My New Addition to My Collection. Could Use Some Help

[PeterRocco]

Hi
I just bought off EBay this Brown Leather Jacket.Did not come with a removable zip in liner.
I could use some Help on who made it and maybe how old?
See the size Lable 48 Location? Maybe that Helps. The Silk Linner looks dark green. Has a Talon Main Zipper and YKK Sleeve Zippers.
And the inside pocket linner is Red.
Does anybody know where to get a Replacement Zip in Liner made?
Thank You
Pete

 

[Seb Lucas]

Looks like a pretty cool 1970's jacket. Did Brooks do one of these.

 

[PeterRocco]

Hi
Thanks for Stopping By. The Leather is Very Heavy. If from 1970's it's in Great Condition. No Leather Wear just some color fading and lighting around the inside Collar.
The Collar Snaps Down.

 

[JMax]

Looks like a Lesco to me. Nice find. The liner would have been of the furry variety, at least the ones I’ve seen.

 

[TooManyHatsOnlyOneHead]

Looks like Lesco.

 

[TooManyHatsOnlyOneHead]

^^^^ LOl just about at the same time and same words

 

[PeterRocco]

Hi
Thank You my Friends for Your Great Help.
I'm new to Leather Jacket Collecting
Is Lesco a Good Jacket. Looks Great to me. I paid $37.00 for it on EBay.
Pete

 

[PeterRocco]

Hi
Just looked on EBay under Lesco and sure enough there where Two Jackets like mine for sale. Only smaller size.
They had the original Zip in Linners.
Now I will keep looking for another Lesco in my size 48 with liner.
Really like the style of my jacket.

 

[JMax]

$37 is a great price. Ridiculous actually. I think you did very well. There have been a few perfecto-style Lescos that I have been tempted to purchase, especially the brown cowhide. It can be beautiful.

 

[PeterRocco]

Hi
Thank You.I did not know as nothing about the jacket. I saw the auction started at $35.00. One other person was bidding.
After receiving it today in the mail I am Very Happy I won the auction.
Pete

 

[TREEMAN]

Got any fit pics ?

 

[PeterRocco]

Hi
I'll send some tomarrow.
Thanks For Asking.
Pete

 

[Salmosalar]

Hi
I'll send some tomarrow.
Thanks For Asking.
Pete

Yep - definitely a Lesco - I have the same model it seems - this is a shot of the lining you are missing, with the Lesco label to confirm its I.D., in case you spot a replacement to snap up on ebay!

 

[PeterRocco]

Hi
Thank You So Much! You went and Got your Jacket and Zipped Out the Liner.
The Picture Helps So Much!
Yes I keep Surching For a Replacement. Even if I find a Jacket in Bad Condition but has a Good Liner I'll buy it. The seller was not original owner so he said that's how he bought it.
And that is So Cool you have the same Jacket! I see on You Tube a Video on our jacket.
Thanks Again for Your Help.
Sincerely
Pete

 

[Claybertrand]

Ok, so as to ID, the Lesco cat is outta the bag and correctly so I believe.

I own several Lescos having basically bought a number of them in my earlier years of collecting. They are generally found at a very palatable price point. As has been alluded to, in many a post about this brand, there is a dearth of information on the company's history. Even some of the more seasoned historians here in the Lounge have yet to uncover much information about the company.

I believe the lack of understanding on the history tends to keep the prices low to moderate on most Lescos. In general people don't pay high dollars for uncertainties and items with little in the way of solid traceable provenance. Obviously some Sellers will THINK they bring bigger money and people will pay a bit more because some of these Lescos really age amazing with cool marbling to the leather. So you will see some with ridiculous prices but the market usually keeps them reasonable. Also, there seems to be a fair number of these jackets in really good condition as well.

I feel like I have typed this a million times here in the Lounge but these jackets run SMALL. I feel they are almost always 1-2 sizes too small for the tagged size. I have the same one you bought --perfect condition--in a size 46 and its unwearable for me. I have several Cafe Racers and a brown Cross Zip. I think I've also typed THIS a million times but---I NEED TO SELL A FEW---Gotta list them soon.........but I digress.....

Regarding the Liners and the ability to track one down on a jacket that is missing the liner---From experience I caution you NOT to set out on this Fool's Errand. These stupid removable usually tacky polyester faux fur-ish linings were all the rage in the 60s and 70s it seems. Schott, Brooks, Lesco, Fidelity, etc. ALL utilized these zip in liners. I personally cannot tell if they actually make a jacket any warmer or not. They don't even encompass the whole jacket body. Its essentially a polyester vest insert. They make the fit on many jackets janky when they are in tending to make the sizing, which already runs small on vintage jackets, even smaller.

These makers in general also took to placing their labels ONLY ON THE LINERS and not on the actual LEATHER JACKET itself. Like, they make a leather garment, and then only label the removable liner????? AND its a liner that most owners take out and don't use much and tend to LOSE???? Basically, at least HALF of these jackets--the liner has been lost. So there goes the ease of identifying the brand for the layman. It was a stupid practice. Schott now labels liners AND the jacket. The missing liners is a regular occurrence is my point.

Now this last part I COULD be off on but there is some conversation on the Schott Forums regarding Liners. I have had replacement liners made by Schott for jackets missing liners. They will make one for a Schott jacket but you have to send them the jacket. I understand that the issue is they need to match the zippers for the liner and the jacket or the liner will not zip in. I forget if they have to change the liner zipper on the jacket itself to correspond to the liner zipper but you cannot just zip in a found liner from what I gather.

Bottom Line Summary: Nice mid grade quality true vintage jacket. Great Price. Fit will likely run small (yawn). Liners (from basically all the makers) tend to be cheap quality and generally useless IMO. Lastly, you will find it MUCH more fruitful IMO, to continue your foray into collecting leather jackets than to chase the ghost of a liner you will never find that you REALLY don't want anyway. You remind me of myself when I started collecting. So my best advice to you is that you WILL find many many more bitchen jackets on this journey. Don't look back and don't go down the Liner Replacement Seeking rabbit hole. It's not worth your time. Just keep looking for deals and learning the quality and price levels of these jackets in the marketplace. All in all tho--a nice find Pete.

 

[PeterRocco]

Hi
Was out all day. Just read your Great Reply.
I am New to Collection. My Collecting is Mostly Schott Jackets. It started about 5 years ago. I'm 63 and my first leather jacket was a brown bomber jacket around 1972. Bought new for $100.00 it was a Schott. Wore it every winter every day and lasted about 8 years before I Ripped it. You could actually stand the jacket up by itself. The leather was like thick shoe leather. They don't make leather like that anymore.
I saw my Lesco Listed on E Bay for $34.00. I did not know who made it but I knew I had to have it. Loved the Style. And in Bark Brown. Seller said no leather wear. But a $37.00 Bid in and Wone.
Yes as you said this Leather in Spots turned to a lighter brown. But I like the Look. No Leather Wear at ends of Sleeves or around any edges. I like to use Pacards Brown Conditioner whitch I did. I post after pictures tomarrow.
I might be wrong but I would put it up to my SCHOTT'S Jackets. The Leather and Stitching is Top Quality.
Once I found out it was a Lesco from fellow FOURM Friends I did a EBay and Google Surch and found about 5 other Lesco Like mine for sale. But all smaller.
So I am really a Size 50 in SCHOTT'S Jackets but I gave the Lesco 48 a Shot.
I am Recovering from COVID and Lost Weight so it's not too bad. Zipping up I can not do yet. Yes if I had the liner it would not fit me at all. Just sad because all the other Lesco have the Liners included with the Jackets. I have had Schott make me liners for other Schott Jackets. I think around $75.00. But they only made them for their Schott Jackets.
Seeing how low in Price the Lesco sell for I will look out for more to buy.

 

[PeterRocco]

Hi.
It is strange why not put your name on the Jacket also? The Size Tag was.
I can not find any information on the Web about Lesco the Company. Where they were located,if still around and if not what happened?

 

[Seb Lucas]

From Gamma68 posted here somewhere a couple of years back.



Lesco Ltd. was in business from the 1940s to the early 1980s. It was initially based at 10 E. 34th Street, NYC.

The company began making alligator and crocodile handbags and billfolds for upscale shops like Saks 5th Ave., Bonwit Teller, and others.

In 1961, the company merged with Lona company and became known as Lesco Lona, Inc. It moved to 136 Madison Ave., NYC.

I don't know when the company began offering leather jackets, but the first newspaper reference I see is from 1977. I see no reference to the company after June 1982.

Here is a Lesco ad from 1947. Note the script logo:

Here is a 1961 ad announcing the Lesco merger with Lona. Check the script logo:

These Lesco logos are a close match for the one in the zip-out lining of my cafe racer (circa 1960s-70s):

 

[PeterRocco]

Hi
Thank You for the Great Infornation on Lesco Company.
I found it Very interesting.
I wonder what USA Factory Made their Leather Jackets?

 

[Claybertrand]

From Gamma68 posted here somewhere a couple of years back.



Lesco Ltd. was in business from the 1940s to the early 1980s. It was initially based at 10 E. 34th Street, NYC.

The company began making alligator and crocodile handbags and billfolds for upscale shops like Saks 5th Ave., Bonwit Teller, and others.

In 1961, the company merged with Lona company and became known as Lesco Lona, Inc. It moved to 136 Madison Ave., NYC.

I don't know when the company began offering leather jackets, but the first newspaper reference I see is from 1977. I see no reference to the company after June 1982.

Here is a Lesco ad from 1947. Note the script logo:

Here is a 1961 ad announcing the Lesco merger with Lona. Check the script logo:

These Lesco logos are a close match for the one in the zip-out lining of my cafe racer (circa 1960s-70s):

Good catch brother!!!! I remember that thread vaguely. I was going to refer to it when posting for Peter but I got Gamma and Guppy confused and forgot which member posted that. Both dudes are savvy as to vintage history of American makers. I didn't want to mislead anyone. I don't remember the ad with the logos tho!! Cool to know.