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Vintage Leather Jacket ID - SCANT Clues.........

Claybertrand

One Too Many
Messages
1,544
Okay, this is another jacket ID question for the Lounge.

Background:
I bought a jacket off of Etsy recently. It was listed as a 50s jacket but Sellers are routinely off on their dating. It has all Scovill hardware including Scovill's version of the diamond pull pocket zips.

The Label is a cheesecloth material and is EXTREMELY FADED. So much so that I don't believe a photo is effective for purposes of posting it here. Only under magnification with a dark background slid in behind the label can anything be barely made out on it. For this reason, I am posting a picture of another jacket with the same distinctive back design as the mine has for others to see if they recognize. This distinctive back designs could be the strongest aspect to focus on for identifying the maker.

Scant Clues:

1.) The Label:

The very worn cheesecloth label appears to have multiple seemingly layered pyramidal like triangle shapes on it that look like they could be a mountain range. I strongly suspect it is a mountain range but cannot be certain. There is also very hard to see print along the bottom of the label and the only thing I can make out with the magnification and a dark background is the word "Wash" in the lower right hand corner along the bottom.


2.) The Lower parts of the "action back":

The back on the jacket in the picture is the same as mine---The sort of vintage western/scallop rear yoke on top of the "action back" that goes down vertically the back with its expansion sections on each side of the jacket. The parts that may prove helpful in identifying this jacket are the way the lower parts of each expansion section are double stitched with a triangular stitched pattern on top of the 2 double stitches. The stitching sort of resembles a mini obelisk. See below.

1645485399474.png

Note: The Jacket I have is a totally different style than this cross zip moto jacket photo. Mine is more like an Aero Highwayman style. The pictured jacket cannot help because it's label is missing. Look at the obelisk shapes on the bottom right and left.

My Hunches:
These could be on point or total red herrings:

The shapes on the label looking like mountains and the word Wash being visible makes me logically think the obvious---that its from a maker in Washington State. I don't know of many vintage Washington leather jacket makers. CC Filson labels rarely mention the State. They all say SEATTLE but don't say Washington in any way in the vast majority of their labels. Even their early ones. Could it be earlier and be a Seattle Woolen?? Another maker?? Its not Sierra because they are made in California I recall.

I am going to tag @tmitchell59 because I know he has some Seattle Woolen experience. Anyone else please bring your knowledge and opinions if ya got em!

Thank you for giving it a look and a thought.
 

Claybertrand

One Too Many
Messages
1,544
MORE PICS! Help me help you!


But it looks damn good from the back:)

Ok man...... You're right. How could I be so lame as to ask and not post everythIng I got!?!?!?!!?!? My bad......

Ok...... Two minor clarifications

1.) The pictured jacket is NOT my jacket. But a pic of one I found online that had the same back feature as mine. Mine will be pictured below. Also, the main zipper is a Talon. The other hardware is all Scovill. I am posting a few label pics even though a couple are kinda blurry. Its almost like you can make out the label design better almost in the blurry pics. Anyway, here are:

Front.JPG
Label 1.JPG
Label 2.JPG
Label 3.JPG
Label 4.JPG
Back.JPG
Pocket Pull.JPG
Obelisk sticthed lower back.JPG
Main Zip.JPG
 
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17,105
Location
Chicago
Ok man...... You're right. How could I be so lame as to ask and not post everythIng I got!?!?!?!!?!? My bad......

Ok...... Two minor clarifications

1.) The pictured jacket is NOT my jacket. But a pic of one I found online that had the same back feature as mine. Mine will be pictured below. Also, the main zipper is a Talon. The other hardware is all Scovill. I am posting a few label pics even though a couple are kinda blurry. Its almost like you can make out the label design better almost in the blurry pics. Anyway, here are:

View attachment 404192 View attachment 404193 View attachment 404194 View attachment 404195 View attachment 404196 View attachment 404197 View attachment 404199 View attachment 404205 View attachment 404206
Man that is cool!!! I don’t know that’s a for certain but my gut tells me it’s reminiscent of the Seattle Woolen Mills jacket Terry had or has. I don’t know. But that’s definitely old and cool as Hell.
 

Claybertrand

One Too Many
Messages
1,544
Man that is cool!!! I don’t know that’s a for certain but my gut tells me it’s reminiscent of the Seattle Woolen Mills jacket Terry had or has. I don’t know. But that’s definitely old and cool as Hell.

Its dirty and worn and has some staining but it has a lotta character. It wasn't pricey. Not sure the hide....... I was thinking maybe Capeskin but it seems heavier than that. I'm hoping an ID can shed some light on the hide etc.
 
Messages
10,197
Yeah- the Seattle woolen is the only police jacket I recall with the clean bottom hem. Most had some sort of stitch pattern and/or belt loops. I’d be surprised if it were the only one though. The back is cool AF.
 

Claybertrand

One Too Many
Messages
1,544
Yeah- the Seattle woolen is the only police jacket I recall with the clean bottom hem. Most had some sort of stitch pattern and/or belt loops. I’d be surprised if it were the only one though. The back is cool AF.

Hmmmmm that is an interesting observation. I didn't think to focus on that....... but absent a recognizable label, that's the kind of small details that need to be pointed out.......... I'm gonna pull out the Seattle Woolens I have and look at them when I get home tomorrow.....

I know that neither of the ones I have have these obelisk stitching on the back of them. Its just that I saw a Seattle Woolen label that did say, "Seattle, Wash" so it made me tie the two together. I'm not trying to influence the conversation to say its necessarily a Seattle Woolen. I just was thinking maybe @tmitchell59 had seen the label before but looking back at his videos I see that most of his jackets didn't have the labels either but the one that did have a label doesn't match the label in this jacket.

Still a mystery......
 
Last edited:

Yamahana

Practically Family
Messages
992
Location
Buckeye, Arizona
Ah ha, so you’re the one who snagged it. I was after it as well. Seller sent me a few more pics and before I could get back with him it was gone. He doesn’t post real good pics in his listings. I don’t know who the maker is either but I could tell it was a cool vintage piece even with the stains. Well done you got a kool one and at a good price.
 

Claybertrand

One Too Many
Messages
1,544
1645495317344.png

Ah ha, so you’re the one who snagged it. I was after it as well. Seller sent me a few more pics and before I could get back with him it was gone. He doesn’t post real good pics in his listings. I don’t know who the maker is either but I could tell it was a cool vintage piece even with the stains. Well done you got a kool one and at a good price.

Yeah it was me.......Sorry bro.

I agree. His pics are.....lacking. Lol. It ends up it's missing one of the Scovill pocket pulls and I specifically asked it they were intact before I bought it and he said they were. I ended up posting a minor gripe about it on his review for the transaction and he apologized and refunded me a bit. I want to get it cleaned somewhere even though I think some of the stains are probably permanent. Its pretty cool though and it is a nice fit too. I'm not sure the best people to send it to for cleaning.
 

tmitchell59

I'll Lock Up
Messages
7,462
Location
Illinois
Interesting jacket, does not say Seattle Woolen to me. Here is the the Seattle Woolen late 30s. Very few of their jackets show up for sale or in the Books. There is one in Japan that is Book worthy.

1645499529301.jpeg


1645499450388.jpeg


1645499495527.jpeg


I am not familiar with this pilliar construction.

1645499658928.png


Looks to be an original 50s Talon Zipper

1645499698451.png



This hem gives an older look, very simple.

1645500210678.png
 

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Yamahana

Practically Family
Messages
992
Location
Buckeye, Arizona
View attachment 404238


Yeah it was me.......Sorry bro.

I agree. His pics are.....lacking. Lol. It ends up it's missing one of the Scovill pocket pulls and I specifically asked it they were intact before I bought it and he said they were. I ended up posting a minor gripe about it on his review for the transaction and he apologized and refunded me a bit. I want to get it cleaned somewhere even though I think some of the stains are probably permanent. Its pretty cool though and it is a nice fit too. I'm not sure the best people to send it to for cleaning.
I've bought from him before and he'll usually come down from his listed price.
 

Leather Walker

Practically Family
Messages
574
Location
Barcelona
I wasn't able to forget this topic. Identifying leather jackets is a fun hobby for me, it allows you to dive among lots of photos, websites, listings... A heaven!

This jacket is linked to me, because I tried the same model a while ago. I thought this was a kind of early Taubers at first, but many details confirmed otherwise.

Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to figure out which maker made this jacket... yet. But I found some photos of this same pattern that may offer more clues. Too bad there isn't any picture of the inside. There are those characteristic obelisks stitched in the lower back.

i-img898x1198-1636634031wvuusy21142.jpg
i-img898x1198-1636634031ehdmou21142.jpg
i-img898x1198-1636634032orhivp21142.jpg


I'll keep reporting!
 

Claybertrand

One Too Many
Messages
1,544
Ohhh this jacket is a nice one!!!! Has the same Scovill GRIPPER ZIPPER pocket zip pulls as I have with that same back configuration with the sort of scallop back yoke and the pleated/bi fold sides atop the obelisks. I agree, that identifying is one of the fun parts of this hobby. Whenever I see a thread asking for an ID I love to jump in and see if I can be of help.

Keep reporting back please!!! Sooner or later, I expect us to find out the ID of this maker. One of these has GOT to have a label still intact and legible.
 

Claybertrand

One Too Many
Messages
1,544
Here is another example of this jacket, for sale currently.
Antique-Vintage-Motorcycle-Leather-Jacket-Western-Cut-40s.jpg
Thanks for posting this!!! Keeping the mystery search alive!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Nice!!!!!!!!!!!

At some point, SOMETHING is gonna pop and we will get an answer. This one looks to have those Scovill zippers too.........

If we are learning anything, its that these DO appear to be 50s era jackets from the zippers. You don't see those Scovill "diamond" pulls very often. You see the Talons and the Conmors but not the Scovills.

One of these days........... this will be solved.......... ONE OF THESE DAYS...........
 

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