Cal, Al or other…. Help please!

[Fiver64]

Hello Everyone! Could use some help on IDing a recent acquisition. It’s an old police jacket (rectangular badge tab removed). No label, but substantial weight leather body. Unknown if cow or horse. Guessing about 2.5 to 3 oz weight. Not as heavy as my Aero Highwayman, but not as thin as Taylor’s Leatherwear. Clearly had mouton collar at some point. Bi-swing back, rough-out side gussets, and main zipper has a fold-back flap. Lining feels like satin or nylon (black) but sleeve lining is sort of maroon satin. Cut seems to hold (to me) many hints at Cal Leather, or Al’s Leathers, but I am no expert on these two makers. Pocket bags are heavy whiteish cotton material. Zips are all brass YKK with main zipper about a #8 in size. Smells old and musty but has a beautiful drape! The lining (especially sleeves) are fairly ratty, so thinking of having it relined by Dena.

My main question is obviously, who made it? Other advice I’d appreciate is do you think it’s worth restoring, do you think it’s HH or Steer, and what is the best treatment for the hides? Thanks!! Eric

 

[TooManyHatsOnlyOneHead]

Is there mutton in the wrist cuff?

I don't recall seeing a Cal with maroon lining in the sleeves. All the ones I've seen are black through out. But it could be a custom job or maybe a newer model. It definitely has a lot of similarities. Pattern wise with the gussets, it looks like my 1970's party Cal I just sold.

 

[ton312]

Hello Everyone! Could use some help on IDing a recent acquisition. It’s an old police jacket (rectangular badge tab removed). No label, but substantial weight leather body. Unknown if cow or horse. Guessing about 2.5 to 3 oz weight. Not as heavy as my Aero Highwayman, but not as thin as Taylor’s Leatherwear. Clearly had mouton collar at some point. Bi-swing back, rough-out side gussets, and main zipper has a fold-back flap. Lining feels like satin or nylon (black) but sleeve lining is sort of maroon satin. Cut seems to hold (to me) many hints at Cal Leather, or Al’s Leathers, but I am no expert on these two makers. Pocket bags are heavy whiteish cotton material. Zips are all brass YKK with main zipper about a #8 in size. Smells old and musty but has a beautiful drape! The lining (especially sleeves) are fairly ratty, so thinking of having it relined by Dena.

My main question is obviously, who made it? Other advice I’d appreciate is do you think it’s worth restoring, do you think it’s HH or Steer, and what is the best treatment for the hides? Thanks!! Eric

I will take a stab at this. Steerhide, Lancer leathers, Phoenix, AZ. Looks very much like one I had.

 

[Fiver64]

No mouton in the sleeves, nor does it appear to ever have been. The sleeve lining darkens as it goes up into the sleeve, so I suspect that there is fading/staining at the wrists. Color seems to darken to almost black, or maybe a dark wine color.

 

[Fiver64]

Thanks, Ton! I’ll see what I can find on Lancer.

 

[ton312]

Thanks, Ton! I’ll see what I can find on Lancer.

There's not much out there. The company using the name now is junk. Mine had this tag:

 

[Fiver64]

Thanks! I cant see anywhere where the original label was attached. Your photo shows it sewn to the leather, but I can find no stitch holes anywhere, other than the badge tab.

 

[Fiver64]

Correction. Found that the label was stitched to the inside lining, just below the leather facing in the inside pocket. The label was about 1” x 3” long.

 

[Fiver64]

Here’s pic

 

[Fiver64]

I turned the sleeves inside out. They are the same black material as the body lining. Guessing that sweat caused the discoloration.

 

[Fiver64]

I did find that Al’s Leathers used a similar sized label in the same location, and Al also used that rounded leather tab at the inside neck, where the two rear collar snaps are attached. I’m a bit stumped as to the use of the two snaps on the outside of the collar. I haven’t found any photo evidence of that so far! Seems strange if the mouton collar was meant to be removed, to place them in such conspicuous location.

 

[JMax]

Correction. Found that the label was stitched to the inside lining, just below the leather facing in the inside pocket. The label was about 1” x 3” long.

Lancers had their labels sewn in this spot too.

Not a Cal. Looks really nice. I like these rare CHP offshoots. Lots of them out there.

 

[AeroFan_07]

Really nice whatever it is...will be worth a little restoration and some good hard, Wisconsin wearing this fall & winter!

Wasn't there something about Al's Leathers using YKK zippers? However the arrangement of the kidney belt/pad area seems abt off for Cal o r Al's Leathers, perhaps? Too Many Hats has become quite the subject matter expert on these, hope he will chime in. How does this one fit you?

 

[Fiver64]

Thanks, Randy! It's built pretty well. One of those poorly advertised Ebay finds. Much heavier than my Taylor's that I wore when riding motors on duty.