Mystery Jacket--Need Help Identifying

[handymike]

First one shows...other two don't Terry.

 

[tmitchell59]

First one shows...other two don't Terry.

Thanks, that helps. The two you cannot see I took with my phone and uploaded to Google photos. The photo you see was done with my camera, also on Google photos

 

[Gamma68]

Hopefully these images will appear. I am reposting the zipper pics too. I don't want to frustrate the viewing public with pics that don't show up. Seems some people can see them and others not. I've done a search and seems I'm doing it correctly, so let me know.

This is what I meant by a Police jacket without the trim.

I’m on my iPhone. One photo displays, two do not. I’ll send a PM in a bit with more details about how to make images stored in google photos appear.

 

[Claybertrand]

Thanks, that helps. The two you cannot see I took with my phone and uploaded to Google photos. The photo you see was done with my camera, also on Google photos

Yes the first one is viewable here as well. I had some confusion as to whether to link to google photos when posting pics. It seemed to just let me post media from my own photo files though. I have seen on other sites where public photos must be remote based to be posted though. All of my photos were taken with my iPhone and uploaded to google photos then saved to a specific folder I have for this particular jacket.

Thanks for posting your pics though. That picture of the police jacket has really similar collar snaps but as you say, is otherwise a Police jacket with badge holder and epaulets.

 

[tmitchell59]

I have seen one other jacket with this label. I just recall it was newer.

 

[Claybertrand]

This jacket has unusual collar snaps. They aren't hidden as are the ones made today. The snaps, coupled with the storm cuffs, convince me this was originally a motorcycle jacket, probably made by one of the California companies.

You mentioned you were going to send it out for cleaning and conditioning. Not sure what type of cleaning you have in mind, but if it is a professional dry cleaning establishment, I would stay away from that. If it truly needs cleaning, using Lexol Leather Cleaner (use the cleaner, not the conditioner) would do a good job without the risk of damage to the jacket. Follow that up with a coat of Pecard and you will be good to go. You seem knowledgeable about leather jackets, and certainly have done your homework on this jacket, so you probably already know all of this.

The fact that this jacket ended up in a "rag shop" in LA leads me to believe the original owner died, and his executor just wanted to dispose of his stuff.

A point of pedantic clarification: In WWII there was no "US Air Force." It was the Army Air Corps which was dissolved when the US Air Force was created in about 1948.

Good luck in finding an appropriate zipper. You will be a long time in that rabbit hole. Please let us know where your search takes you.

Thanks for all of your insight. I have had inklings that this was a California Made jacket as well. Possibly a Cal Leathers or Taubers of California (as other posters have suggested). I have spoken a couple of times with Cal Leathers and sent them pics but they cannot confirm whether it was made by them. They are a small almost boutique shop these days and I believe they have changed hands as well. I'm not suggesting they are any less of a quality producer under new ownership--its just that they don't have legacy employees and or records of what they have made so they couldn't really say if this was made by them. They also have done a lot of custom work over the years. Perhaps the owner herself could shed more light on this one but she was not available when I called them.

Taubers checked some potential boxes as I have seen Taubers jackets with corduroy lining and have done deep dives into photo searches looking for something that is a match or very similar but to no avail. However, if the lining was replaced and the corduroy is not original, (as has been strongly suggested) trying to compare jackets with similar lining is a red herring in the investigative process.

I understand your reasoning for the jacket being a Moto jacket as per the Storm Sleeves and the snaps. Just to Devil's Advocate this postition--the lack of gussets or expansion adjustments of any kind on the near the cuffs or at the sides of the waistband area would be of contrary design to the many common motorcycle jackets of the time period. But this could just be because the vintage predates the popularity of those comfort/freedom of movement features that are present in ride gear like Cafe Racers.

I appreciate your reminding me of my military history as well. I do know that the USAF was established Post WWII. I don't know how I glossed over that....... Lame misstatement on my part for sure.

Finally, regarding cleaning the jacket, I am curious what members may think here. I generally send my Leather jackets to Arrow Fabricare in Kansas City. They are the cleaners recommended by Schott for cleaning of their jackets. In bound shipping (to Arrow) is Free and a cleaning and conditioning including dry cleaning the liner and cleaning the leather runs about $100 including the return shipping to CA where I am. They also do repairs of all levels and give price quotes on their work before they begin.

I've had them clean a few jackets and I had them clean, condition and replace a main zipper on an early 60s Cafe Racer. I had the jacket sent to them directly from a Seller. The cleaning was very thorough and the zipper work was flawless. The Zipper replacement ran about $100 as well though. Certainly not cheap but as a full service cleaner, they can clean every aspect of the jacket--liner and leather. They have a long history of cleaning leather so they identify the type and the manner of dye etc. and clean accordingly.


Have you heard of Arrow?? They've been around for over 100 years, family owned, and they have a service specializing in leathercare. Check out their link if you are unfamiliar:

https://www.arrowcare.com/arrow-leathercare.html

I generally clean my own jackets with Lexol products. But used vintage jackets of unknown origins, I like to have professionally cleaned to have a fresh liner etc. Pecards is supposed to be an excellent organic product. I haven't used it before but I believe it is silicone free and natural. I really should have that in my cleaning arsenal as well.

Again, thanks for posting man.

 

[Claybertrand]

I have seen one other jacket with this label. I just recall it was newer.

I'm seeing the other pics now. Thanks!!!!

Yes this is a label I haven't seen before. Interestingly generic type of label. Clothing manufacturing certainly has changed since the Olden Days. In addition to the smaller regional leather shops many of which are now extinct, there were the independent Men's (and Womens) Clothing shops and "haberdasheries" in every town that would have small manufacturers make smaller runs of items for them. Not every Jacket was made by some famous or even identifiable maker.

We didn't have the mass production in factories overseas or at least, not the extent we do these days. Damn, even Sears is going going GONE for the most part.

This jacket you have does have some similarities to mine.

 

[JMax]

Eagleson’s Police jacket. No gussets and a rather simple police jacket, but two main differences with yours— no collar snaps and a straight yoke. These guys were out of Sacramento I believe. Never heard of them until I ran across the label. You may be looking for a needle in a mound of needles. Good luck.

I don’t think yours is a Cal. Plus, they are pretty good at quickly identifying one of theirs, no matter the age.

 

[Claybertrand]

I think it's Taubers.

Taubers has been one of the leads I have

This jacket has unusual collar snaps. They aren't hidden as are the ones made today. The snaps, coupled with the storm cuffs, convince me this was originally a motorcycle jacket, probably made by one of the California companies.

You mentioned you were going to send it out for cleaning and conditioning. Not sure what type of cleaning you have in mind, but if it is a professional dry cleaning establishment, I would stay away from that. If it truly needs cleaning, using Lexol Leather Cleaner (use the cleaner, not the conditioner) would do a good job without the risk of damage to the jacket. Follow that up with a coat of Pecard and you will be good to go. You seem knowledgeable about leather jackets, and certainly have done your homework on this jacket, so you probably already know all of this.

The fact that this jacket ended up in a "rag shop" in LA leads me to believe the original owner died, and his executor just wanted to dispose of his stuff.

A point of pedantic clarification: In WWII there was no "US Air Force." It was the Army Air Corps which was dissolved when the US Air Force was created in about 1948.

Good luck in finding an appropriate zipper. You will be a long time in that rabbit hole. Please let us know where your search takes you.

Regarding the Crown Zipper search, I HAVE located one on eBay.................its a 26" that would need to be shortened and I would need to dye the cotton tape black.......its New Old Stock----price is (gulp)$165.00

A cleaning, vintage Gold Crown zipper purchase, and zipper replacement "surgery" from Arrow would have me at $365. I spent $90 with shipping on the jacket I traded for this one (which was a steal for Horsehide). IF, I was so inclined to endeavor to go this replacement route at this time, I would have a cleaned, functioning, unique vintage leather jacket for around $455 all in. And JUST IN TIME FOR SUMMER !!!!!!!!!! Man, I need to make some money!!!!! Lol

 

[Claybertrand]

View attachment 153794

Eagleson’s Police jacket. No gussets and a rather simple police jacket, but two main differences with yours— no collar snaps and a straight yoke. These guys were out of Sacramento I believe. Never heard of them until I ran across the label. You may be looking for a needle in a mound of needles. Good luck.

I don’t think yours is a Cal. Plus, they are pretty good at quickly identifying one of theirs, no matter the age.

Very Interesting.........I wonder if this is the same Eagleson's that became Eagleson's Big and Tall men's clothiers?? I believe that was a CA company as well.......

I am finding that many police jackets in particular, are and have been very locally produced for most police organizations. For instance, California Highway Patrol does not have their gear made out of state. Over the years, Golden Bear, Johnson Leathers, Cal Leathers and others have produced their Moto jackets. I have a couple of Detroit Metropolitan Police Jackets made by a company now defunct that used to be across the street from the Police Department HQ in Detroit I understand and used to make their jackets. Fidelity Leathers in Massachusetts made ALOT of run of the mill police leather jackets (and civilian jackets too). Passaic Leathers in New Jersey produces many of the Police Jackets in the Tri State area, Taylor Leatherwear in Tennessee makes a lot of Police leather (AND they do repairs as well $29 Zipper Replacement!?!?!!?!?!? Wow!!........GOOD to know!!!!).

It seems much like how the US Military uses domestic companies only--Police departments stay local to their jurisdictions as well. As such, UNIFORM style jackets tend to have less identifiable provenances than do civilian jackets. This is basically multiplying the Needles in the mound of Needles I am digging through trying to discover the origin of this jacket.

Thanks for posting!!

 

[JMax]

Far as I could tell from looking at old directories and news clippings mentioning the history of Eagleson’s— they seem to be the same. Eagleson’s originally was more of a dedicated leather shop that ultimately expanded. I love police jackets and purchased this simpler one to wear off the bike to settings where a full blown biker jacket may raise an eyebrow or two. Your jacket perfectly fits into that box! Great jacket you have there.

 

[Claybertrand]

I'm pretty sure it's Taubers.

Check this out:
https://www.thefedoralounge.com/thr...bers-horsehide-moto-jacket-size-46-200.94892/

Not the exact same model but the chances that the two different companies made such similar jackets are very slim. Virtually every single detail, down to the angle of the pockets, is the same. Stitching & construction is identical. Inside pockets, the two snaps near the main zip, not to mention the cuffs...

I'd dare guess that the two jackets were made from the same pattern, with the one ITT possibly being a civilian version of the Police jacket.

Taubers has long been one of the leads I have kept coming back to but mainly due to the fact I once saw a Taubers with corduroy lining. However, this rationale is fairly flimsy as many are strongly suggesting the jacket I posted has had the liner replaced.

However, the jacket you have posted is the most similar I have seen to date to mine. I wanted to give mine a really close comparison to your posted pics and I finally have been able to do that. While some minor details are different, there are a lot of similarities from the Storm Sleeves to the snap cuffs to the angle of the pockets etc.

This is a great comparison. I wonder what the branding was on their snaps??? Clearly (and sadly) you had to sell this jacket as it didn't fit but I wonder if Taubers used much of the same brand fasteners?? I will continue to look into this.

This is a really compelling lead. Thanks for posting man.

 

[tmitchell59]

Lake-O-Woods made other styles of leather jackets.

 

[tmitchell59]

Appalachian

 

[tmitchell59]

1930s Police Jacket

 

[Claybertrand]

Far as I could tell from looking at old directories and news clippings mentioning the history of Eagleson’s— they seem to be the same. Eagleson’s originally was more of a dedicated leather shop that ultimately expanded. I love police jackets and purchased this simpler one to wear off the bike to settings where a full blown biker jacket may raise an eyebrow or two. Your jacket perfectly fits into that box! Great jacket you have there.

Okay that makes a lot of sense. Eagleson's is where my Dad used to get all of his clothes as he was a heavy dude before he lost weight.

I have a collection of about 100 jackets and they are mainly Moto, Police or Half Belts with a handful of civilian style bombers mixed in. What I don't like about Vintage Police jackets is that decommissioned Police gear requires removal of the department patches which obviously leaves the visible needle punctures and weakened leather. I wish there was a fix for this issue.

Being a non police officer myself, I tend to like the less uniformish looking jackets as most regular police leather can appear a little Village People-ish or Blue Oyster Bar-ish (Police Academy reference there.....). I'm not trying to impersonate an officer or anything or look official so I understand what you are saying regarding simpler designs not raising eyebrows.

Thanks for posting.

 

[Claybertrand]

Apologies to All here----I'm not replying properly to each poster. Some of my posts are meant to be replies to some of you. I don't mean to be mucking up the thread. I will try to do better. Thanks for your patience.

 

[tmitchell59]

All Weather San Fransico

Re-lined

 

[JMax]

1930s Police Jacket

That is beautiful. There was a cross-zip Police jacket by Fashion Clothes that I regret not bidding on a few months back.

 

[tmitchell59]

I have a collection of about 100 jackets and they are mainly Moto, Police or Half Belts with a handful of civilian style bombers mixed in.

That does sound interesting! Actually sounds like me!