BWS Leather Coat info?

[Dr. Lecter]

I've had this in the closet for several years and haven't worn it overly much because the style isn't quite me, even though the fit is good and the condition/lack of repairs even more so. I figured this might be the place to learn a bit more about it.

I already suspect that it's post-WWII, possibly the kind of coat that an unsavory but quality-minded Eastern bloc type might have purchased. It is very heavy, so while the leather looks like it could be horsehide I wonder whether it steer or some similar type of leather instead. It also looks like it had a button-in liner at some point. Anyone have any idea on how old it might be, or what I should look for if I wanted to sell it? It's almost exactly what I'd like in a trench, but the rounded labels don't quite seem right to me.

 

[Seb Lucas]

1960's?

See this:

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?25384-German-BWS-jacket

 

[Edward]

Could be anytime from the 30s through the sixties in that design. I've not yet seen anything outside of Hollywood that proved Germany ever issued a leather dress overcoat to any of its forces, state or political. In any case, the regular army's dress uniforms changed little (no more so than the British in the same period) in the post-war years, so even if it is military rather than pp it could be post-war. Personally, if I had one of those in my size, I'd wear it to death. I've got a knee-length French leather overcoat, DB, that unfortunately isn't aquite big enough for me to wear over a suit any longer (still the best thing I've ever owned for rainwear, though, as long as I don't want to wear more under it than I would under my shorter leather jackets). Used to wear it with a suit all the time. Got the occasional jokey Gestapo comment from folks my parents' generation who grew up with the Sixties war pictures, but anyone much under forty only ever associated it with the Matrix.... [huh]

What colour is it? Looks like it could be either black, or a very deel seal brown.

 

[Dr. Lecter]

It's a very dark brown.

 

[4444Design]

i also never heard that These coats where issued as Standard garment to any officials in Germany - wether it was during Nazi-period or even in the Stasi-era

as far as i'm Aware and from the stories my grandpa told me coats normally have been private purchase

as for your coat Brown ones are rarely seen - i see more black ones and some green ones around when huntin' flea markets here in Germany

unfortunately most of them are way too small for me

 

[Interbak]

I had an identical one a few years ago, also in brown, it was a bit too tight so I sold it. It had the button in liner. The guy at the antique shop I bought it from said it was 1940's, but I have no real proof of that. I have seen pictures of supposed Lend Lease coats like this on Russian pilots, but once again, internet propaganda, no real proof.

B