1940s Goatskin Motorcycle Jacket - Canadian

[Baron Kurtz]

I'm unprepared to pay ludicrous eBay prices for vintage motorcycle jackets, so i need to take what i can get. Fortunately I tend to stumble upon things! This one is not bad for £45

This is my most recent find. A light brown goatskin Canadian motorcycle jacket from the 1940s (maybe slightly earlier or slightly later). Very nice condition and excellent patina. Cafe racer style with a slanted and zipped chest pocket (i need to replace the chest pocket zipper). I believe the buttons at the cuffs are original to the jacket as there are no extra needle holes in the leather and the thread is consistent with the rest of the jacket.

The rear of the jacket is almost Holy Grail for these jackets. Half belt and waist buckles, scalloped shoulder yoke and several panels forming faux pleats between yoke and belt.

The zipper is a Lightning with LF on the stopper box. I believe this is original to the jacket. Perhaps Alan E. can tell me more about the zipper.

bk

 

[bobbyball]

Great jacket – I am more a fan of goatskin than horsehide these days and the patina on this looks amazing. I have a Canadian suede bomber from around mid-1950s and this has a Lightening and LF marked zipper.

I am not certain, but they may have been made under licence in Canada or most probably imported forom the UK as part of the Commonwealth. Great detailing and a snip at the price.

Well done.

 

[Baron Kurtz]

One other interesting feature: Running the length of the zipper on the inside is a corduroy backing. A very nice touch, i think. (you can kind of see it on the rear view at the base where you can see the rear of the stopper box.)

bk

 

[Carlisle Blues]

It appears to be well cared for. I agree the patina is gorgeous.

 

[cbrunt]

That is indeed an excellent jacket ! Aside from the cafe style collar, all the other details are straight out of the 1930-40s !!! Not to say that those types of collars weren't around, but conventional stand-and-fall collars were the most popular.

Back is similar to this jacket, but sans the scallops. High back-belt, low buckles. Image taken 1940 http://www.shorpy.com/node/2263?size=_original

And this "Top Notch" jacket has a very, very similar construction throughout.
http://www.e-workers.net/items/sportjacket_topnotch/5.htm (back)http://www.e-workers.net/items/sportjacket_topnotch/1.htm (all images)


Clint

 

[BellyTank]

Very, very nice but the zipper(pull and box) don't seem to match the detailing that would point us to the era- '30s-'40s, if you know what I mean.
Is it possible that the slider/pull and stopper box have been replaced?
Maybe just the zip pull- it looks of a different model to the slider.

What's the pocket zipper like then?...or has it gawn?

I prefer 2 panel sleeves, like you appear to have.


Nice.


B
T

 

[OneEyeMan]

That is a beautiful jacket!
For what you paid, you should be locked up for robbery!
Lenny

 

[Baron Kurtz]

Very, very nice but the zipper(pull and box) don't seem to match the detailing that would point us to the era- '30s-'40s, if you know what I mean.
Is it possible that the slider/pull and stopper box have been replaced?

ALAN!! We're calling you!

I have just inspected very closely and it is undoubtedly the original zipper. (at least the teeth and tape are original.) On each side the stitching is continuous from the rear of the collar to the bottom of the zipper. The thread is identical to the thread used throughout the jacket. The stitch length is the same as elsewhere on the jacket. I suppose it is conceivable, at least, that the puller and stopper box have been replaced. [huh] But i'm confident this is the original intact zipper.

Maybe just the zip pull- it looks of a different model to the slider.

What's the pocket zipper like then?...or has it gawn?

I prefer 2 panel sleeves, like you appear to have.

Nice.

B
T

Yep, 2 panel sleeves. The pocket zipper is gone, yes. It's been ripped out, so the edges of the tape remain to tell me there was a zipper there.

bk

 

[Baron Kurtz]

Thanks so much for the links. Those are some great jackets …

bk

That is indeed an excellent jacket ! Aside from the cafe style collar, all the other details are straight out of the 1930-40s !!! Not to say that those types of collars weren't around, but conventional stand-and-fall collars were the most popular.

Back is similar to this jacket, but sans the scallops. High back-belt, low buckles. Image taken 1940 http://www.shorpy.com/node/2263?size=_original

And this "Top Notch" jacket has a very, very similar construction throughout.
http://www.e-workers.net/items/sportjacket_topnotch/5.htm (back)http://www.e-workers.net/items/sportjacket_topnotch/1.htm (all images)


Clint

 

[holdemchamp1225]

Well BK, may I be the first in line to call DIBS...

just saying, its a BEAUTFIUL jacket and since we wear the same size I would like you to know that if EVER you think about getting rid of this jacket I HAVE FUNDS READY!!

Cheers,

Bruce

 

[H.Johnson]

Alan asks me to say...

From his Fortress of Incontinence, among the Hidden Masters, Alan asks me to offer his opinion that the zip is a 1940s Canadian Lightning (note the Lightning Fasteners) abbreviation. Alan says that if you look at the top edge of the slider, you can see that it is very different to the semi-circular edge of British Lightnings. He points out that it resembles more the profile of a contemporary Talon, probably due to the influence of Gideon Sundback who commercialised (but didn't start) Talon in Chicago and offered consultancy services to Lightning. The puller is also not unusual for a Canadian LF zip of this period. Alan suggests that those sufficiently interested should digest a copy of his 'bible' 'Talon - a Romance of Achievement'.

I would add that the progeny of the zip doesn't necessarily suggest the origin of the jacket that bears it, but I point out that many excellent jackets were made in Canada at the time, as Tanaka San shows us in his books.

 

[Baron Kurtz]

Thank Alan for me!

Yes, the Canadian provenance of the jacket is solely down to the fact that it has a Lightning not a Talon and came from a store that sources all its stuff in Canada.

bk

 

[H.Johnson]

Alan thanks you...

...and asks me to compliment you on your auction-free shopping strategy. He says that The Force is clearly with you - a sentiment that I heartily endorse.

 

[Baron Kurtz]

Aside from the cafe style collar, all the other details are straight out of the 1930-40s !!! Not to say that those types of collars weren't around, but conventional stand-and-fall collars were the most popular.

I have a very similar jacket - same era, goatskin, belt back pleated back etc., - that has a collar more like the Top Notch one. That one cost me $60, but it has issues. I'm hoping that my latest batch of goatskin is going to arrive soon so i can cut some new panels for it. (I managed to find some very well matched for colour goatskin at a nice price and "vintage" tanned). this jacket will appear soon.

bk

 

[Baron Kurtz]

Yes, the Canadian provenance of the jacket is solely down to the fact that it has a Lightning not a Talon and came from a store that sources all its stuff in Canada.

bk

I will add, moreover, that the puller and stopper box are "Commonwealth"; that is on the left tape. IIRC, US pullers and stopper boxes are typically on the right tape.

[edit]:eusa_doh: The other side of the puller says CANADA. Pretty definitive evidence of where the zipper came from, i suppose. :eusa_doh:

bk

 

[H.Johnson]

and Canadian zips are Commonwealth...

 

[Edward]

Nice jacket; an impressive price, too. Certaily prooves (as if proof were needed) that there are better bargains to be had away from the 'Bay most of the time.

 

[Mike1973]

Great jacket Baron! Inspired me to finally post some pics up of the one I got last October, which share some similar design features...

http://thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?p=744354&posted=1#post744354

 

[jamespibworth@n]

Superb usable vintage jacket you have there.

Like the collar, bit unusual for a 40s jacket don’t you think?

A bargain.

James.

 

[Baron Kurtz]

Certainly unusual comparing to the many motorcycle jackets of this era offered on eBay. I don't know enough about the subject to know whether or not this collar style was common or unusual sight in the era.

bk