is crying out to be in writing. And you know you've got some future customers here for such a tome!

Andyboy · Feb 7, 2011

Smithy I totally agree! This book has to be written be written by Andrew!!

aswatland · Feb 7, 2011

Thanks chaps for your enthusiasm for a book on Irvins. You will have to be patient. I'm still undertaking the research for the book. I have no shortage of photos to use of originals and have lengthy lists of contracts, but there is still many questions that need answering.

Spitfire · Feb 8, 2011

Rome wasn't build in a day - if you need a helping hand with the design of the book, please let me know. I would love to help you out on that.
We could make the greatest - most stunning - book on Irvins the world has ever seen. Because we care about them. It's "con amore".

H.Johnson · Feb 8, 2011

Excellent jacket, Andrew. I have an example in similar condition from about a year later, with the same Aero sleeve zips, but a single trunnion pressed main zip puller. I can't quite make it out in your photograph - does the stopper box on your jacket have 'Dot' marking or is it plain? Mine is plain.

aswatland said:

aswatland · Feb 8, 2011

H.J. The sleeve zips are by Lightning and original to the jacket. The main zip has the more common "Dot made in England" on the stopper box. It is a great jacket and one of the better examples of Wareing's workmanship.

PADDY · Feb 8, 2011

Andrew. The condition of this jacket speaks volumes. Amazing!!

H.Johnson · Feb 9, 2011

Andrew,

Thanks. Yes, these Wareings are fine jackets.

I often wonder why zips (ostensibly from the same maker and similar periods) have different stopper boxes, some plain (like mine) and some marked as yours is. I have heard it discussed that the bronze-coloured Lightning pullers that you see occasionally go along with plain stopper boxes, but I've seen enough Dot pullers with plain stopper boxes on what appear to be original zips to question this. What do you think?

A slight aside, I've examined a lot of non-AM (e.g. Army) gear from WW2 with the same style of zip (tank suits, airborne smocks etc.) that have the same style of zip but with plain stopper boxes and usually just a broad arrow mark on the puller, so there is no way (AFAIK) to tell who made them. I wonder if Dot produced both types and occasionally the plain (Army) ones found their way into AM jacket production?

By the way, the latest example of this type of stopper box I have ever seen was on a 1960 pattern combat smock dated 1963.

By the way (another small aside) for general information, the same style and size of nickel Lightning zip was used until the late 1990s by a manufacturer of footwear in Somerset. A lot were sold off locally when they finished production and they turn up in NOS condition regularly - an excellent replacement for Irvin sleeve zips, especially if you can get someone to engrave the AM mark and crown on the obverse of the puller.

ALL ORIGINAL Irvin RAF type Jackets - Loving that Wolf in sheeps' clothing!

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