Any Love For Those Cheap Old Fidelity Leathers?

[Bad Guitarist]

Any other lovers of Fidelity Leathers here.

I know they're definitely not the highest quality jacket ever made, but they're cool, cheap and look great with some weathering.

FYI Fidelity, from Everett Massachusetts (just outside Boston) states that they were formed in 1941 to make Peacoats and Bomber jackets for the US Navy and Air Corp.

During the 70s and early 80s these jackets were extremely popular with both Bikers and the early Heavy Metal crowd of New England. Attending a Hard Rock concert in Boston, Hartford or Providence back in the day you'd witness a sea of literally hundreds, if not thousands of these coats.

There have certainly been better jackets made, but nostalgia is priceless.

 

[handymike]

I had a Fidelity Indian Ranger jacket that was really nice. The early horsehide ones were incredible. Both @Mysteryo and @JMax have beautiful examples.
I keep seeing these CR style ones for sale on ebay, and while they don’t command much they are decent jackets.

 

[lina]

I’ve only handled a couple and I’ve never owned any long term but I think they’re highly underrated. nice jackets.

 

[Bad Guitarist]

I’ve only handled a couple and I’ve never owned any long term but I think they’re highly underrated. nice jackets.

I have one that appears to have been made later, possibly in the 90s that is made of a different leather, softer, different grain,more like todays jackets. Probably imported leather, but the cut, stitching etc. Are exactly the same, but with the addition of"Made in the USA" and "Fidelity Leathers" tags that the earlier jackets don't have.

 

[Monitor]

Good jackets, they are. Though higher of them than of Brooks. Early, horsehide examples are made in the most stunning leather. Fades to red. Never seen something like it.

 

[JMax]

Fidelity HH is top tier imo. Monitor is right. Awesome jackets. And cut a bit longer than most vtg jackets.

Highly recommend one of their HH jackets, though the IR in steer is super nice and inexpensive.

Here is mine. If you have questions or want specific pictures, let me know. Not the best pics but what I have.

 

[Bad Guitarist]

Fidelity HH is top tier imo. Monitor is right. Awesome jackets. And cut a bit longer than most vtg jackets.

Highly recommend one of their HH jackets, though the IR in steer is super nice and inexpensive.

Here is mine. If you have questions or want specific pictures, let me know. Not the best pics but what I have. View attachment 440985 View attachment 440986 View attachment 440987 View attachment 440988 View attachment 440989 View attachment 440990 View attachment 440991

Thank you so much for the pictures. I'd love to see one in real life, as the quality of the jacket is so much dependant on the quality of the hide, and only the touch can convey that.

Any history about the company would be greatly appreciated, as the were "The" jacket to have around here back in the day, despite most of us never even knowing the company's name, beyond "the ones with the chain and the big white tag"

Do you have any info of when this coat was made?

 

[JMax]

Based on hide, zips and lining, late 40s at the earliest, more like early to mid-50s.

In the last photo you can see the red wear Monitor mentions. Hard to capture. It’s like this is in a number of spots. I do need to wear it more. Much more. @Monitor and I also owned Branded NYPD that exhibited a bit of red wear.

 

[Bad Guitarist]

View attachment 441071 View attachment 441072 View attachment 441073 View attachment 441074 View attachment 441075

Based on hide, zips and lining, late 40s at the earliest, more like early to mid-50s.

In the last photo you can see the red wear Monitor mentions. Hard to capture. It’s like this is in a number of spots. I do need to wear it more. Much more. @Monitor and I also owned Branded NYPD that exhibited a bit of red wear.

Thanks a lot for these.
I wonder how much the company was targeting public sales, and when, as from company info their main sales seemed to military initially. Would love to know when they got into the biker jackets.

It's also interesting to note that Leather Togs was a short distance away from them, both in the city of Everett during the early years. What influence that had on them. Did they follow their lead into making Cycle jackets after the war?

 

[JMax]

MA was a leather jacket maker Mecca back in the day. Loads of awesome makers.

Honestly, I do not recall seeing a Fidelity labeled MC jacket with all of the tell tale signs of being made in the 40s. They were around in the 40s though. I bet their earlier MC jackets, if they existed, had other labels. It’s possible they made the Indian IR for example. I just don’t know.

 

[Bad Guitarist]

Hope this thread will maybe bring forward anyone else that has any info.

 

[Bigbawz]

I have a brown Fidelity cafe racer. It has a brown/gold quilted "satiny" lining. Nice trim fit. Came used out of the UK of all places. Very well made. I am assuming steerhide. Relatively short so only a summer jacket. I also had an "Oxblood" or dark red cafe racer that sold a while back on local classifieds. It had become "too squeezy" most likely a one way trip !

 

[Bigbawz]

Label

 

[Bigbawz]

Quite nice condition. Sorry for the 3 photos posted seperately.

 

[Bad Guitarist]

Quite nice condition. Sorry for the 3 photos posted seperately. View attachment 441257

Nice, I've got a wine one in that pile from the original thread pic.

 

[Bad Guitarist]

Guess I'll post a pic of a Cross-Zip as they appear to be less common.
Too small for me (tight 42) if anybody's interest HMU.

 

[Barnwell]

Fidelity was a big part of motorcycling and the Boston music scene in the late 70's. I believe they were sold at Boston Cycle Parts on Brighton Ave. and worn to hear bands at the Rat and Cantone's. Picked this up for $30. (fits sorta) recently and still ride bikes from that era

 

[handymike]

Mine was a size too big, but a great jacket.

https://imgur.com/UOV1IqZ

https://imgur.com/ldLKX59

https://imgur.com/bOk6ykp

 

[Bad Guitarist]

Fidelity was a big part of motorcycling and the Boston music scene in the late 70's. I believe they were sold at Boston Cycle Parts on Brighton Ave. and worn to hear bands at the Rat and Cantone's. Picked this up for $30. (fits sorta) recently and still ride bikes from that era

Around here we bought them Schneider Leather, that had at least two outlet stores in New England that I know of.

 

[Bad Guitarist]

Fidelity was a big part of motorcycling and the Boston music scene in the late 70's. I believe they were sold at Boston Cycle Parts on Brighton Ave. and worn to hear bands at the Rat and Cantone's. Picked this up for $30. (fits sorta) recently and still ride bikes from that era

Dude it's funny you've got that Suzuki in the picture. The jacket on top of the pile in the opening pic of this thread, Black w/ chest zips.

I just bought it 2 days ago off this guy, 72 yrs old, forearms like Popeye. He used to pound spikes for the Railroad. He just got finished building his own home way out in the woods around here. Like I said 72 yrs old. Place was huge.

He had a 1980 GS 450 that looked like it was brand new, spotless. He had just sold it before I got there for $2500. I would have grabbed that too if I had the chance. Wife was making him sell everything.