Early pre 60s Wards Jacket

[jonbuilder]

Terry, you picked up this gem?

Going back I see your video good score

 

[tmitchell59]

Not mine. Great 1930s label. Took me some time to decipher this label

 

[jonbuilder]

View attachment 328366 View attachment 328367 View attachment 328368 View attachment 328369 View attachment 328370

Now that jacket got style

 

[tmitchell59]

Now that jacket got style

Made on the Pacific Coast, The Coast is long. This jacket just looks like California Sportswear Company LA. I have a similar jacket with the Californian label. Those folks made a lot jackets and some of the best. Seattle Woolen is also on the Pacific coast. I don't have a tie in with the catalog jackets, or I just don't see it CSC y made jackets for Wards with a Made in California label in the 40s, early 50s Motorcycle boom.

 

[tmitchell59]

The Montgomery Wards Labels are my favorite of the Catalog Jackets. Figuring out this was MW label took me some time. I'm stunned by the Modern look. I don't have a knowledge of design/graphics, but this label really intrigues me. This label is rarely seen today.

 

[tmitchell59]

I have confirmed California Sportswear made jackets for Sears Topline label c.1940, after or before I don't know. The Three Catalogs all used the Made in California slogan. I believe I have a Made in California Hercules MC jacket now. I have a same year Hercules which I do not think was made in California for comparison. That is my life.

 

[tmitchell59]

recently have become attached to pre 60s Ward jackets. Being raised on MC Ward and Sears I kind of looked more for Hercules jackets and Sears were more prolific in numbers of jackets I have come to the conclusion Wards jackets are more interesting.
I will start with a 40s halfbelt identified by dinnerman as a wards jacket

I agree to a point. All the 30s Catalog jackets were the Best. I call this period; Zippers to War 1932-1941. All the Best makers were competing through the catalogs, a very creative time for leather jacket makers. I know what was in the Sears catalogs. I do not have access to the other catalogs. I have do own jackets from this era and collected many more pictures. I have a good idea what was being sold under what label. There are always surprises.

Jacket sales during the war are taken up by war time production and supply issues. They do make some, but few. The Golden era of jackets is gone.

Post war Veterans MC jackets are big time, Civilian jackets become very tame. Police jackets continue as a staple for some makers, all of the big and small make service jackets.

Less expensive jackets have always been around, but became more prevalent in the 50s.

I believe that unlabeled jacket above could be a Hercules jacket not Wards.

 

[jonbuilder]

I agree to a point. All the 30s Catalog jackets were the Best. I call this period; Zippers to War 1932-1941. All the Best makers were competing through the catalogs, a very creative time for leather jacket makers. I know what was in the Sears catalogs. I do not have access to the other catalogs. I have do own jackets from this era and collected many more pictures. I have a good idea what was being sold under what label. There are always surprises.

Jacket sales during the war are taken up by war time production and supply issues. They do make some, but few. The Golden era of jackets is gone.

Post war Veterans MC jackets are big time, Civilian jackets become very tame. Police jackets continue as a staple for some makers, all of the big and small make service jackets.

Less expensive jackets have always been around, but became more prevalent in the 50s.

I believe that unlabeled jacket above could be a Hercules jacket not Wards.

Information like this is golden Thank you for your imput

 

[ton312]

Information like this is golden Thank you for your imput

I was going to suggest the same Jon. Your jacket is very similar to this Herc, the cuff style being so distinct....though it would not surprise me either way:

 

[ton312]

I’ve been working this guy over since last night. The seller and I clearly have a different opinion on what “near mint” means. Zip was caked to the point of being useless but baking soda/lenon juice past and clipper oil freed it up. Hand warmer pockets were DISGUSTING but a little dawn and hot water cleaned them up nicely. It also had, of all things, shoulder pads. Thankfully they were very easy to remove. I suspect they preserved the shoulders and prevented any cracking. This sucker was bone ass dry on arrival. Restoring his youth is fun though. I think this one will compliment my other quite nicely.

 

[navetsea]

The Montgomery Wards Labels are my favorite of the Catalog Jackets. Figuring out this was MW label took me some time. I'm stunned by the Modern look. I don't have a knowledge of design/graphics, but this label really intrigues me. This label is rarely seen today.

View attachment 329935

aaah I see it now
the top and bottom line
---------------M-------------------

---------------W-------------------

nice quiz!

 

[tmitchell59]

aaah I see it now
the top and bottom line
---------------M-------------------

---------------W-------------------

nice quiz!

You did well! Here is something similar with the Montgomery Ward name.

Here is another quiz. I posted this one several months ago, but no one replied.

This Ralphs-Pugh label seems to be celebrating an event in San Francisco around 1938. This label was granted a Trademark in around 1938.

In the connection just jumped out at me one day.

Think iconic San Francisco images.

 

[ton312]

You did well! Here is something similar with the Montgomery Ward name.
View attachment 332830

Here is another quiz. I posted this one several months ago, but no one replied.

This Ralphs-Pugh label seems to be celebrating an event in San Francisco around 1938. This label was granted a Trademark in around 1938.

In the connection just jumped out at me one day.

Think iconic San Francisco images.

View attachment 332831

View attachment 332833

 

[tmitchell59]

We have another winner! San Francisco Golden Gate Bridge.

While there are no prizes, each winner gets a Hearty; "Well Done".

 

[ton312]

We have another winner! San Francisco Golden Gate Bridge.

While there are no prizes, each winner gets a Hearty; "Well Done".

Well...I was hoping for another Wards jacket but I suppose this will have to do...LOL.

 

[jonbuilder]

We have another winner! San Francisco Golden Gate Bridge.

While there are no prizes, each winner gets a Hearty; "Well Done".

winner winner chicken dinner
I sailed under that bridge Monday afternoon beautiful day on the bay perfect winds

 

[Marc mndt]

Some time ago I spotted this Mushmans rendition of a 50s Windward halfbelt. I loved those slanted handwarmer pockets that stem from the side panels. That's a unique design feature that I haven't seen elsewhere.

On Mushmans' blog they explain how they kept all the design details as close to original as possible but changed the pattern to fit the physique of the Japanese man. You can see they narrowed down the sleeves and chest.

This slimmed down Japanese pattern is not suited for my physique. Also, those pattern changes made it look a bit feminine imo. Chances of finding an original one in my size were pretty slim so I decided to ask Field Leathers whether they could make a Windward inspired jacket for me.

Greg told me he could make the jacket but he couldn't do the piping/cording on the hand warmer pockets. Those would just be two stitch lines. I'm sure Greg would have made me an awesome jacket but without the cording the jacket would be a great attemt at best. I decided not to go through.

A month ago @ton312 shared the link to this ebay auction of an original Windward. Same design, my size. Apart from being bone dry, the jacket looked to be in good condition. I had to have it. To avoid eBay's global shipping program (which is a scam) I asked @ton312 whether he could proxy.

Tony was so kind to give the jacket a coat of Urus and some leather lotion before shipping it across the pond.

The jacket was too small for Tony, he couldn't zip it up. Which was great news, too small for him meant perfect for me

When the jacket arrived, it was still looking a bit dull so I gave it a final coat of beeswax. The jacket had a couple of ugly creases and the collar was totally flat and crooked. I gave it the hot water treatment so I could mold it back into shape.

 

[Marc mndt]

 

[Marc mndt]

Of course, @tmitchell59 has one in his collection as well

https://www.thefedoralounge.com/thr...-windward-suede-horsehide.93642/#post-2408511

 

[navetsea]

that one is much harder, without the suspension cables I wouldn't have come to see it as golden gate bridge, capital T is popular to be used to connect things in logos