Guide Master by Wolf Outerwear?

[Joey Wolf]

Hi Everyone, I am Mel Wolf's son Joey (Howard Byer's first cousin).... So I guess I'm about the closest to Wolf Outerwear you can hear from. It was my dad (Mel) who worked alongside my grandfather (Simon) and Harry, and the three of them got into it in the small office about all the business details. I have vivid recollections dating back to 1954 and 1955. I am 70 years old now, and as a small child, I can recall playing in the empty "factory" (I didn't know what a factory was then!) on Saturday mornings. I can still feel the steel steps on a steep staircase that led up to the floor where everything took place, and I can visualize the rows of sewing machines. There were piles of leather scraps - or perhaps they were yet-to-be stitched pieces of leather, and long racks of garments in another large room. My younger brothers and I were nearly always arrayed in leather jackets with a rabbit's foot attached to the zipper. (I am a vegetarian today, and I am pretty sure I didn't realize that the rabbit's foot was for real). My dad (Melvin) was not a graduate of Harvard Business School. In fact, he went to Harvard and majored in sociology - wrote his undergrad thesis on the sociology of big band music. He was actually a fine saxophone player, combined being a jazz musician into his eighties with being a businessman. At business (Wolf Outerwear and later on in the bottle business), he was all business. An efficiency guy, an organizer. I wish I could report more to you on the stylistic side of Wolf Outerwear, but I have little knowledge of that. Simon (my grandfather) did work early on (from around 1915 on) in various clothing factories in Roxbury, so that he was well equipped and (in my grandmother's telling) quite determined to stake out his own place. He was the sweetest guy, a Red Sox fan, fairly dapper, and wore a diamond pinky-ring. While he was quiet and smiling at home and deferred to his center-stage wife, I did witness him being quite animated and even strident at Wolf Outerwear. As for Harry Wolfe (with an "e" - the family alternated with the spelling), Simon's nephew by a much older brother, he was a fairly grumpy guy who was usually out on the road - a salesman. Back to the business side - I coincidentally know the son of the man they sold the business to, who only had it briefly, before he read the tea leaves and stitchery moved to Asia. I also remember a few lovely people who worked on the factory floor - and Sam the Cutter, I can still picture him today! It was quiet and labyrinthine on Saturday mornings, but thrumming with action - if, for some reason, my mother was forced to take us by car to pick up my dad during the week. Lastly, I remember playing with the clock, punching out (as if I had put in a full day's work). It warms my heart to read your conversation about these gorgeous leather jackets and to see that Wolf Outerwear Guidemaster label......in 2021! Happy Holidays!

This is Simon Wolf my grandfather. He and his nephew Harry (junior partner) opened in the 1940's and operated Wolf Outerwear in Boston Massachusetts until my grandfather retired in '61 or '62. Harry bought and continued to run the business until it was sold to Bert Paley. Most of the info in this feed seems correct. The story I was told was that my grandfather had worked for other companies prior to opening his own factory and designed many of their coats himself. I remember hearing that over time he quietly took some of his designs as well as a few customers prior to leaving which they weren't too happy about. I'm not exactly sure when Wolf Outerwear opened, I'll try to find out, but I know they made bomber jackets for the second world war.
My mother worked for a short time in the office doing payroll. Her older brother Melvin worked there as well but after graduating from Harvard Business school decide to go a different way.
As a young child I remember getting on the elevator to go up to the cutting floor to be measured as my cousins and I all had small leather jackets of every color.
View attachment 220228 Finally, the leather jackets prized by collectors today are still considered one of the best leather jackets ever manufactured and I believe a white motorcycle jacket from Wolf Outerwear sold at auction in Japan and holds the record for the highest price ever paid.

This is Simon Wolf my grandfather. He and his nephew Harry (junior partner) opened in the 1940's and operated Wolf Outerwear in Boston Massachusetts until my grandfather retired in '61 or '62. Harry bought and continued to run the business until it was sold to Bert Paley. Most of the info in this feed seems correct. The story I was told was that my grandfather had worked for other companies prior to opening his own factory and designed many of their coats himself. I remember hearing that over time he quietly took some of his designs as well as a few customers prior to leaving which they weren't too happy about. I'm not exactly sure when Wolf Outerwear opened, I'll try to find out, but I know they made bomber jackets for the second world war.
My mother worked for a short time in the office doing payroll. Her older brother Melvin worked there as well but after graduating from Harvard Business school decide to go a different way.
As a young child I remember getting on the elevator to go up to the cutting floor to be measured as my cousins and I all had small leather jackets of every color.
View attachment 220228 Finally, the leather jackets prized by collectors today are still considered one of the best leather jackets ever manufactured and I believe a white motorcycle jacket from Wolf Outerwear sold at auction in Japan and holds the record for the highest price ever paid.

 

[Mysteryo]

Hi Mel, what a fantastic story to share with us, it tells us a little bit more about this mysterious brand that was Wolf’s Outerwear! It’s a magical piece of history.
You can be proud of the work your father and grandfather produced, and the involvement they put in making long lasting quality garments!
I’m the lucky owner of one motorcycle jacket produced by Wolfs and I value it as a « must have » in my passionate collection.
Many thanks for your testimony and merry Christmas

 

[JMax]

Hi Everyone, I am Mel Wolf's son Joey (Howard Byer's first cousin).... So I guess I'm about the closest to Wolf Outerwear you can hear from. It was my dad (Mel) who worked alongside my grandfather (Simon) and Harry, and the three of them got into it in the small office about all the business details. I have vivid recollections dating back to 1954 and 1955. I am 70 years old now, and as a small child, I can recall playing in the empty "factory" (I didn't know what a factory was then!) on Saturday mornings. I can still feel the steel steps on a steep staircase that led up to the floor where everything took place, and I can visualize the rows of sewing machines. There were piles of leather scraps - or perhaps they were yet-to-be stitched pieces of leather, and long racks of garments in another large room. My younger brothers and I were nearly always arrayed in leather jackets with a rabbit's foot attached to the zipper. (I am a vegetarian today, and I am pretty sure I didn't realize that the rabbit's foot was for real). My dad (Melvin) was not a graduate of Harvard Business School. In fact, he went to Harvard and majored in sociology - wrote his undergrad thesis on the sociology of big band music. He was actually a fine saxophone player, combined being a jazz musician into his eighties with being a businessman. At business (Wolf Outerwear and later on in the bottle business), he was all business. An efficiency guy, an organizer. I wish I could report more to you on the stylistic side of Wolf Outerwear, but I have little knowledge of that. Simon (my grandfather) did work early on (from around 1915 on) in various clothing factories in Roxbury, so that he was well equipped and (in my grandmother's telling) quite determined to stake out his own place. He was the sweetest guy, a Red Sox fan, fairly dapper, and wore a diamond pinky-ring. While he was quiet and smiling at home and deferred to his center-stage wife, I did witness him being quite animated and even strident at Wolf Outerwear. As for Harry Wolfe (with an "e" - the family alternated with the spelling), Simon's nephew by a much older brother, he was a fairly grumpy guy who was usually out on the road - a salesman. Back to the business side - I coincidentally know the son of the man they sold the business to, who only had it briefly, before he read the tea leaves and stitchery moved to Asia. I also remember a few lovely people who worked on the factory floor - and Sam the Cutter, I can still picture him today! It was quiet and labyrinthine on Saturday mornings, but thrumming with action - if, for some reason, my mother was forced to take us by car to pick up my dad during the week. Lastly, I remember playing with the clock, punching out (as if I had put in a full day's work). It warms my heart to read your conversation about these gorgeous leather jackets and to see that Wolf Outerwear Guidemaster label......in 2021! Happy Holidays!

Thank you very much for the information and incredible contribution to the site. I thoroughly enjoy reading first hand experiences and can picture what it felt like walking that production floor. I may have been picking up and walking out with as many jackets as I could carry. My Guidemaster MC jacket is without question one of the finest jackets I have owned. Happy Holidays to you.

 

[Will Zach]

Great to hear from you Mr Wolf. Stories like that are very valuable to historians among us, like @tmitchell59 and others. The jackets your family made are really high quality. I recently bought one from 1950s, a total restoration project, but with rich history, being worn by a musician who played at CBGBs in NYC. A lot of us enjoy giving those old things new life.

 

[Mysteryo]

 

[Will Zach]

 

[Howard Byer]

Hi Everyone, I am Mel Wolf's son Joey (Howard Byer's first cousin).... So I guess I'm about the closest to Wolf Outerwear you can hear from. It was my dad (Mel) who worked alongside my grandfather (Simon) and Harry, and the three of them got into it in the small office about all the business details. I have vivid recollections dating back to 1954 and 1955. I am 70 years old now, and as a small child, I can recall playing in the empty "factory" (I didn't know what a factory was then!) on Saturday mornings. I can still feel the steel steps on a steep staircase that led up to the floor where everything took place, and I can visualize the rows of sewing machines. There were piles of leather scraps - or perhaps they were yet-to-be stitched pieces of leather, and long racks of garments in another large room. My younger brothers and I were nearly always arrayed in leather jackets with a rabbit's foot attached to the zipper. (I am a vegetarian today, and I am pretty sure I didn't realize that the rabbit's foot was for real). My dad (Melvin) was not a graduate of Harvard Business School. In fact, he went to Harvard and majored in sociology - wrote his undergrad thesis on the sociology of big band music. He was actually a fine saxophone player, combined being a jazz musician into his eighties with being a businessman. At business (Wolf Outerwear and later on in the bottle business), he was all business. An efficiency guy, an organizer. I wish I could report more to you on the stylistic side of Wolf Outerwear, but I have little knowledge of that. Simon (my grandfather) did work early on (from around 1915 on) in various clothing factories in Roxbury, so that he was well equipped and (in my grandmother's telling) quite determined to stake out his own place. He was the sweetest guy, a Red Sox fan, fairly dapper, and wore a diamond pinky-ring. While he was quiet and smiling at home and deferred to his center-stage wife, I did witness him being quite animated and even strident at Wolf Outerwear. As for Harry Wolfe (with an "e" - the family alternated with the spelling), Simon's nephew by a much older brother, he was a fairly grumpy guy who was usually out on the road - a salesman. Back to the business side - I coincidentally know the son of the man they sold the business to, who only had it briefly, before he read the tea leaves and stitchery moved to Asia. I also remember a few lovely people who worked on the factory floor - and Sam the Cutter, I can still picture him today! It was quiet and labyrinthine on Saturday mornings, but thrumming with action - if, for some reason, my mother was forced to take us by car to pick up my dad during the week. Lastly, I remember playing with the clock, punching out (as if I had put in a full day's work). It warms my heart to read your conversation about these gorgeous leather jackets and to see that Wolf Outerwear Guidemaster label......in 2021! Happy Holidays!

Thanks for posting Joey. Sociology? I'm sure my mother told me business or maybe I just assumed. lol... Great info though!

 

[JMax]

 

[Joey Wolf]

Great to hear from you Mr Wolf. Stories like that are very valuable to historians among us, like @tmitchell59 and others. The jackets your family made are really high quality. I recently bought one from 1950s, a total restoration project, but with rich history, being worn by a musician who played at CBGBs in NYC. A lot of us enjoy giving those old things new life.

 

[AeroFan_07]

Hi Everyone, I am Mel Wolf's son Joey (Howard Byer's first cousin).... So I guess I'm about the closest to Wolf Outerwear you can hear from. It was my dad (Mel) who worked alongside my grandfather (Simon) and Harry, and the three of them got into it in the small office about all the business details. I have vivid recollections dating back to 1954 and 1955. I am 70 years old now, and as a small child, I can recall playing in the empty "factory" (I didn't know what a factory was then!) on Saturday mornings. I can still feel the steel steps on a steep staircase that led up to the floor where everything took place, and I can visualize the rows of sewing machines. There were piles of leather scraps - or perhaps they were yet-to-be stitched pieces of leather, and long racks of garments in another large room. My younger brothers and I were nearly always arrayed in leather jackets with a rabbit's foot attached to the zipper. (I am a vegetarian today, and I am pretty sure I didn't realize that the rabbit's foot was for real). My dad (Melvin) was not a graduate of Harvard Business School. In fact, he went to Harvard and majored in sociology - wrote his undergrad thesis on the sociology of big band music. He was actually a fine saxophone player, combined being a jazz musician into his eighties with being a businessman. At business (Wolf Outerwear and later on in the bottle business), he was all business. An efficiency guy, an organizer. I wish I could report more to you on the stylistic side of Wolf Outerwear, but I have little knowledge of that. Simon (my grandfather) did work early on (from around 1915 on) in various clothing factories in Roxbury, so that he was well equipped and (in my grandmother's telling) quite determined to stake out his own place. He was the sweetest guy, a Red Sox fan, fairly dapper, and wore a diamond pinky-ring. While he was quiet and smiling at home and deferred to his center-stage wife, I did witness him being quite animated and even strident at Wolf Outerwear. As for Harry Wolfe (with an "e" - the family alternated with the spelling), Simon's nephew by a much older brother, he was a fairly grumpy guy who was usually out on the road - a salesman. Back to the business side - I coincidentally know the son of the man they sold the business to, who only had it briefly, before he read the tea leaves and stitchery moved to Asia. I also remember a few lovely people who worked on the factory floor - and Sam the Cutter, I can still picture him today! It was quiet and labyrinthine on Saturday mornings, but thrumming with action - if, for some reason, my mother was forced to take us by car to pick up my dad during the week. Lastly, I remember playing with the clock, punching out (as if I had put in a full day's work). It warms my heart to read your conversation about these gorgeous leather jackets and to see that Wolf Outerwear Guidemaster label......in 2021! Happy Holidays!

Thank you for sharing all this great information here Joey! Obviously it had a lot of personal signifigance to you through your life.

Feel free to stick around and enjoy this community. Great to have someone very interested in history on here.

 

[Joey Wolf]

I hope you can see this from 1958. My brother and sister in one of my dad's (Melvin's) leather jackets. We all wore them. Pic taken by me, at 7 years old! - Joey

 

[tmitchell59]

thank you for the great recollections! Many of us here are very interested in the history of leather jackets.

If you have access to any of the paper goods; like catalogs, records etc that would be most interesting.

I hope you can see this from 1958. My brother and sister in one of my dad's (Melvin's) leather jackets. We all wore them. Pic taken by me, at 7 years old! - Joey

 

[Joey Wolf]

thank you for the great recollections! Many of us here are very interested in the history of leather jackets.

If you have access to any of the paper goods; like catalogs, records etc that would be most interesting.

I'm afraid not. My knowledge is very limited, except for the family aspect and picturing it all in my mind. All the best for a happy new year. - Joey Wolf

 

[Howard Byer]

The p

I'm afraid not. My knowledge is very limited, except for the family aspect and picturing it all in my mind. All the best for a happy new year. - Joey Wolf

The picture with Rob in the leather jacket is awesome. I forgot I probably have a photo in a jacket too and as I was next in line sizewise may have gotten that same jacket after him...lol

 

[Will Zach]

Great to have both of you guys here. Please post whatever you can find, old family pics in Wolf jackets are beyond cool, and if you come across some company papers or catalogs, as @tmitchell59 said, there are plenty of historians on this site who appreciate them.

 

[jeo]

View attachment 390592 View attachment 390594

This is an Edgo btw, not a Guide Master. You can tell because the Edgo has French seams, the GMW does not.

 

[JMax]

This is an Edgo btw, not a Guide Master. You can tell because the Edgo has French seams, the GMW does not.

Good to know. Thanks. It was spectacular…and too small for me.