Is my Cooper A-2 genuine?

[AJ]

Hello all!

I bought my third A-2 jacket on ebay last week and received it today. Its a size 50L. My previous jackets have all been Cooper (most afforadable for me, I dream of owning an Eastman!) but the thing is its got a seam runnning down the middle of the back section, from the collar to the hem. My previous Cooper A-2s were a 46R and a 48R and these had no seam on the back. Would any of you guys know if my latest purchase is genuine Cooper?

Thanks in advance,

AJ

 

[Hawk_Eye]

Depends how old it is. One thing the older Coopers and issued Saddlery jackets had going for them was they still had single piece backs and two piece arms. But the newer jackets skimp out with multipiece arms and multiple back panels. (not to mention handwarmer pockets, pen pockets, etc. ugh.) Can we get some shots, esp. the label?

 

[AJ]

Hi Hawk_Eye,

here are the front, back and label photos of the jacket from the auction . It looks genuine, doesn't it? Its just I've never seen a Cooper A-2 with a back seam.

http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/mm158/aj2506/143644215_tp.jpg

http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/mm158/aj2506/Label_tp.jpg

 

[Hawk_Eye]

looks genuine enough to me. Without a closer shot of the info on the white label I cant tell you when it was made, but I wouldnt worry. I dont think theres a market out there for "counterfeit coopers".

 

[johnnyjohnny]

counTerfeit cooPer would be like a counTerfeit TiMeX

i saw that jacket on ebay before it closed, and had no doubt it was the real deal...cooper is just not the paragon of purity...as stated, they did start coming in with handwarmer side pockets and such, albeit after the actual u.s. mil specs were relaxed in the 90s to allow that...

but coopers aren't such a price commanding item as to inspire counterfeiting...in fact i just bought a virtually new one on ebay about the same time you did in a much more popular size, 44L, and got it for $103

with those absurd fLoppy collars, and huGe neck opening that would accomodate mr. ed, cooper is clearly not concerned with (or should i say was not concerned) with making the most precise product around...

the most probably explanation as to why you have a split seam (2-piece) back is the size...a size 50L no doubt commanded too much goat leather for a low-price tag producer like cooper to have gone to the trouble of getting a single hide if they did not happen to have any in stock at the time they were turning out this batch of larger jackets

anyone who has had or held a cooper knows the leather is thin enough to feel like half the thickness or weight of a normal a-2...so i doubt leather quality was their upmost concern in turning these out

not to put down your jacket...as stated above, i bought one too...there's a mystique to them...however, as b.b. king put it, now that i got a couple of them, the thriLL is goNe, and mine are for saLe

johnnyjohnny

 

[AJ]

Thanks everyone. Its a genuine Cooper then. But johnnyjohnny you are after putting me right off Cooper jackets now! Only joking. I know when it comes to leather jackets you get what you pay for. If any of you guys had a budget of around $400, which A-2 type jacket would you spring for?
AJ.