Inspiration LA 2023

[jeo]

Point that to me. I'm not sure I saw that. I love the paper stuff, catalogs, etc. I had a good collection of Gibson guitar stuff, mostly gone now.

Stuff you could just throw away, got thrown away, survivors are rare.

I anticipate a more detailed look at your new/old Beck. The older Schott just doesn't come around for sale. Most interested in your comments.

https://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/leathertogs-marketing.107464/

This looks like it was stuff that the Leathertogs sales people would take to the Harley dealers.

Main thing I learned that Leathertogs came in black and in Auburn. I knew they came in brown but didn't know the official name of the color was Auburn.

(Edit - sorry I looked again and it's Mahogany. It also says tan and white. I could have sworn I saw Auburn once somewhere)

I also did some nerdy calculations and by mine, it looked like Leathertogs were no cheaper or expensive than other higher end makers of the day.

 

[tmitchell59]

https://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/leathertogs-marketing.107464/

This looks like it was stuff that the Leathertogs sales people would take to the Harley dealers.

Main thing I learned that Leathertogs came in black and in Auburn. I knew they came in brown but didn't know the official name of the color was Auburn.

(Edit - sorry I looked again and it's Mahogany. It also says tan and white. I could have sworn I saw Auburn once somewhere)

I also did some nerdy calculations and by mine, it looked like Leathertogs were no cheaper or expensive than other higher end makers of the day.

No, I missed that post. Do you own this material? Amazingly rare and desirable! Dated 1937!!!

 

[tmitchell59]

I would buy this as a poster: Originators of Motorcycle Leather Clothing

 

[jeo]

Anyone have knowledge of the Buco linings we discussed?

Sorry, I missed this.

To fill everyone in, Terry and I were having a discussion on IG about both of our Bucos and were wondering about the different early Buco linings and the years they were produced.

No one seems to know for sure the exact dates between all the different variances of these early Buco liners. All I can say is that it's all very confusing.

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I know the following in regards to both of our jackets:

Your jacket with the 2nd generation label and blue & red wool liner w/ the two hand warmer pockets is a J-22. Very early 50's.

My jacket with the 2nd generation label and red & black hounds-tooth wool lining w/ two hand warmer pockets is a J-22. Very early 50's.

---

The main advertising I've seen regarding early Bucos was from catalogs from very early 50's and it specifies the J-22 as having the red & black plaid wool lining and it specifies the J-23 as having the black rayon/rayon-satin quilted lining BUT also 100% wool liner (no type specified).

Per "The Art of Vintage Leather Jackets" blog, Buegeleisen Company turned into Buco in 1940.

The J-21's are probably from mid to late 40's and into 1951 and they are the jackets with the one map pocket. The very early ones have the first generation label and the later ones have the 2nd generation label.

The very earliest ones have the first label and have a flannel looking liner. Probably wool although I'm not 100% sure.

The ones after that have the second label and have the flannel looking liner.

The ones after that have the second label and have the red & black wool plaid liner. BUT sometimes they have the different multi colored wool liners like yours and mine.

I believe both of our jackets liners were transition liners that were sometimes present on different models in different years but for the most part present on late 40's and early 50's models. I believe this because I've seen them on J-21s and J-22s as well as on other different Buco models such as the J-31.

Anyone who can chime in would be very much appreciated. @Mysteryo ?

Replacement value is What is all about. Once gone will you every see it again and at a price you can afford?

The Beck is spectacular, as fine as you will find. Difficult to walk away from.

Replacement value is a great way to put it. I didn't put it quite eloquently to myself, but pretty much had the same thought.

Trust me, I was agonizing, fighting with myself to walk away.

Ultimately I thought to myself, what's money? Money comes and money goes, but having the opportunity to buy a jacket this rare and this nice that fits me so well will never come again. I couldn't walk away.

I anticipate a more detailed look at your new/old Beck. The older Schott just doesn't come around for sale. Most interested in your comments.

I will most certainly post more about it. Need some time.

 

[jeo]

No, I missed that post. Do you own this material? Amazingly rare and desirable! Dated 1937!!!

No no, they were asking $4000 if I remember correctly. Looks like it sold.

 

[jeo]

@jeo great pics thanks for sharing.

Great pictures!

I've never been so simultaneously happy and sad to have missed an event.

@jeo Thank you very much for the unselfish time you took to take the many beautiful photos with interesting comments for all those who could not be there themselves!

THanks for the pics @jeo !

Thank you @jeo for these pictures!

Thanks for the great Pics!

Thanks for the post.

Thank you to all who contributed their time and effort here, especially @jeo !

Catching up on posts earlier in the thread when I was posting things very quickly from my phone.

We should thank @TooManyHatsOnlyOneHead as much or more than me.

I'm not a 'taking pictures' kinda guy and the majority of these pics were taken right before I left.

When I met up with him and after our little convo with David Himel, he said let's go and try and find TFL members. It was that comment that even prompted me to think "I should probably take a bunch more pics" after he left.

So thank you my friend, it was nice meeting you!

More stories to come.

 

[TooManyHatsOnlyOneHead]

Looking back, I should have taken more photos. Sometimes I over think things. Was concerned the vendors were going to start feeling like they were running a petting zoo exhibit. But now that I think about it, some of those photos might turn into actual sales down the road. In all honesty, seeing a photo of a jacket doesn't do it justice. It's being able to feel it and handle it which makes it worthy, but maybe I'm being selfish in the sense that most won't have the opportunity to attend. Anyway, Jeo did a great job with his shots and funny enough, I had gravitated to the two booths that he noted as being the best before he pointed them out to me. So proof this forum is rubbing off on me LOL.

 

[Imuricecreamman]

"Inspiration" is right. Both for the fair and this thread.

 

[58panheadfan]

I am really grateful @jeo for what he has done for the community in this forum with his photos and explanations, really selfless, because I know what it means when you hunt yourself and still find time to share your passion with people who couldn't take part in the exhibition. As cool as it is to see someone in his new acquisition but in the end I am more interested to see all this grail stuff from HC, Pat & Mike etc. thanks again for show us some of this amazing stuff!

 

[Edward]

Overall, glad I went, but was surprised more vendors didn't attend. Would have been nice to have IH, RMC, etc. But even a lot of LA based companies were nowhere to be seen like BraveStar, Railcar, etc. Not sure how relevant conventions are post covid and in this social media age. I'm probably not the right demo, but I think it's really cool to see the stuff in person.

I suspect it's as simple as either many of them have taken a hit over Covid and this is an expense they can live without, or they're doing well enough that it's an advertising expense they don't need. Thedi seem from the accounts above to have used it as a sizing-up trip for existing customers, which makes sense to combine the two. It looks like there was some great stuff to go and look at; if I was local I'd love to see it. Can't imagine I'd be able to afford to buy, but sometimes that's when it's the most fun just to look and appreciate.