Help with info on vintage wool half-belt jacket

[Fawdarius]

Hi there!

Just writing to ask if anyone would be able to help me with some info on a vintage wool half-belt jacket I recently purchased (eBay).
I'm relatively new to collecting this style of jacket so any expertise is much appreciated!

So far I'm assuming it's a 1940s piece based on the Conmar zipper and somewhat simple construction (austerity era?) - but beyond this I'm a bit puzzled.

There are remnants of what appears to be a lining to the jacket, which seems unusual as so many vintage examples I've seen are unlined? The makers tag may very well have been attached to this lining - now it is a mystery. All that is left is a 'Lot' tag, but I don't know which maker this could point to based on the info present.

I would also love to restore the jacket to its former glory, but I'm having some difficulty with the zipper being torn - is this fixable or is replacement the only way? I have even thought about shortening the length of the zipper to retain that part that is not torn. Sourcing a period-accurate replacement has proven difficult/expensive... I'm also keen to hear thoughts on putting a lining in place given there appears to have been one. So far it seems like it would be like that on vintage Woolrich mackinaw jackets?

Again, I really appreciate any thoughts/info from anyone! I've attached pictures which hopefully convey everything discussed above.
Many thanks.

 

[AHP91]

Nice find. I would definitely say it’s a 1940s era Conner. Unfortunately this is problem with vintage - repairs can be costly when done well, if you can’t do it yourself.

I would say that although this jacket did appear to have a lining, many of these wool work jackets were also unlined. Might save you a couple bucks if you don’t need it.

 

[tmitchell59]

Most short wool half-belt jacket do not have a lining. The lining in your jacket, and the hunting colors tells me a more Sporting jacket.

The Conmar is from the 1940s, probably early post war. The gathered sides seem to begin around this same time. I've thought it was a war time metal shortage. Could simply be a less expensive way to to produce a jacket. The tailored half-belt stying faded away in the 50s, moving to short to the waist jacket.

I would not be concerned about the lining. Finding that zipper side will be challenging, They show up, if you keep looking, but that takes time. The bell shaped Conmar is a distinctive zipper and nice to save.

Since it is wool, not hard to find someone to sew a zipper. You could put any zipper your wanted, new or old.

 

[Fawdarius]

Nice find. I would definitely say it’s a 1940s era Conner. Unfortunately this is problem with vintage - repairs can be costly when done well, if you can’t do it yourself.

I would say that although this jacket did appear to have a lining, many of these wool work jackets were also unlined. Might save you a couple bucks if you don’t need it.

Thank you for the reply and the info! Great to hear that my assumptions were correct about it being 1940s - so far it's been tricky finding a resource for dating Conmar zippers so the best reference I had was WWII Conmar zips on M41 jackets.

Yes true, repairs definitely are expensive, but in any case I always end up giving these projects to professionals vs. DIY. Something I'm happy to do with this piece as I actually only paid £50 for it! And yeah the lining is definitely not *necessary* with this piece, so as you say will probably just leave that be..

Thanks again, and will hopefully post some updates once the jacket's back up and running!

 

[Fawdarius]

Most short wool half-belt jacket do not have a lining. The lining in your jacket, and the hunting colors tells me a more Sporting jacket.

The Conmar is from the 1940s, probably early post war. The gathered sides seem to begin around this same time. I've thought it was a war time metal shortage. Could simply be a less expensive way to to produce a jacket. The tailored half-belt stying faded away in the 50s, moving to short to the waist jacket.

I would not be concerned about the lining. Finding that zipper side will be challenging, They show up, if you keep looking, but that takes time. The bell shaped Conmar is a distinctive zipper and nice to save.

Since it is wool, not hard to find someone to sew a zipper. You could put any zipper your wanted, new or old.

Thank you for the reply and info - your YouTube/Instagram content will serve as a great learning resource!

That detail on the gathered sides is really interesting, I was thinking the same about the metal shortage for the side adjusters, and the elastic being less expensive. The elastic strips on the inside are a feature I've only seen on one other similar piece (also 40s) via this link: https://ascent45c.base.shop/items/36711559

And yes, I agree - the lining would be pretty costly and I think I'll leave it be as you say. The best resource I've seen for zippers so far has been Mash Japan, for an authentic replacement. That and vintage 30s/40s Big Yank jackets which seem to use these bell-shaped Conmar zips too. Let's see, I'm happy for wait a bit for the perfect solution given how rare these jackets are so I'll post updates here on the progress of the repairs!

Thanks again!