Show Us Vintage GERMAN Suits

DamianM said:

Perfection

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Damian, welcome to the wonderful world of European suits! Now you know why some of us get so excited over continental tailoring and don't spend too much time mourning the diminishing number of US suit enthusiasts on the FL! Fastuni has posted photos of a couple of fantatic suits recently. Let's hope there are many more to come.

Yes, there is more Euro-stuff to come.

This belted wool-tricot sports jacket with "slip-on" collar, essential double-scalloped yoke and flap-pockets was posted already at the outerwear section, but here again to keep the German/Central European stuff together:

just noticed that C&A suit; a classic !

(also wish i'd noticed it before it sold)

What weight is that fabric?

It reminds me of the sort of jacket that you see in old Soviet photographs - worn with wide open white shirt collar, white cap, white shoes and white trousers. Sort of Black Sea holiday resort, 1935, is what comes to mind for me.

There were also summer jackets of this style, but the fabric of the belted blue sports jacket is certainly in the 24 oz league. It is thick and heavy, but not overly dense in weave (tricot... giving it also some stretch). I wear it only for cold weather - with layers beneath, since it is a bit roomy.

Here some better photos of a suit of similar style as the C&A suit, which was mentioned briefly before in the discussion over the snap-button straps inside the waistband (for holding up undies).

It is a suit made by a tailor, whose name we'll never know, but who labelled his work with "Feine Massarbeit" (fine bespoke work) at the hanger.

The fabric is black herringbone with powder blue and pink rope-stripes.
The handfelled lining is quite glossy and rather thick. The sleeves and waistband are lined with striped thick cotton fabric, while the pockets are made of warm yellow molton/felt. The owner of the suit probably wanted it to be warm and comfy.

I'd date this at 1938... while the short length, strongly nipped waist and narrow button spacing might suggest an earlier 1930's dating, the flat back skirt and shoulders hint IMO rather towards 1938. Until around 1936 the ideal shoulder of German tailoring was "hollow" and the back skirt had some give to create "beauty folds".









Best Regards

That's another beauty! The fabric is very nice. Well done!

Fastuni said:

Great - very similar indeed!
However I'm not sure whether his suit had in fact the "front belt removed".
Looks like an honest flapped-pocket sports-suit with half belt (not a Norfolk).

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I'm sure, did it myself.

Thanks - that beats any speculation.

How was the front belt attached? Two buttons at the ends of the back belt I suppose, or?
Also I'm curious as to the type of buckle on the belt.

Fastuni said:

Thanks - that beats any speculation.

How was the front belt attached? Two buttons at the ends of the back belt I suppose, or?
Also I'm curious as to the type of buckle on the belt.

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Yep. No buckle, 2 buttons/holes.

Finnish black one. 1920's? could it be from 10's?

two silk covered buttons, also in sleeves (non working)



Peak lapel












Trousers are taken out sometime in their lives. Buckle says Prima..

Could be any time, tbh. There are pics of, and movies featuring, very conservative styles worn by European gents of a certain generation well into the 1930s.

Balance of probabilities put it before the 30s, though.

First post on this forum, hi everyone

I thought this would be a suitable thread to post a query. I have in my possession an old suit of my father's. It was made for him in Vienna, most likely around 1948-50 when he lived there. Apart from a couple of superficial stains, it appears to be in excellent condition, and interestingly, it also fits me. Here are some photos:















I looked up the given address of "ITA Qualität" on Google Maps and it appears now to be occupied by a Cartier boutique. It's a stone's throw from the Stefansdom in central Vienna, so I imagine this was quite a prestigious bespoke tailor at the time. The fabric is from Reid & Taylor who are a 150-year-old Scottish firm. The suit has a feeling of quality to it, although I'm surprised that the trousers have a hook and zipper closure - perhaps this was already standard at that time.

The trouser leg is very wide at the bottom and I am tempted to have it tapered by a tailor so that I can wear the suit. I imagine this plan will elicit howls of derision and horror from the cognoscenti, but then again, perhaps this suit is not worth much as an historical relic...although...it does happen to date from the exact time and place of "The Third Man".

I'd appreciate any comments from those better-informed than myself (which I'm sure is just about everybody). Thanks.

First of all when exaxtly did your father live in Austria?

The trousers (particularly the waistband and zipper) strongly hint towards mid-50's to 60's. The jacket is conservatively cut (not slim) and passes for a 1940' look in lapel size and button-stance - but the trouser waist is most atypical of German tailoring of 1940's or early 50's... these kind of waistband-tape with zipper only became common in the 60's, but may have been introduced already in the 50's.
Regarding the lack of turn up cuffs on the trousers - can you notice whether they were let out at some point?

Also the labels and interior pockets are more suggestive of 1950's as an earliest date.

ITA still exists as "ITA Gmbh" for Men's and Women's fashion - this is a chain with several stores in Austria, though they changed their Vienna address. This suggests to me not a bespoke traditional tailor but a "confection" clothes producer.

I would under no circumstance taper down the legs... this was commonplace in the late 1940s to 60's, but it destroys the classic and elegant look that straight legs create. I would leave the suit as it is and enjoy wearing it. It is a nice and complete suit - though certainly younger than you asumed.

I'll go out on a very short limb and say that there's no chance that that suit is from '48-50. Everything about it indicates a date in the 1960s.

I won this on Ebay from a fellow Lounger recently. Absolutely magnificent. It's in like new condition. The waist . . . aahherrmmmm . . . is a little snug, but I've resolved to alter my own waist line, rather than the suit's. It's made of horse blanket weight material, but it's just gorgeous. Gorgeous.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/140901396640?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649#ht_770wt_898

great suit dhermann and good price too !

herringbonekid said:

great suit dhermann and good price too !

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Can't complain!

OK thanks all for the opinions. I was suspicious of my own date estimate and this is now confirmed. My parents moved to Australia in 1950 but were probably back in Europe (visiting) in the early 60s - hence it's safe to assume my dad purchased this suit at that time.

As a late 50s or early 60s suit, nice material and well-made but not bespoke, reasonable but not mint condition, it seems this suit is not particularly noteworthy. Still, it's a nice find.

Here a few typical german suits between 1910 and 1950.
These items entered our stock before 1997 and will leave us now for a movie production....
Regards
Bjorn & Marcus


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