'49-'62, but when within that range?

[tonyb]

I got this jacket ...

... cheap at my favorite charity thrift shop. (Yes, a thrift shop where a person can still find genuine vintage attire.) It's the second sport jacket I've bought there in recent months that has the '49-'62 ACWA label.

The alterations lady shortened the sleeves just a tad. Other than that, it fit pretty well right off the hanger. This one is in fairly good condition, but not as good as the other, which truly shows no sign of wear. But I prefer the look of this one -- the color, the fit, the style.

Now, anyone got a guess as to when it might have been made?

 

[Baron Kurtz]

49-62? I take it doesn't have the ®? Difficult to be exact with only union label to go by.

p.s. just for sh*ts and giggles, do you have a close-up of the fabric? Appears to have a salmon overcheck or stripe? Looks nice.

bk

 

[tonyb]

Yeah, well, doesn't hurt to ask. And around this place, you just might run into some guy whose ex-wife's uncle's drinking buddy knew a guy who used to work at the mill that made the fabric in this jacket. And, you know, somebody undoubtedly has a better sense than I do for when lapel widths and lengths and such came and went. (Yes, I know, there is never a hard line of demarcation for such things, but still, there are some general ways in which late '40s styles differ from those of the early '60s, right?)

Sure, I'll try to get decent closeup of the fabric.

 

[tonyb]

Here goes ...

 

[Feraud]

That is a really nice sport coat. Love those patch pockets. I thought I noticed the reddish pattern when you posted it earlier.
Would it be possible to see a pic of the lining and any labels?

 

[dhermann1]

Can you show the inside back lining? That's a major tell tale. Looks much closer to 1960 than 1950 to me. 3 buttons and narrow lapels.

 

[tonyb]

OK.

And here's the only label, other than the union tag in the pocket.

Any of you PDX dudes or dudettes familiar with Rosenblatt's? They still around? Or, if not, when did they go the way of all things? (That's assuming Portland is Portland, Oregon, and not PWM, the one in Maine. Considering this item was found all of 105 miles from the Rose City of the Great Northwest, it seems likely that Rosenblatt's was, or is, in Oregon.)

 

[anon`]

I'm 90% sure I've seen that label before and completely certain the namesake was here in Stumptown, having been established sometime before the turn of the last century. I will also say that, if they are still around under that name, they do a bloody good job of hiding it

No idea when they closed down, though =/

 

[GWD]

I don't have a clue as to when it was made. But, it looks great!

 

[tonyb]

Figured that was the case, anon. There's another jacket at the thrift store with the Rosenblatt's label, but it's too small to ever fit me.

I'm thinking that most of the old stuff they got in recently came from the same donor, who was likely clearing out what was left by some old-timer who went the way of Rosenblatt's, but who, in the decades before he made the big transition, had varied some in size. (That'll happen.) There's also a '70s-vintage (I think) three-piece plaid suit there that likely would fit me. (I didn't try it on, but it looked about right.) It carries the label of a local store that has itself gone to the great beyond. But man, I dunno. It's a '70s suit, you know. At least it doesn't have bell-bottom trousers. Maybe I'll buy it if it's still there when the volunteer ladies who staff the thrift shop get tired of looking at it and mark it down 90 percent.

EDIT: Thanks GWM and Feraud. I'm quite taken with it myself. These photos really don't do it justice. The color is nicer than it appears in the pics, and it fits in such a way as to make me appear slimmer of waist and broader across the shoulders than I actually am. I also like that it has no vent. It seems that my favorite jackets are all sans vent.

 

[Baron Kurtz]

A nice example of the classic sportscoat. I'd lay my money on middle 1950s, but could you show the union label too (could be earlier, want to make sure)? Sorry for further image requests.

For a "local charity thrift shop" that's a great find.

bk

 

[dhermann1]

The rule of thumb I've developed is that jackets with that criss cross overlap in the lining are pre 1956. Does anyone else use this feature as an indicator?

 

[Feraud]

I was going to guess more 50s than 60s.
An excellent find.

 

[anon`]

The rule of thumb I've developed is that jackets with that criss cross overlap in the lining are pre 1956. Does anyone else use this feature as an indicator?

I... sort of do. I do look for it, and I do think that it makes a jacket more likely skewed towards the earlier part of the period as well, but I also have a jacket dated from 1940 that has the more "cape-like" lining, that covers the entire upper back, so that style of lining wasn't unheard-of back then, at least.

 

[Baron Kurtz]

The rule of thumb I've developed is that jackets with that criss cross overlap in the lining are pre 1956. Does anyone else use this feature as an indicator?

'56 comes up again, so i'll ask my question again. How can you be so specific?

bk

 

[Feraud]

Perhaps an arbitrary middle ground? [huh]
I've heard this year mentioned before and wonder why the specific number..

 

[Widebrim]

Dating?

Judging by the lapels and lining, mid-50s(?). :eusa_doh:

 

[tonyb]

The union tag ...

 

[dhermann1]

'56 comes up again, so i'll ask my question again. How can you be so specific?
bk

It's just an approximation. When I was spending a lot of time looking at vintage clothes (probably 20 years ago), I came up with that date. I don't remember specifically how I narrowed it down. And that is probably only for US made clothes.
Feraud, you probably heard it from me.
Where Marc Chevalier when you need him?

 

[Baron Kurtz]

And that is probably only for US made clothes.

There's no doubt about that! Maybe Canada, too.

I'm always interested to hear what other people are looking out for, and what specific features tell them about a piece.

I agree that this feature is more common in earlier jackets. It's predominant - though not exclusive - in 1930s; less so after that.

bk