From now until Jan 2, 2020, historic Sears catalogs from 1896-1993 are available online for FREE via Ancestry.com. The catalogs are searchable. This is a fabulous way to research when certain jacket models became available, what they cost, what materials were used, when the models changed, etc. This should be of keen interest to people like @tmitchell59 and others into Hercules/Oakbrook, etc. jackets. Online here (I believe you need to sign up for a free Ancestry.com account): https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/1670/?o_lid=103459&o_sch=Email+Campaigns&o_xid=103459 I did a quick search and learned my split cowhide coat could be purchased in 1978 for $89. Here are some Hercules models from Fall 1950: Happy searching...
Thank goodness I checked back to your post to see the page number of the jackets. My ten minutes of searching only came up with gloves, gadgets, kids clothes and finally ladies lingerie (170) in the Spring 47 catalogue I checked
I can remember leafing through the sears catalogue as a kid... I skipped over the leather jacket section to get to the toy section though... if I only knew.
Thanks for this great resource!! I've been downloading pictures for the last hour. I just bought a late 30s wool Hercules coat. Very interesting.
It’s a fantastic resource for dating vintage Sears jackets or for checking out the styles that were available in certain eras.
By the way, according to an inflation calculator, my split cowhide rancher that cost $89 in 1978 would cost $351.29 today. The $27.95 FQHH motorcycle jacket from 1950 would cost $298.46.
Interesting! These jackets were quite expensive back then. Proportionally current Sears leather jackets are much cheaper! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
on my back sick, but downloading. Should be able to get all the leather/wool jacket pages. Nice look into the evolution of outerwear fashion. too tired to elaborate.
Hoe you get feeling better soon Terry!! That $27.50 Horsehide Motorcycle jacket ($3.00 down) was and is sure tempting. 5 lbs and 11 ounces. Humm, works out to roughly around 3.0 oz for a size 44 perhaps.
One thing I want to say is very few of these vintage jackets In the drawn catalogues has the Peacoat type of collar shape, but all Aero jacket have the same collar design & neck hole. All actual vintage jackets I’ve had also never once had the round, peacoat shaped collar, they are all pointed & spread out on some way. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk