J.C.Penney (Sportclad) Motorcycle Jacket History 1947-1963

[Mysteryo]

There is also this one I archived from an ebay auction years ago. With a nice engraved belt buckle, I've never seen before, square epaulets

and a tremendous patina!

 

[tmitchell59]

There is also this one I archived from an ebay auction years ago. With a nice engraved belt buckle, I've never seen before, square epaulets View attachment 381458 View attachment 381459 View attachment 381460 View attachment 381461 View attachment 381462 View attachment 381463 View attachment 381464 View attachment 381465 View attachment 381466 and a tremendous patina!

Nice addition to the thread, thanks! I see the snaps for the throat latch and also snaps for a detachable collar. Never seen one with the hardware for a collar.

These are earlier Talon zips, not seen these on others. I'm thinking this is the earliest edition of this jacket.

The common Talon sleeve zipper most often seen.

The Belt Buckle is most cool. Never seen that either.

 

[jonbuilder]

My Sportclad label— not sure it was sold through JCP. MC jacket with blackened brass hardware. Most SC I see have the nickel hardware. I’ll echo what you have said TM, the hide is top tier, no matter the era. And the stitching on mine is the same, excellent by any standard.

View attachment 377276

What am I missing? I do not see Sportclad in the label I see Star Sportswear

 

[jonbuilder]

Here is a non-labeled jacket of mine. I believed it to be a Sportclad. This was indemnified by JMax as a probable Sporclad and Kurland label

 

[jonbuilder]

I forgot to post the pictures

 

[jonbuilder]

[

One of the most beautiful vintage horsehide I ever saw

Wow I have to agree heart pumping horsehide

 

[tmitchell59]

I forgot to post the pictures

View attachment 381644 View attachment 381645 View attachment 381646 View attachment 381647 View attachment 381648

Sure looks like a Kurland. Interesting it has a sewn on pocket.

This brown Kurland has no pocket. The browns posted do not seem to have a handwarmer pocket on the left side.

 

[tmitchell59]

From past ebay sale.

 

[tmitchell59]

Genuine Steerhide-Made in the West; but Who in the West?

 

[tmitchell59]

The Kurland made wool lined Sportclads are the Best and that means Fit too.

 

[tmitchell59]

Is the another Wolf? @JMax is this the unique coin pocket stitching you referred to?

 

[JMax]

More like this—

 

[JMax]

And I agree- when taking everything into consideration- the Sportclads really are the best.

 

[tmitchell59]

The seam failed on this pocket because it did not have enough room. if it was in the correct position you showed it would be the same. There is the tell tale reinforced stitching on the belt loops too. To me Looks like another Wolf product this time made for JC Penney. Wrong?

 

[JMax]

Not wrong. I just don’t know lol. I need to put all the pictures side by side and have a better look. Makes sense though.

 

[tmitchell59]

It's a Wolf in Penney's clothing! Makes perfect sense. JC Penney went to the east coast to start their MC jackets with Kurland, then moved to another east coast maker Wolf for some of their later jackets.

Penney also had Western made jackets. Have to dig into them.

Perhaps Wolf's contracts with JC and MW only called for Steerhide jackets.

More will show up.

An interesting turn of events in the sage of Who made What for Who.

 

[JMax]

The Wolf Window is short too. 40s to 62’ maybe.

 

[tmitchell59]

The Wolf Window is short too. 40s to 62’ maybe.

That is the correct length of the Post-war MC boom. Makes sense. Contracts with Penney and Ward were probably a significant part of their business. When the boom faded in the early 60s they may have felt the impact harder than other makers and faded away themselves.

Sears dominated in MC jackets through out the boom. Wards and Penney labeled MC jackets are much more limited in numbers. Wolf was not the only maker for these two labels. They obviously did not make the "Western made" jackets sold by Penney and Wards.

Another academic question partly answered.

Who made the "Western made" is my quest now.

 

[Jischwar]

That is the correct length of the Post-war MC boom. Makes sense. Contracts with Penney and Ward were probably a significant part of their business. When the boom faded in the early 60s they may have felt the impact harder than other makers and faded away themselves.

Sears dominated in MC jackets through out the boom. Wards and Penney labeled MC jackets are much more limited in numbers. Wolf was not the only maker for these two labels. They obviously did not make the "Western made" jackets sold by Penney and Wards.

Another academic question partly answered.

Who made the "Western made" is my quest now.

Reviving this thread a bit, were you able to figure out who made the "Western made"? I see a suede trucker online that the seller says is from the 70's. Very curious who made it

 

[tmitchell59]

Reviving this thread a bit, were you able to figure out who made the "Western made"? I see a suede trucker online that the seller says is from the 70's. Very curious who made it

Easiest to say California Sports wear, throughout the years they made jackets for all of the catalogs. If not them no idea who else would fit the bill.