Goodwear Star A-2

[Sloan1874]

Shinki's the bomb.

 

[EmergencyIan]

So I always go to the Portland antique show and you never know what you'll find. I see some A-2s and some G-1s and look them over. I see this one and it looks really good. I ask the vendor if it's a reproduction and he says yes, I bought it from a guy who says he got it from a guy in Seattle. I think to myself "no it can't be" But then I see the label and the other details that only John gets right. I offer the guy $200. and he says sure. I confirm it's Johns by looking it up on his website, and yup no doubt about it. I love this color. I always wanted a seal brown. This one is worn just enough to really bring the grain out in the horsehide. What really surprised me is it fit perfectly. I'm thinking this is the best show ever. Then to add to it I find a nice vintage Malllory fedora for $10.00 and a NOS vintage tie. Best show I've been to. Here's a couple quick pics.





fedoralover

Out of curiosity, how did you go about confirming that this is in fact a Good Wear Star A-2? I'm not doubting you. I'm just curious as to how one would go about it.

- Ian

 

[fedoralover]

Good question. First clue was that the seller said it came from a guy that makes them in Seattle. John is based in Seattle. Second, I already have one Goodwear and John does certain details that a few other repro makers don't. For instance, I have an Aero Real Deal and while it's a great jacket, if you look at the cut around the bottom knit, it's round. John duplicates the originals by swooping the front of the jacket down. You can really see this when looking at them from the side. And you can really tell when wearing it. So I knew it wasn't an Aero. Also I looked at his website and checked his Star Sportswear pictures and it was an exact match. The pocket construction and shape was exactly the same. I looked at Bill Kelso's and the pockets on their Star's are a tad different. Also the leather was of a quality that told me it was high end. I didn't know it was Shinki, but I knew it was definitely something rare.

So, while I know there are maybe a few other vendors that could have made this jacket, from the many offerings I've seen on the other vendors websites, from the many pics I've seen here and over at the VLJ forum and my own expierience, it made me 99.99 % sure it was a Goodwear.

Then after I first posted a pic of it another member was kind enough to send me this link. He's pretty sure that the jacket I bought is the one being modeled by John himself. As I look at it, the size, color, zip, graining, pocket pattern, and even the pocket tag reads the same and is in the same place , that's pretty much as an exact a match as you could get.
Here it is. http://www.goodwearleather.com/star_darkseal/

And if someone knows it's not a Goodwear and can confirm it's an Eastman or a Bill Kelso, or some other brand please let me know. Either way, whoever made this jacket is a real artist.

fedoralover

 

[handymike]

the Union Made label in the pocket should have a GW in the center...
At least on the Civvy jackets ;-)

 

[fedoralover]

Here's a pocket comparison between the one on Johns website, the one I just bought and a Bill Kelso Seal Brown Star Sportswear. It kinda clinched it for me.

fedoralover

 

[thor]

As unique and conclusive as a human fingerprint! Good forensics at work to settle the identity of this jacket

 

[rocketeer]

And if someone knows it's not a Goodwear and can confirm it's an Eastman or a Bill Kelso, or some other brand please let me know. Either way, whoever made this jacket is a real artist.

fedoralover

So it's probably a bit better made than a WWII original then.

 

[EmergencyIan]

Good question. First clue was that the seller said it came from a guy that makes them in Seattle. John is based in Seattle. Second, I already have one Goodwear and John does certain details that a few other repro makers don't. For instance, I have an Aero Real Deal and while it's a great jacket, if you look at the cut around the bottom knit, it's round. John duplicates the originals by swooping the front of the jacket down. You can really see this when looking at them from the side. And you can really tell when wearing it. So I knew it wasn't an Aero. Also I looked at his website and checked his Star Sportswear pictures and it was an exact match. The pocket construction and shape was exactly the same. I looked at Bill Kelso's and the pockets on their Star's are a tad different. Also the leather was of a quality that told me it was high end. I didn't know it was Shinki, but I knew it was definitely something rare.

So, while I know there are maybe a few other vendors that could have made this jacket, from the many offerings I've seen on the other vendors websites, from the many pics I've seen here and over at the VLJ forum and my own expierience, it made me 99.99 % sure it was a Goodwear.

Then after I first posted a pic of it another member was kind enough to send me this link. He's pretty sure that the jacket I bought is the one being modeled by John himself. As I look at it, the size, color, zip, graining, pocket pattern, and even the pocket tag reads the same and is in the same place , that's pretty much as an exact a match as you could get.
Here it is. http://www.goodwearleather.com/star_darkseal/

And if someone knows it's not a Goodwear and can confirm it's an Eastman or a Bill Kelso, or some other brand please let me know. Either way, whoever made this jacket is a real artist.

fedoralover

That's good enough for me! (For some silly, ridiculous reason, when I read the original post, I thought that you meant there was some way to identify each individual jacket through the Goodwear Leather website.)

- Ian