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Finds and Deals - Leather Jacket Edition

Messages
16,385
I never understood what exactly makes Dur O Jac cheaper. I've had two and both were higher quality than many regular Schott Perfectos I've been thru.

In any case, looks lovely. Grailed sellers often respond well to low-balling so might be a good catch.

https://www.grailed.com/listings/33...ction&g_aqid=23bbc284405ab6e091757b2f26c11a5f

kSlOvv4vSb6CbpVyM1AW
 

chollie

One of the Regulars
Messages
110
Location
usa
The Durojac (518) coats weren't made with the naked cowhide or the steerhide as with the 118 and 618. It was a lower quality hide that was actually pressed to give it a "grainy" texture. I don't believe they had the underarm footballs as the others either. Still the same quality lining, stitching and manufacturing as well.

My very first leather was this exact coat, purchased for I think $180 in the late 80's. Still a good quality coat but personally i think 300 is too much for one of these.

Edit: I was wrong about the footballs
 
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Guppy

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,281
Location
Cleveland, OH
The lower price is because the tag indicates this jacket was APPRENTICE/TRAINEE MADE.......... I'm not scoffing at it. Just pointing out the reason for the seemingly deeply discounted price. I think its cool that Aero trains its people and sells the products that they make like this. Just be advised, the Archer label is the Trainee Label.
It's still very inexpensive for a trainee jacket.
 

Guppy

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,281
Location
Cleveland, OH
Yeah I know I keep posting trucker jackets but here's one I know basically nothing about.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/115487340197?hash=item1ae394f6a5:g:0MUAAOSwg81i7zyJ

Looking up this brand "US Cavalry" in Radcliffe Kentucky brings up a now-closed military surplus store. If anyone knows who could have made this jacket for them (tags show it's made in the USA) this could be a find and deal at $100.

View attachment 443177

I used to see US Cavalry catalogs in the mail when I was a kid. They sold a lot of outdoor, hunting, and military spec equipment I wasn't aware that they made anything like this. Tagged M, it's probably too tight for me, but I had to have a looky-look for $100. I'll see if I can get that verdigris or whatever it is cleaned out of the suede, and if it doesn't fit I bet it'll fetch what I paid for it. I've been looking for pretty much this exact jacket, only shearling lined for about a year now.

 

EAC

One of the Regulars
Messages
142
F
https://www.ebay.com/itm/354192837714

Incredible condition for a jacket easily 80 years old and pretty delicate to begin with. Same seller as the one previously posted. I've never found anything quite like these two.

View attachment 441823 View attachment 441824 View attachment 441825

There is a similar one on Etsy (https://www.etsy.com/it/listing/467...60be:467129278&click_sum=e42825ae&ref=hp_rv-3) at an even higher price; no label shown, but the seller claims is King-o Fur. I would have thought it a fake, if I had not seen the sleeves. The fur looks brand new to me:

1660030435759.png

1660030477299.png
 

Craig from Craigslist

One of the Regulars
Messages
216
https://www.ebay.com/itm/3140909798...lWrPs7KTaa&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

Really nice trucker in a size medium. From Dr Martens, seller claim produced in England. I had no idea they did jackets. I inquired about measurements but got no reply. Maybe someone else will have better luck.
It’s kind of tough to make out because it’s cut off but in the seventh image you can see where it says “Made in England” at the bottom of the tag. Really cool though. I wouldn’t have thought about Doc Marten as a cool brand for jackets. Seller’s completely full of it about there being no other Doc Marten leather jackets on ebay though. I just looked up “doc marten leather jacket” and found this one with Made in USA tags, in a pseudo-type II style:


https://www.ebay.com/itm/2842023836...jYMP2EBRxm&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY
 
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Claybertrand

One Too Many
Messages
1,544
Seller thinks this is a Block Bilt Goat. Could be. Nice size. OK condition for age but there is some wear on the shoulders that could be excessive in some areas. I wouldn't mind owning this jacket but----Too rich for my blood at the moment. Maybe its a bit overpriced for an untagged jacket in this condition. Time will tell........


https://www.ebay.com/itm/374207756693?hash=item5720853995:g:K1cAAOSwSzFi8BxG


1660065224372.png
 

EAC

One of the Regulars
Messages
142
I see why he guesses Block Bilt: it looks similar to a BB tmitchell59 posted here a couple of years ago: https://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/busted-block-bilt-a-restoration-perspective.101705/

1660066673084.png

1660066695439.png


The details (adjusters position, D-pocket profile on front) are different, though, and the black one is horsehide; the cuffs seem cut off on the ebay jacket, so they could potentially be the same; collar looks identical, too.
I had a quick look on the web, and this is the BB that looks the most like the ebay jacket.

Whichever the maker/label, the style is unmistakeably the 40s aviator one, so BB or not, its value would not change much, to me at least.

If it is really worth 800 USD in that size and condition, that's a different thing.

To stay on topic, there's another BB for sale, cossack style, small size, for a little bit more than 500 USD https://www.ebay.com/itm/323851405167?hash=item4b670c476f:g:9tsAAOSwqiNdH0jm

1660067255797.png
 
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Guppy

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,281
Location
Cleveland, OH
https://www.ebay.com/itm/3140909798...lWrPs7KTaa&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

Really nice trucker in a size medium. From Dr Martens, seller claim produced in England. I had no idea they did jackets. I inquired about measurements but got no reply. Maybe someone else will have better luck.

From the seller:

Just shy of 22 inches pit to pit across the front
from under armpit seam to edge of wrist cuff is just over 20 inches,
base of neck down back is around 24 inches and finally
shoulder to shoulder around 19 inches across back​


A bit small for me, sadly. Gorgeous jacket. Someone here deserves it.
 

Marc mndt

I'll Lock Up
Messages
6,768
Seller thinks this is a Block Bilt Goat. Could be. Nice size. OK condition for age but there is some wear on the shoulders that could be excessive in some areas. I wouldn't mind owning this jacket but----Too rich for my blood at the moment. Maybe its a bit overpriced for an untagged jacket in this condition. Time will tell........


https://www.ebay.com/itm/374207756693?hash=item5720853995:g:K1cAAOSwSzFi8BxG


View attachment 443625
Looks more like capeskin than goatskin. Sleeves have been shortened.
 

Claybertrand

One Too Many
Messages
1,544
Looks more like capeskin than goatskin. Sleeves have been shortened.
This is exactly what I thought when I saw this jacket. Looks very Capeskinish to me too. It doesn't have that overall raisin crinkly graining that Goat this old would have. Rather, it has these other graining markings that I associate with CapeSkin. But I only have handled really old Capeskin so stuff with less wear is harder for me to ID for certain. Capeskin would certainly fit the era and maker as well being a lighter hide produced out of the Bay Area (assuming that it is indeed a Block Bilt). Lastly, those cuffs just look too short to have not been shortened. The sort of Gauntlet cuff just looks like its been shortened.

I see why he guesses Block Bilt: it looks similar to a BB tmitchell59 posted here a couple of years ago: https://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/busted-block-bilt-a-restoration-perspective.101705/

View attachment 443627
View attachment 443628

The details (adjusters position, D-pocket profile on front) are different, though, and the black one is horsehide; the cuffs seem cut off on the ebay jacket, so they could potentially be the same; collar looks identical, too.
I had a quick look on the web, and this is the BB that looks the most like the ebay jacket.

Whichever the maker/label, the style is unmistakeably the 40s aviator one, so BB or not, its value would not change much, to me at least.

If it is really worth 800 USD in that size and condition, that's a different thing.

To stay on topic, there's another BB for sale, cossack style, small size, for a little bit more than 500 USD https://www.ebay.com/itm/323851405167?hash=item4b670c476f:g:9tsAAOSwqiNdH0jm

View attachment 443638

This one DOES resemble aspects of Terry's old Block. Cuffs are quite different but could be some shortening there as @Marc mndt is pointing out.

Regarding value, I don't know what others value---but to me, when a jacket does not have a label, it takes a hit in value. It could be a small hit but I just think that ALL jackets are worth more on the open market if they can be definitively identified. Now many of us can speculate and guess and even be 100% right on identifying unlabeled jackets but its just the lack of provenance that dings the value IMO. Like, if you have 2 identical jackets and one has the label and one doesn't---all things being equal---the labeled jacket would be worth more IMO. Now if its a jacket that I have no interest in reselling, there are plenty of jackets I have that I value that are unlabeled. Its just that not being able to tell someone else what it is definitively usually limits what you can get for it. It limits the market to those who will know what it is absent the label.

This is why I sort of correlated the asking price on this jacket as being possibly a bit high given it is unlabeled. The no label is not a fatality of any kind. Its just me hair splitting on the value and saying if it were labeled it may have more definitive value. I don't know how it will play out. Its not THAT expensive and the Seller is accepting offers.

This small Block is a great one!!!! I like how its pleated down near the waistband.
 

EAC

One of the Regulars
Messages
142
This is exactly what I thought when I saw this jacket. Looks very Capeskinish to me too. It doesn't have that overall raisin crinkly graining that Goat this old would have. Rather, it has these other graining markings that I associate with CapeSkin. But I only have handled really old Capeskin so stuff with less wear is harder for me to ID for certain. Capeskin would certainly fit the era and maker as well being a lighter hide produced out of the Bay Area (assuming that it is indeed a Block Bilt). Lastly, those cuffs just look too short to have not been shortened. The sort of Gauntlet cuff just looks like its been shortened.



This one DOES resemble aspects of Terry's old Block. Cuffs are quite different but could be some shortening there as @Marc mndt is pointing out.

Regarding value, I don't know what others value---but to me, when a jacket does not have a label, it takes a hit in value. It could be a small hit but I just think that ALL jackets are worth more on the open market if they can be definitively identified. Now many of us can speculate and guess and even be 100% right on identifying unlabeled jackets but its just the lack of provenance that dings the value IMO. Like, if you have 2 identical jackets and one has the label and one doesn't---all things being equal---the labeled jacket would be worth more IMO. Now if its a jacket that I have no interest in reselling, there are plenty of jackets I have that I value that are unlabeled. Its just that not being able to tell someone else what it is definitively usually limits what you can get for it. It limits the market to those who will know what it is absent the label.

This is why I sort of correlated the asking price on this jacket as being possibly a bit high given it is unlabeled. The no label is not a fatality of any kind. Its just me hair splitting on the value and saying if it were labeled it may have more definitive value. I don't know how it will play out. Its not THAT expensive and the Seller is accepting offers.

This small Block is a great one!!!! I like how its pleated down near the waistband.

You make some good points here.

I will add that it depends where one (and the market) puts the value: for me, a 40s aviator is a 40s aviator, no matter the maker/seller. At those time, the majority of leather jackets were good quality (on average) and it is the cut and details that matter.

But again, that's me. I do not know exactly what the market values and how much, and I can definetely see a label adding to that value.

The cossack is very nice indeed, and does not look destroyed. Cuffs are damaged, though. Shame it's so tiny.
 

Claybertrand

One Too Many
Messages
1,544
You make some good points here.

I will add that it depends where one (and the market) puts the value: for me, a 40s aviator is a 40s aviator, no matter the maker/seller. At those time, the majority of leather jackets were good quality (on average) and it is the cut and details that matter.

But again, that's me. I do not know exactly what the market values and how much, and I can definetely see a label adding to that value.

The cossack is very nice indeed, and does not look destroyed. Cuffs are damaged, though. Shame it's so tiny.

Totally agree with you. Its hard to make both points at once regarding value. I do think there is a point where some things just transcend provenance. In this case, as you say, a 40s Aviator is a 40s Aviator. The rarity and vintage perhaps make the lack of a label of little consequence. And this jacket being a larger size (or at least its not tiny!) also adds value to it. I'll be curious to see what it brings.

The cossack is sadly too small. I never see those in larger sizes. I wonder about that hide?? I'm probably overthinking it but it LOOKS like it could be Calfskin...... I'm not able to close up on the pics for some reason. But the photo with the label looks like Calf to me. Totally speculating here......
 
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