British leather jackets from BEFORE the 1950s?

[Baron Kurtz]

Ah, i'd forgotten about that thread. I wish nightandthecity would post more these days. A biiiig loss to the FLounge.

I was asked in the Spanish Civil war thread to post some pictures of my 1930-1960 era British leather jackets. My immediate reaction was shock horror as I hate taking pix, but I do have a few in my files already for one reason or another - also some pics of jackets I've sold. If I have time I may add some more, but I think these are probably enough to give a representative idea of the main design features, viz:

Almost always brown. "A2" style patch pockets predominate. Button or snap cuffs. Leather or woven fabric waistbands. Plaid linings very common. Softer leathers preferred - cape, lamb, kid, calf etc.

This is a fairly early one, probably about mid-1930s. The previous owner bought it second-hand as a work jacket during WW2 and it's seen some use! The patch pockets are are actually inset and then top stitched. The knitted waistband was fitted by me as the original woven band was gone...just a few fragments left inside the lining. As soon as I find the right sort of material the knitwear is coming off!

Other end of the time scale: this one probably dates to the late 1950s but the style (bar the split back) is pure 1930s/40s

only the rear section is elasticated and this woven fabric is typical of the type used. I've never seen US style knitted bands before circa the late 50s

These two are probably 1940s and feature leather waistbands. The first is very unusual leather: pigskin

this one is very similar, by a company called United Supply, compare to the other United Supply example below.....(n.b. that isn't it's real lining but a Black Watch tartan shirt.....long story... the actual lining is red Royal Stewart)

This is a nice late 1930s one but you can't see much in the pic. The pockets are inset, slanted and chest high with button flaps and the collar similar to an A1 but suede not knitted. Waistband is the woven fabric type.

 

[Baron Kurtz]

And the rest of that post by night:

and the rest

This one has similar pockets and waistband but no pocket flaps and conventional collar. 1950s.

This 1940s example was originally very similar to the pigskin and the United Supply above, but was modified by an 8thAF fighter pilot.....among other things he he added a fur collar and lining, using (what else!) a scrapped pair of B1 trousers.

Made by the good old CWS and probably dating to the late 1930s/40s this wreck is a very interesting example of early US influence.

....and this wreck is an interesting example of the big wave of US influence from the mid-50s onwards. Its basically the same jacket as the brown United Supply above - same label, same lining, same basic design, but they've jumped on the rock'n'roll bandwagon and fashionably Americanized it by making it in black and adding yoke seams....

 

[Speedbird]

Really great! interesting and informative too. Two thumbs up!

 

[Baron Kurtz]

There's another just ended on UK eBay that i think is 1950s. I'll post pics tomorrow.

bk

 

[Baron Kurtz]

This ended on eBay the other night. Much like the others we've seen here.

bk

 

[Speedbird]

I saw that one, was watching it. I take it BK, you think is was better than described - 60's rockabilly I think was the listing?

 

[Baron Kurtz]

nahh, i thought he had it as 40s/50s which is close. I reckon the zipper is 50s earliest. Nice jacket. I thought about bidding if no-one else did; there's an outside chance it might've fit.

bk

 

[Speedbird]

oh yes, it did say 40's/50's ... it was way too small for me. Nice looking jacket though.

 

[Baron Kurtz]

Calling Dr Eardley

Dr Eardley I know you're keeping track of the thread. Clear some space in your inbox, buddy.

Dr Kurtz

 

[Baron Kurtz]

Another image I came across:

It's from this webpage about the West Ham Speedway. A few other leathers there too.

http://www.freewebs.com/customhousekid/thetop20.htm

bk

 

[Mr Badger]

I forgot about this most interesting thread, and the glory of cycle speedway, which I used to LOVE watching on TV when I was a nipper.

I have what I estimate to be a late-1940s or early-1950s, 3/4-length Militus (Millets?) leather coat, with the same kind of lining as the Baron's A-1-type jacket — a pale and quite flimsy cross between wool and some kind of cotton.

It's about the same shape and style as an Aero Veste de Rallye, albeit with flapped patch pockets. It has a large box Aero zipper and a very pronounced shaped collar, which is why I think it's pretty early. The Militus label is oblong white silk with brown script lettering. Sorry, I don't have access to a digital camera at the mo'...

I bought the coat off a lady who said she wore it while working on Camden Lock market every day for 25 years, so there's serious leather disintegration going on on the bottom of the arm ends. I did condition it quite heavily with saddle soap but it's pretty much a done deal.

But for £10, it was a steal! It makes me feel like an extra in one of my fave British movies of the 1950s, Hell Drivers, when I wear it!

Don't s'pose anyone's got any more info about Militus, have they? It'd be a real kick to see a scan of a catalogue page or advertisment...

 

[Mr Badger]

Finally managed to get some shots of my Militus, as described in my previous post:

 

[Seb Lucas]

Looking sharp, Badge. Love that jacket (and look).

 

[Mr Badger]

Thanks for the kind words, Seb.

Think that the old Militus is really on its way out, though... it's been a year since I conditioned it and put it in the trunk, and it's just starting to really flake away to nowt. I wore it to work yesterday and noticed how much it's starting to degenerate. The surface of the leather is broken / holey in so many places — the lady I got it off told me it was out in all weathers for decades and she'd never put any conditioner on it — that it's literally turning to powder. Sad!

I was hoping that Baron Kurtz would chip and have an idea about when it was made — anyone seen him on FD recently?

 

[Mr Badger]

Bump on the Baron Kurtz question - his input on this topic would still be much appreciated!

Got my mate to snap this awesome vintage motoring coat hanging on the wall at a museum in Wiltshire, it's a beaut!

And here's me bad self with a lovely 1936 Buick 8...

 

[H.Johnson]

Militus and Wareings

Mr. Badger,

As you say, 'Militus' was the 'own brand' label of Milletts Ltd., which sold a wide range of sporting/outdoor, motoring and military surplus clothing. They were founded in (I think) 1928 and are, of course, still in business, albeit in a very different form.

We have discussed the perils of dating clothing accurately from zips (apart, perhaps, from when something first appeared) but I have seen this type of 'thumb-grip' Aero zip on post-war clothing.

The Wareings Co. of Northampton needs no introduction, I think, as they were a major contractor of flying clothing and equipment in WW2 and made some fine leather jackets afterwards. That is a super coat.

 

[H.Johnson]

Mr. Badger,

I think that you fine jacket has unfortunately succumbed to the condition known as 'heat' - bacterialogical breakdown, usually accelerated by the damp/dry cycle. This is common in war-time and early postwar jackets due to inadequate (often vegetable) tanning. It may only show up some years into a garment's life.

May I suggest that it is worth preserving the lining and zip? You could have a manufacturer make a jacket using the existing one as a pattern. Otherwise, I would certainly make you an offer for the jacket as it is. Please PM me if you are interested.

 

[carlstadt]

Two of my British leather jackets. I believe they are from the 50s. One is stiffer than the other but both are very comfortable to wear. They fit nicely with my 1954 BSA b31 motorcycle.

 

[Baron Kurtz]

Here's another old British one for you chaps. I picked this up (i'm thinking it's 1930s) last autumn from a market stall in London, and will sell it soon as it's waaayyyy too big for me. Made by Bodger and Co Ltd. of Cambridge. I'm sure I've seen that name before. It has a great Dot zipper.

bk

 

[Mark P]

Interesting thread. I think there were leather coats for the early motorists made by companies such as Dunhill.