Dr H
Call Me a Cab
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ELC capeskin A-1 (size 42)
Hello Everyone - I recently posted this on the VLJF.
I am a great admirer of the A-1, which dates (in the mil. spec. form) from 1927 (‘Type A-1 Drawing No. AN-6501, A.C. Order No. 31-800 P’ ).
Made from capeskin and lined with sateen fabric, it’s redolent of the 20s and 30’s: with button fastening and lacking epaulettes it strikes quite a different note from the more common zip fastening and boxier A-2. This example is finished in aniline seal brown dye colour-matched to a rare original example. For those who are not familiar with the design of the A-1, it’s a comparatively trim pattern: elongated in the torso, close fitting at the shoulder with slender tapered sleeves and a characteristic drape due to the thinner but pliable capeskin. Being up to 80 years old in the earliest examples, it’s a rare survivor and a jacket that I’m unlikely to see in the flesh, still less ever wear. Therefore, it’s a repro jacket that I’ve been very happy to buy on a couple of occasions.
The jacket is quite shirt-like in construction and beautifully tailored with a two-panel back with a yoke (a hanger is attached with a crossed box stitch).
Seams generally appear neater in construction than the corresponding A-2 due to the higher stitch count (12/inch for the A-1 and 8/inch for the A-2) and the proximity of the stitching to the edges of the leather. The single seams are stitched 1 mm from the single edges and 5 mm from the rolled seams - there is also a double line of stitching at the front and bottom seams.
The placement and sizes of the pockets also differ from the A-2: the pockets (again each fastened with a horn button) are smaller and placed (in the Air Force examples) in line with the bottom seam above the waist knit. The right pocket features a pencil slot and both pocket flaps are sateen lined.
The A-1 is fastened with five horn buttons (backed with smaller white horn buttons) on the torso, two snaps at the knitted waist (earlier original examples also show two small button fastenings), and a further pair of buttons at the knitted collar.
This makes it very practical in use: when driving the lower buttons and snaps can be unfastened so the jacket sits well and doesn't ride up; when it's raining/windy the collar can be fastened quickly to make it weather tight. It's also sufficiently lightweight to be worn indoors as a leather jerkin without feeling bulky - John Lever even manages to get one of these under an Irvin if the weather is particularly cold.
The ELC version of the A-1 is based on a well-worn original on the ELC website (http://www.eastmanleather.com/product_i ... cts_id=162). The pallor of the shell of the original jacket is apparently characteristic of this hide – the images of the private purchase McGregor/Doniger A-2 from Suit Up that I posted elsewhere (viewtopic.php?f=7&t=10809) shows similar colouration after extensive wear. There are (to my eye at least) some subtle differences between the modern ELC jacket and the original – the balance between the leather body panel and the waist knit is slightly different (the original has a shorter body and deeper waistband); the pockets are slightly taller on the original; the depth of the collar appears slightly more shallow and the placement of the buttons differs – most clearly seen in line with the pocket flap. These are features that would presumably be rectified quite easily during the pattern construction and I wonder whether these features (e.g. the reduction in the depth of waistband) have been subtly altered to suit modern tastes? The sleeves are narrow (more so than the A-2) and in this example comprise two panels.
Capeskin is quick to develop character and is already showing areas of pronounced grain (similar to goatskin) – the creasing you see is due solely to daily wear (no HWT used in this case). Before buying my first A-1 I was very concerned about the use of capeskin, the perception being that it would be flimsy and prone to damage (I briefly considered a less accurate goatskin replica). However, I am really glad that I have stuck with this hide (and ironically my Doniger A-2 is also made from capeskin) as it's perfectly practical in use.
For the record, the statistics of the jacket:
Eastman Leather Company A-1 (42)
Weight = 1.0 kg
Shoulder width = 47 cm
Pit-to-pit = 60 cm
Front length = 59 cm
Back length = 65 cm (from top of back panel to bottom of waistband)
Arm length = 65 cm (including knitted cuff)
“Epaulette length” = 18 cm
Collar depth = 7 cm
Hello Everyone - I recently posted this on the VLJF.
I am a great admirer of the A-1, which dates (in the mil. spec. form) from 1927 (‘Type A-1 Drawing No. AN-6501, A.C. Order No. 31-800 P’ ).
Made from capeskin and lined with sateen fabric, it’s redolent of the 20s and 30’s: with button fastening and lacking epaulettes it strikes quite a different note from the more common zip fastening and boxier A-2. This example is finished in aniline seal brown dye colour-matched to a rare original example. For those who are not familiar with the design of the A-1, it’s a comparatively trim pattern: elongated in the torso, close fitting at the shoulder with slender tapered sleeves and a characteristic drape due to the thinner but pliable capeskin. Being up to 80 years old in the earliest examples, it’s a rare survivor and a jacket that I’m unlikely to see in the flesh, still less ever wear. Therefore, it’s a repro jacket that I’ve been very happy to buy on a couple of occasions.
The jacket is quite shirt-like in construction and beautifully tailored with a two-panel back with a yoke (a hanger is attached with a crossed box stitch).
Seams generally appear neater in construction than the corresponding A-2 due to the higher stitch count (12/inch for the A-1 and 8/inch for the A-2) and the proximity of the stitching to the edges of the leather. The single seams are stitched 1 mm from the single edges and 5 mm from the rolled seams - there is also a double line of stitching at the front and bottom seams.
The placement and sizes of the pockets also differ from the A-2: the pockets (again each fastened with a horn button) are smaller and placed (in the Air Force examples) in line with the bottom seam above the waist knit. The right pocket features a pencil slot and both pocket flaps are sateen lined.
The A-1 is fastened with five horn buttons (backed with smaller white horn buttons) on the torso, two snaps at the knitted waist (earlier original examples also show two small button fastenings), and a further pair of buttons at the knitted collar.
This makes it very practical in use: when driving the lower buttons and snaps can be unfastened so the jacket sits well and doesn't ride up; when it's raining/windy the collar can be fastened quickly to make it weather tight. It's also sufficiently lightweight to be worn indoors as a leather jerkin without feeling bulky - John Lever even manages to get one of these under an Irvin if the weather is particularly cold.
The ELC version of the A-1 is based on a well-worn original on the ELC website (http://www.eastmanleather.com/product_i ... cts_id=162). The pallor of the shell of the original jacket is apparently characteristic of this hide – the images of the private purchase McGregor/Doniger A-2 from Suit Up that I posted elsewhere (viewtopic.php?f=7&t=10809) shows similar colouration after extensive wear. There are (to my eye at least) some subtle differences between the modern ELC jacket and the original – the balance between the leather body panel and the waist knit is slightly different (the original has a shorter body and deeper waistband); the pockets are slightly taller on the original; the depth of the collar appears slightly more shallow and the placement of the buttons differs – most clearly seen in line with the pocket flap. These are features that would presumably be rectified quite easily during the pattern construction and I wonder whether these features (e.g. the reduction in the depth of waistband) have been subtly altered to suit modern tastes? The sleeves are narrow (more so than the A-2) and in this example comprise two panels.
Capeskin is quick to develop character and is already showing areas of pronounced grain (similar to goatskin) – the creasing you see is due solely to daily wear (no HWT used in this case). Before buying my first A-1 I was very concerned about the use of capeskin, the perception being that it would be flimsy and prone to damage (I briefly considered a less accurate goatskin replica). However, I am really glad that I have stuck with this hide (and ironically my Doniger A-2 is also made from capeskin) as it's perfectly practical in use.
For the record, the statistics of the jacket:
Eastman Leather Company A-1 (42)
Weight = 1.0 kg
Shoulder width = 47 cm
Pit-to-pit = 60 cm
Front length = 59 cm
Back length = 65 cm (from top of back panel to bottom of waistband)
Arm length = 65 cm (including knitted cuff)
“Epaulette length” = 18 cm
Collar depth = 7 cm
