10 Vintage Sports Jackets! 1950s on. c. 40-48. Langrock Princeton, London Savile Row, 3/2 sacks, ++

[tweedydon]

1) GORGEOUS London Bespoke Jacket made by L. G. Wilkinson, of 11, St George Street, London.



THE OLDEST FAMILY-OWNED BESPOKE TAILORS IN LONDON!​

c. 42, 44. Measurements:

Chest: 22
Sleeve: 26 (+2)
Shoulder: 18 1/2
Length: 30

Founded in 1919, L.G. Wilkinson has occupied the same premises at 11, St George Street since 1924. It still operates today, as it the oldest family-owned bespoke tailoring business in London. Unlike many London tailors--including some on Savile Row--Wilkinson's cuts all of its cloth and makes all of its garments on the premises, in the traditional way, rather than measuring its customers and outsourcing the work to non-British tailoring companies. This does mean that Wilkinson's jackets are more expensive than many of their rivals'--but the fact that they continue to flourish shows that their clients appreciate the value of a truly British tailoring firm, and the continuance with tradition that it represents.

This jacket is a testament to the exceptionally high quality of the tailoring that you can expect from a true London bespoke tailor. Cut from a lovely sort wool cloth in traditional Glen Plaid in black and cream with crimson windowpane overchecking--this wonderful jacket is, of course, both fully canvassed and fully lined. Cut as a traditional British three button jacket with darting it features simply tons of handwork throughout--even the buttonholes are sewn by hand, and are, of course, all fully functional. It has a twin vent, and all of the buttons are a lovely dark natural horn.

As befits a bespoke garment this has plenty of attention to detail; the pocket flaps are lined with the same wool felting as the collar, for example, rather than with the same material as the lining. This jacket was completed on the 12th January, 1979--but given its utterly classic cut it could have been made last week.

This jacket has some minor rumpling from storage--this will be removed with its first dry-clean or press--and a very small spot on one cuff, as shown. It also has some minor age discoloration at the collar fold, as shown--this should be removed with its first dry-clean. It is thus in Very Good condition and a bargain at just $35, or offer, boxed and shipped in the USA.

 

[tweedydon]

2) VINTAGE Plaid Jacket With Flapped Breast Pocket!

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c. 42, 44. Measurements:

Chest: 22 1/2
Sleeve: 25 3/4 (+1 1/2)
Shoulder: 19 1/4
Length: 31 1/2

PMB (Pincus Bros Maxwell) was founded in 1911, and is one of the great traditional American clothiers, making most of their items in Philadelphia--hence the Liberty Bell on their labels.

This wonderful jacket was certainly made in Philadelphia, hailing as it does from the late 1960s to early 1970s. The lighter-weight wool cloth that it is cut from is a lovely rare autumnal plaid that's exceptionally versatile.

Cut as a contemporary two button jacket with subtle darts, this was made for Jack Donnelly's of Trenton, back when Trenton was the place to be in NJ, and Donnelly's was a wonderful, traditional men's store serving local politicians and visiting Princetonians. This is half-canvassed and half-lined, and has a single center vent. It features crested brass buttons. And, best of all, not only are the lower exterior pockets flapped--the exterior breast pocket is flapped, too, a feature that occasioanlly appeared in Ivy clothing in the 1950s and 1960s but has since died out.

Union made in the USA, this is in excellent condition apart from a tiny pinhole on the right shoulder which could be readily ignored.

Asking just $29, or offer, shipped in the USA.

3) VINTAGE 1960s SACK TWEED JACKET!



In a wonderful Glen Plaid with moss green, peat black, and Royal Blue overchecking!​

c. 42S. Measurements:

Chest: 21 1/2
Sleeve: 23 1/4 (+1 1/2)
Shoulder: 18 1/4
Length: 28 1/4

This is lovely--and utterly 1960s! Although there are no labels in this jacket it was clearly made in the USA during the 1960s. Cut as an increasingly rare 2 button sack this also nods to 1960s Anglophilia, with its twin vents and slanted hacking pockets.

It is half-lined in a rich dark plum, and is half-canvassed. It has two buttons cuffs--all of the buttons are original.

This does have some minor marks to the reverse of the left sleeve, as shown--these might well come out with dry-cleaning.

It is thus in Very Good condition, and is a bargain at just $29, or offer, boxed, shipped, and insured in the USA.

 

[tweedydon]

4) CLASSIC VINTAGE 1960s 3/2 SACK BLAZER FROM THE ENGLISH SHOP OF PRINCETON!

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Pair this with khakis (worn just slightly too short), a pink or white OCBD, and a regimental tie and you'll pass for Princeton Class of '68!

c. 43. Measurements:

Chest: 21 7/8
Sleeve: 24 1/4 (+2 1/4)
Shoulder: 18
Length: 30

Dating from the 1960s and cut from a lovely and unusual chocolate brown hopsack this was made for The English Shop of Princeton during the heyday of Ivy Style, when The English Shop, together with Langrock and Norman Hilton, led the way in purveying Ivy Style in Princeton.

Union Made in the USA this jacket is cut as a classic 3/2 sack jacket with a beautifully fluid lapel roll. It has flapped, patch pockets, a single center vent, and two button cuffs--all of the buttons are original. This jacket is fully canvassed and half-lined, and in excellent condition apart from a tiny mark on one sleeve by the button, as shown.

A bargain at just $45, or offer, boxed, shipped, and insured in the USA!

5) WONDERFUL VINTAGE 1950s 3/2 SACK JACKET--CUT FROM FORSTMANN NAILHEAD FABRIC!

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Likely made before 1957, in excellent condition--
--and a RARE LARGER SIZE!​

c. 46, 48R. Measurements:

Chest: 24 1/4
Sleeve: 24 3/4 (+3/4)
Shoulder: 19 1/4
Length: 30 1/4

This is wonderful--a beautiful early to mid 1950s 3/2 sack jacket made from Forstmann fabric, in a rare larger size, in excellent condition! If this is your size, grab it, as it is unlikely to last long!

This jacket is cut from a beautiful wool cloth that's utterly mid-century--a subdued nailhead pattern in petrol blue and jet black, giving it an intriguing appearance at a distance, and a spectacular one close-up. The fabric was made by Fortsmann, which was founde din 1904 by German immigrants. It quickly gained a reputation as producing very high quality cloth, and the Forstmann label on a jacket was a sign of exceptional quality. Forstmann was bought out by the textile giant J.P. Stevens in 1957, and that fact, combined with the Union label, indicates that this jacket was made prior to 1957.

This jacket was made by Hart, Shaffner, and Marx for Hughes & Hatcher of Detroit. Hughes & Hatcher was founded in 1910, and in its day was the most prestigious store in Detroit--then a thriving, wealthy, stylish city. Alas, Hughes & Hatcher closed in 1982... and its landmark store was demolished in 2004.

This jacket has thus fared much better than the store that sold it!

This jacket's cut and construction do full justice to the fabric from which it is cut. Made by Hart, Shaffner, and Marx for Hughes & Hatcher, this is a classic 3/2 sack with a lovely fluid lapel roll this features two flapped, patch pockets with beautifully curved lapped seams. It has a single center vent--shallow, as is period-appropriate--and beautifully period-correct lapels. The jacket is half-canvassed and half-lined. Although the jacket is a classic 3/2 sack the shoulders are not as natural as Ivy Style dictates, instead having about the same amount of unobtrusive padding as current jackets from Brooks.

This jacket has two buttons cuffs--and the buttons are wonderful! All original to the jacket, they are the colour of polished silver and have a wonderful mid-century pattern of etched concentric circles.

This jacket is in absolutely excellent condition. It was, of course, Union Made in the USA.

Asking just $45, or offer, boxed, shipped, and insured in the USA.

 

[tweedydon]

6) LAND ROVER GEAR TWEED JACKET in BEAUTIFUL SPRING GREEN WITH OVERCHECKING!



Made in Canada. Perfect for Spring, Summer, and early Fall!​

Tagged 41R. Measurements:

Chest: 22
Sleeve: 25 1/4 (+1 1/2)
Shoulder: 19 1/2
Length: 30 1/2

Capitalizing on the current love of all things "heritage" Land Rover has collaborated with several clothing manufacturers to produce "Land Rover Gear"--a Land-Rover themed twist of classic clothing.

While most of these products were utterly forgettable, some stood out as Land Rover occasionally had the sense to collaborate with real clothing companies, rather than those that just placed logos on sweatshirts and fleeces. One of the most notable of these collaborations was that Land Rover had with Barbour.

While this isn't a Barbour x Land Rover tweed, it IS an extremely well-made and beautiful jacket, Made in Canada. True to its British heritage by way of Land Rover this is inspired by a traditional hacking jacket, with a three button front, darts, and a wonderful moss-green base with (extremely!) subtle overchecking in Royal Blue, cream, and chestnut.

Is is unvented, fully canvassed, and fully lined, with four button cuffs. It is in absolutely excellent condition; the two exterior pockets are still basted shut!

Despite being made for Land Rover this is a *real* tweed jacket, and so is a bargain at just $45, or offer, boxed, shipped, and insured in the USA.

PS: If you're interested in Land Rovers, one of the best defences of them as city vehicles is given in Iain Banks' novel *Dead Air*!

7) CLASSIC ENGLISH SAVILE ROW SUMMER BLAZER!



FROM SCABAL, 12 SAVILE ROW, LONDON.​

Tagged EU 54 (US 44). Measurements:

Chest: 22
Sleeve: 25 3/4 (+1 1/2)
Shoulder: 20 1/4
Length: 32 1/2

Founded in 1938, Scabal still produces its cloth at its traditional mill in Huddersfield, Yorkshire, the center of England's wool trade since the sixteenth century. Although Scabal's business is focused on cloth they opened a shop on Savile Row (at No. 12) in 1972.

Although they are in most respects an utterly traditional British clothier Scabal have always been ready to experiment--indeed, they are known as being one of the more eccentric denizens of the Row. They collaborated, for example, with Salvador Dali in 1971 to produce a series of 12 pictures of his surrealist vision of 21st Century clothing... which no doubt caused considerable anxiety in places like Huntsman and Norton when Scabal moved to the Row just a year later!

Scabal also has links to Hollywood; Vito Corleone's tuxedo in *The Godfather* was from Scabal, as were almost all of Robert De Niro's suits in *Casino*.

This jacket thus represents a rare opportunity to acquire a light summer blazer from one of the most illustrious British tailoring houses. The cloth of this jacket is, as you would expect, wonderful. Cut from a lightweight Scabal Super 100s cloth with a beautifully soft hand (which Scabal attribute to the soft Yorkshire water used in their mill) this is wonderful light Navy blue. The jacket is fully canvassed and fully lined in Scabal's signature lining. Cut as a contemporary two-button blazer with darting, this has a twin vent--as you'd expect from a Savile Row jacket--and four button cuffs. It has pick stitching throughout.

It was, of course, Made in England.

This does have two small flaws. There is some minor staining to the lining, as shown; likely this is from a spill when the jacket was off and turned lining-out. There is also a very very small mark by the cuff; I only noticed this when doing close-up pictures, so it's very hard to see!

But, because of these marks this jacket is in Very Good condition, and so is a bargain at just $39, or offer, boxed and shipped in the USA.

 

[tweedydon]

8) SLUBBY PURE SILK JACKET.



Perfect for Spring and Summer!​

Size c. 40, 42. Measurements:

Chest: 21
Sleeve: 25 (+1 3/4)
Shoulder: 19
Length: 30 1/4

Formerly the property of an Italian mannequin model... and was last worn in January 2016 on a fashion shoot in Hawaii!

J. G. Hook was founded in 1974 by Max Louis Raab, who wanted to bring back the Ivy Style/preppy look of the 1950s. He succeeded so well in this that his was described as "the dean of the preppy look" in the New York Times in March 2017--an accolade that he certainly had claim to, since in addition to J. G. Hook he also founded Rooster ties.

This jacket is a lovely example of Raab's Ivy-inspired menswear. Cut from lovely slubby textured silk the color of antique ivory this is a two-button front jacket with very subtle darting. It has three button cuffs and a single center vent. It is fully lined, and in excellent condition.

Asking just $35, or offer, boxed and shipped in the USA.

9) 1950s LANGROCK DARK RED 3/2 SACK JACKET!

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Tagged 42. Measurements:

Chest: 21 1/2
Sleeve: 26 (+1 1/2)
Shoulder: 18 3/4
Length: 31

Langrock was THE Ivy clothier in Princeton during the Golden Era of Ivy Style, and was said by Bruce Boyer to be one of the top five best menswear stores in America.

It's thus always a pleasure to be able to offer Langrock items, and this lovely jacket is no exception. Cut from a beautiful dark red rough wool twill this is a classic 3/2 sack--as you'd expect from Langrock. It is half-lined and half-canvassed, and has lapped seams along the sleeves and down the center back. It features a hook vent, and two button cuffs. The buttons are classic hollow brass buttons and appear to be original to the jacket.

This was, of course, Union Made in the USA--likely during the 1950s, judging by the Union label, which would put it at the start of Ivy's heyday.

For a jacket that's older than most of the people reading this it's in very good condition--but it does have some issues (as will we all when we get to be almost 70!) The lining has several frays, mainly at the seams but also a few frays in the side panels. These could be readily repaired by simple patching--the usual approach taken on Ivy jackets by their original owners. There is also some staining to the lining, but this could simply be ignored. There is a small snag hole by the collar at the back, and some minor collar creep--these could both either be ignored or else easily rectified. Despite these issues the exterior of the jacket is still very presentable, and so this jacket is conservatively rated as being in Wearable condition.

As such, this lovely vintage Langrock is just $29, or offer, boxed, shipped, and insured in the USA!

 

[tweedydon]

10) ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL! BROOKS BROTHERS "BROOKSGATE" TWEED JACKET!



A beautiful tweed, perfect for Spring, Fall, and Winter!
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c. 40, 42L. Measurements:

Chest: 21 1/2
Sleeve: 27 1/2 (+2)
Shoulder: 18 1/2
Length: 33 1/2

This is a truly lovely tweed! made for Brooks Brothers' vintage "Brooksgate" line-aimed at younger men, and intended to be the "gate" to Brooks Brothers' more mature lines--this is a lovely dove grey herringbone tweed with vertical striping in sepia rose pink and Spring sky blue. This jacket would be perfect for the cooler days of Sping!

It is a contemporary two button model with subtle darting. It is half-canvassed and half-lined, and has a single center vent. It features chestnut leather-covered metal-shanked football buttons, with three to each cuff. It was, of course, Union made in the USA, and is in absolutely excellent condition.

Asking just $39, or offer, boxed and shipped in the USA.

 

[tweedydon]

2, 5 and 10 are still available--OFFERS VERY WELCOME!