Finds and Deals - Leather Jacket Edition

[Carlos840]

Size doesn't matter on this one. Gotta have it, sorta like a missing link. A piece of evidence. Here is the same jacket in calf skin with a Sears Topline label

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This Californian Calfskin is coming Tuesday, same leather different Style.

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I had never seen that zipper, i really like it.
When is it from?

 

[Coriu]

Cheap leather and about two dozen little scraps of it sewn together into a jacket shape. But then sometimes you come across a really nice one that makes you stop and take a breath. I can't figure Grais out. Did they make jackets in various quality tiers and at different price points? Did the quality just change over time?

I found this comment on another website. It sounds like they had a strong regional influence and if marketing their civilian gear to a younger set, I could see them likewise targeting a lower price point.

"I graduated elementary school in 1954, Jerry, and my Grais leather jacket was the graduation present I begged for so that I'd be "in style" for entering Roosevelt High School. In those years if you didn't have a Grais jacket you weren't anybody! I wore that jacket all through high school..."

 

[Claybertrand]

I had never seen that zipper, i really like it.
When is it from?

Terry will know if anyone does. I have seen these in older jackets before but not very often. I love the detail on these and they seem sort of Art Deco-ish in my opinion. It sorta also looks like a coin. Very cool. Talon actually on the hoop itself is such a great detail. Seems like it would be a late 30s early 40s type of era zip. That's just a gut feeling though---not at all based on fact. Zipper pulls are like---the hobby WITHIN the hobby...... I find them really interesting.

 

[JMax]

Cheap leather and about two dozen little scraps of it sewn together into a jacket shape. But then sometimes you come across a really nice one that makes you stop and take a breath. I can't figure Grais out. Did they make jackets in various quality tiers and at different price points? Did the quality just change over time?

That’s been my experience. Some are cheap looking and then out of no where...BAM. One of most beautiful jackets around. Also, many times they seem to have been for someone who has removed a rib or two.

 

[tmitchell59]

I had never seen that zipper, i really like it.
When is it from?

Someone called them Olympic Rings. I don't know where they got that. They don't show up that often. This is a Sears Topline jacket, so they probably used them on their best jackets as Topline was indeed that.

Seems like it would be a late 30s early 40s type of era zip.

I don't know if I have another jacket with these rings. The Topline is from c.1941.

The Ball and Chain are also rarely seen probably only on high end jackets.

 

[tmitchell59]

Cheap leather and about two dozen little scraps of it sewn together into a jacket shape. But then sometimes you come across a really nice one that makes you stop and take a breath. I can't figure Grais out. Did they make jackets in various quality tiers and at different price points? Did the quality just change over time?

I found this comment on another website. It sounds like they had a strong regional influence and if marketing their civilian gear to a younger set, I could see them likewise targeting a lower price point.

That’s been my experience. Some are cheap looking and then out of no where...BAM. One of most beautiful jackets around. Also, many times

I've been reluctant to say anything about Grais. Seems it the same experience others have had. My first leather jacket was a brand new Grais, car coat buttoned in brown with zip out lining. Bought it in 1967 for $40, Cabretta leather.

Like you all mentioned, some of them look really good, others not so. This is an example of making products for a price. There was less quality leather out there given the huge amount of leather that was tanned.

The jacket pictured above is c.1960

 

[Jumper]

I've been reluctant to say anything about Grais. Seems it the same experience others have had. My first leather jacket was a brand new Grais, car coat buttoned in brown with zip out lining. Bought it in 1967 for $40, Cabretta leather.

It must have been something for it to stick in your mind like that all this time. Do you still have it?

 

[tmitchell59]

It must have been something for it to stick in your mind like that all this time. Do you still have it?

My older cousin had a black jacket in the style of the Beatles. He was cool, so I saved my money and order it. I was 16 and making .75 cents per hour busing dishes.

I donated it to a back yard sale for our ten year HS reunion in 1980.

Around the same time I bought the Grais I got my Varsity letter and ordered a Letter jacket. I recall being asked If I wanted leather or vinyl sleeves. I chose leather. I still have that jacket hanging right next to me.

Those numbers must look pretty old!

 

[Monitor]

Find, really but it's cool. Lots of love went into this jacket. Wouldn't want to wear it, myself. Perfect piece to hang on a store wall. @Edward , you may find it cool!

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VINTAGE-...-JACKET-SIZE-M-BADGES-ACE-PATINA/193895670564

 

[Will Zach]

^^
Not sure about this medal with a swastika (and Iron Cross on the sleeve) , but the rest of it looks cool...btw - in Europe, can you go to jail for that?

 

[Jumper]

My older cousin had a black jacket in the style of the Beatles. He was cool, so I saved my money and order it. I was 16 and making .75 cents per hour busing dishes.

I donated it to a back yard sale for our ten year HS reunion in 1980.

Around the same time I bought the Grais I got my Varsity letter and ordered a Letter jacket. I recall being asked If I wanted leather or vinyl sleeves. I chose leather. I still have that jacket hanging right next to me.

Those numbers must look pretty old!

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Is there a way to double-like a post?

Very cool, sir. And your letter jacket looks long-loved. When I was in high school, I probably would have chosen vinyl, because...bad decisions.

BTW, what's that tan beauty hanging on the right? Is it deer?

 

[Claybertrand]

Find, really but it's cool. Lots of love went into this jacket. Wouldn't want to wear it, myself. Perfect piece to hang on a store wall. @Edward , you may find it cool!

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VINTAGE-...-JACKET-SIZE-M-BADGES-ACE-PATINA/193895670564

Holy BEDAZZLE Batman!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[tmitchell59]

BTW, what's that tan beauty hanging on the right? Is it deer?

Good eye. Yes, Deerskin from Salem Oregon full half-belt back. A couple of weeks after buying mine the Ladies styled jacket showed up. Same back with some piping on the front.

 

[Claybertrand]

Cheap leather and about two dozen little scraps of it sewn together into a jacket shape. But then sometimes you come across a really nice one that makes you stop and take a breath. I can't figure Grais out. Did they make jackets in various quality tiers and at different price points? Did the quality just change over time?

I feel like Grais falls into the same general category as some other makers where, at some point in their existence, the company pivoted to more mass production, lower price point fashion garments. Like many have mentioned, you see many of their jackets that are of underwhelming quality and then you'll glimpse a really cool vintage find and it ends up being a Grais. This is much the same for brands like Golden Bear and even Ralph Edwards (who used to be Cagleco) and actually had Military Contracts (under both brand names).


Cool and Pricey Ralph Edwards G-1:

TOTAL OPPOSITE of the above pictured jacket yet made by the same company years later:

These makers apparently chose the Fashion Jacket road at some point and therefore, you have this confusing product quality comparison where the quality clearly DEVOLVED over the years into Mall level crap. The most egregious and storied example of this may be Belstaff. I actually have, what appears to be a very old Belstaff goat or capeskin jacket that is true vintage gold. Very cool understated look and most impressively compared to their modern uhhhhhh....... CREATIONS it has NO BADGING on it. Just a cool simple vintage interior label. Ok ok I'll post a couple of pics of my Belstaff so you will all believe me. THIS is what they used to make:

......Belstaff is now Mickey Rourke POST PLASTIC SURGERY IMO. You look at their jackets and just wonder what the hell went wrong all those years ago. Who cares if Tom Cruise is wearing their crap on the big screen..... Those shoulder badges make me nauseous....But I digress..............

I think the really true vintage Grais are decent quality comparable to other vintage makers of the day. But when they chose to go all in on fashion jackets to make (GULP!) more money (I imagine), their jackets became undesirable to those of us that would prize their older stuff. I have to believe these were business decisions by second generation owners or those who possibly purchased these old companies and took them in a different direction. And it seems the Grais quality differences can be easily traced along the timeline of the company. The older the Grais, the cooler and better quality. When they went all Cabretta it was a different era and a different aim---more fashion jackets. If I had seen two equally vintage jackets of differing quality and style, my opinion may be different but it seems the differences are clearly between old and more recent garments.

Just my take. I could be wrong....

 

[Jumper]

Good eye. Yes, Deerskin from Salem Oregon full half-belt back. A couple of weeks after buying mine the Ladies styled jacket showed up. Same back with some piping on the front.

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That's a great looking jacket. I was going to ask if it was a Thurlow, but it seems Oregon has had more than its fair share of deerskin jacket makers. Coincidentally, a few pages ago I posted a ladies' jacket much like the fringed one you have there, but with a smaller collar. A Cheverny, which I've never otherwise heard of. Any relation?

 

[tmitchell59]

That's a great looking jacket. I was going to ask if it was a Thurlow, but it seems Oregon has had more than its fair share of deerskin jacket makers. Coincidentally, a few pages ago I posted a ladies' jacket much like the fringed one you have there, but with a smaller collar. A Cheverny, which I've never otherwise heard of. Any relation?

The Deerskin is a Myers Salem Oregon. This jacket may be as close to an early shawl collar Cossack as I will get. This is a mix with the button front, big collar and a classic half-belt back. The Deerskin is very thick and in excellent condition. Vintage Deerskin can be bad and good, just like other leathers of the era. The west-coast makers have a very different look than the mid-west makers. More styling in the west, more intricate patterns, more tailoring.

The Fringe jacket is a very nice ladies jacket. It is made in a wonderfully delicate Cape Skin. The label says: Chips-chip off the old block. Probably from the early 50s.

 

[Coriu]

Cheap leather and about two dozen little scraps of it sewn together into a jacket shape. But then sometimes you come across a really nice one that makes you stop and take a breath. I can't figure Grais out. Did they make jackets in various quality tiers and at different price points? Did the quality just change over time?

...some things I have pieced together...Rubin Grais was a Russian immigrant who came to the US to start a new life. His skills as a shoe maker created the foundation for Grais Leathers. Rubin and his nephew(?) Nate went into jacket/coat making. Rubin did the leather jackets at a large factory and Nate did lettermen jackets from a small shop at his home. Rubin's biggest contract was the Chicago PD.

Brooks was founded by Sandor Weiss, a Hungarian immigrant and shoe maker who fled from the Russian invasion of Hungary. Irving and Jack Schott were the sons of Russian immigrants who started selling raincoats. A Ukranian immigrant by the name of Horween stared a certain famous tannery in the US.

The focus of these immigrants upon arrival in the US was likely survival. Subsequently, they were likely more concerned with selling stuff that put food on the table versus creating work of arts for the leather jacket connoisseur. As they started finding business success, it likely allowed them to expand their lines and get more creative. WWII caused some big changes for some companies, ie the shrinking of the equine industry. And then when foreign competition started ramping up, it likely caused them to rethink their business model once again. So, I can see where the offerings from these companies ebbed and flowed over time. The companies had to evolve and adapt to some pretty extraordinary pressures. In the case of Grais, I could see where making "cool," inexpensive leather jackets for young people could have been a nice niche at some point in time.

 

[JMax]

Sears Fieldmaster label. Suede. 40/42. $100

https://www.ebay.com/itm/60S-SUEDE-LEATHER-JACKET-/124577175275?_trksid=p2349624.m46890.l49292

 

[JMax]

Double post

 

[Jumper]

...some things I have pieced together...Rubin Grais was a Russian immigrant who came to the US to start a new life. His skills as a shoe maker created the foundation for Grais Leathers. Rubin and his nephew(?) Nate went into jacket/coat making. Rubin did the leather jackets at a large factory and Nate did lettermen jackets from a small shop at his home. Rubin's biggest contract was the Chicago PD.

Brooks was founded by Sandor Weiss, a Hungarian immigrant and shoe maker who fled from the Russian invasion of Hungary. Irving and Jack Schott were the sons of Russian immigrants who started selling raincoats. A Ukranian immigrant by the name of Horween stared a certain famous tannery in the US.

The focus of these immigrants upon arrival in the US was likely survival. Subsequently, they were likely more concerned with selling stuff that put food on the table versus creating work of arts for the leather jacket connoisseur. As they started finding business success, it likely allowed them to expand their lines and get more creative. WWII caused some big changes for these companies, ie the shrinking of the equine industry. And then when foreign competition started ramping up, it likely caused them to rethink their business model once again. So, I can see where the offerings from these companies ebbed and flowed over time. The companies had to evolve and adapt to some pretty extraordinary pressures. In the case of Grais, I could see where making "cool," inexpensive leather jackets for young people could have been a nice niche at some point in time.

Thanks for some generous thoughts on the issue. Good to be reminded of this sort of thing. I find myself looking down at jacket makers and bemoaning lack of quality, which is fair, but I should also keep in mind that sometimes just selling more product is what's needed to keep a business from going under. The thought is probably, We'll get back to what we were doing before, as soon as we know we're not going bankrupt. Then maybe they're able to and maybe they're not. For some businesses it's not always simply a matter of not caring about quality, but rather simple survival.