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Finds and Deals - Leather Jacket Edition

blm14

A-List Customer
Messages
415
Location
nyc

aero two-tone dustbowl, size 48. Also would have snapped this up but the back length is like 3" too short :(
 

Leather Walker

Practically Family
Messages
616
Location
Barcelona
Brown Johnson Leathers
Size 44
BIN $250
eBay
s-l1200.webp
 

tmitchell59

I'll Lock Up
Messages
7,691
Location
Illinois
OMG! I was at a Bday party for my granddaughter when this one sold. Yes, I missed it.

This is the second I have seen, the other is in a book. This has been my True Grail jacket. At least it gives me hope that another my surface. I am consoled only by the fact it would not have fit me.

This is the most important Sears catalog page I have to date. Found and posted by a name I do not recall. It is from 1948 and shows the only pic of the leather Trucker and the only pic of the 1st generation Hercules motorcycle jacket.

I have a couple of the 1st gen MC jackets.

1702920104180.jpeg
 

AHP91

One Too Many
Messages
1,054
OMG! I was at a Bday party for my granddaughter when this one sold. Yes, I missed it.

This is the second I have seen, the other is in a book. This has been my True Grail jacket. At least it gives me hope that another my surface. I am consoled only by the fact it would not have fit me.

This is the most important Sears catalog page I have to date. Found and posted by a name I do not recall. It is from 1948 and shows the only pic of the leather Trucker and the only pic of the 1st generation Hercules motorcycle jacket.

I have a couple of the 1st gen MC jackets.

View attachment 571521

Beautiful jacket. Looks like the adjustment in the back was removed, you can see it a bit in the photo of the jacket that sold. Still nice. Have you seen the aviator jacket catalogued on this page?
 
Messages
17,465
Location
Chicago
OMG! I was at a Bday party for my granddaughter when this one sold. Yes, I missed it.

This is the second I have seen, the other is in a book. This has been my True Grail jacket. At least it gives me hope that another my surface. I am consoled only by the fact it would not have fit me.

This is the most important Sears catalog page I have to date. Found and posted by a name I do not recall. It is from 1948 and shows the only pic of the leather Trucker and the only pic of the 1st generation Hercules motorcycle jacket.

I have a couple of the 1st gen MC jackets.

View attachment 571521
Back length is likely 18”!! It’s a leather bra with sleeves! I love the old stuff and I know it’s been beaten to death but man that is actually the shortest jacket I’ve seen. I would have to wear my pants with the waist at my nipples.
 

AHP91

One Too Many
Messages
1,054
Back length is likely 18”!! It’s a leather bra with sleeves! I love the old stuff and I know it’s been beaten to death but man that is actually the shortest jacket I’ve seen. I would have to wear my pants with the waist at my nipples.

Haha yes, this one would even be short for me. I don’t think I can do that length even at 5’8
 

photo2u

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,324
Location
claremont california
OMG! I was at a Bday party for my granddaughter when this one sold. Yes, I missed it.

This is the second I have seen, the other is in a book. This has been my True Grail jacket. At least it gives me hope that another my surface. I am consoled only by the fact it would not have fit me.

This is the most important Sears catalog page I have to date. Found and posted by a name I do not recall. It is from 1948 and shows the only pic of the leather Trucker and the only pic of the 1st generation Hercules motorcycle jacket.

I have a couple of the 1st gen MC jackets.

View attachment 571521

Love the jackets. I was wondering if you have an exact date for the images in the catalog. I was thinking 1948 due to the thickness of the the wool plaid lining.
 
Messages
17,465
Location
Chicago
Haha yes, this one would even be short for me. I don’t think I can do that length even at 5’8
The topic of why vintage jackets are so short comes up often and the typical excuse is the rise of the pants worn at the time. I did a little looking into it and the average height of US males in 1940 was 5'7". So from what I can tell the jackets are short by today's standard because the average height was some 2-3" shorter than the average height today. It's not pants...it's evolution.
 

tmitchell59

I'll Lock Up
Messages
7,691
Location
Illinois
Beautiful jacket. Looks like the adjustment in the back was removed, you can see it a bit in the photo of the jacket that sold. Still nice. Have you seen the aviator jacket catalogued on this page?
The Aviator is probably listed in the standard catalog. I did not notice the length or the missing back belt, just noticed a jacket I have never seen for sale.

Is this the earlyist leather Trucker? I don't know of another that predates this one.

The catalog is a page from the Holiday catalog from 1948. I did not post this originally. My ongoing thanks to the one who did.
 

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Marc mndt

I'll Lock Up
Messages
7,268
I did a little looking into it and the average height of US males in 1940 was 5'7". So from what I can tell the jackets are short by today's standard because the average height was some 2-3" shorter than the average height today. It's not pants...it's evolution.
I thought the difference in average height was negligible but you're right. For American men the difference in average height between someone who was 40yo in 1950 and someone who was 40yo in 2020 is 6,9cm or 2.72". for Dutch men the difference is even bigger.

IMG_2742.jpeg
IMG_2743.jpeg
 
Messages
17,465
Location
Chicago
I thought the difference in average height was negligible but you're right. For American men the difference in average height between someone who was 40yo in 1950 and someone who was 40yo in 2020 is 6,9cm or 2.72". for Dutch men the difference is even bigger.

View attachment 571530 View attachment 571531
So the back length of these shorter vintage styles does actually indicate the makers desire to match the height of the average US male. I'm sure pants style played a small role too but height seems to be the more compelling/logical reason.
 

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