"New' Jacket on the Way - eBay

[john z]

Just thought I'd share this with you. I was surprised to win this as I bid on it at the auction start & forgot all about it until the winning notification email tonight.

It's a PENNEY'S short half-belt in excellent original condition which has cost me just over GBP80 inc postage. A bargain IMO.

I now look forward to receiving it hoping I have the sizing right.

Pictures are from the Seller's listing. Your opinions would be much appreciated.

 

[HoosierDaddy]

I think it is a very nice jacket. I almost bid on it as well...but was a little concerned about the 17 1/2 shoulder seam to shoulder seam measurement. If I remember correctly it was listed as a size 42. Let us know how it works out.
HD

 

[john z]

I'm glad you didn't bid as it now might be yours & not mine.

It was listed as measuring 21" across the chest so hopefully that will fit me being a 40. I'm one of those slightly built guys of the period so the shoulders should be perfect (I don't like a more than 18" across measurement) & finding jackets to fit my trunk which aren't too wide in the shoulders is a problem for me.

Will report on the fit on its arrival.

 

[dit dah]

Nice jacket. I too nearly bid but I'm trying to sell rather than buy which just seems so unnatural...

 

[john z]

Nice jacket. I too nearly bid but I'm trying to sell rather than buy which just seems so unnatural...

Be interested to know what you're selling?

Well the auction ended Thur eve & Sat morning the Postman delivered my jacket. That's what I call a speedy service.

As always unpacking was done with some trepidation as with old jackets there's always that anxiety that it will have unexpected problems. Not so with this one. This is a beauty, amazing condition & the hide is particularly heavy (approx 3oz) which was a plus for me as I'm of the 'The Heavier The Better' school. There's not so much as missing stitch inside or out & the hide has just the right amount a wear so it's obviously old but so much that it looks anywhere near it 60 odd years.

The fit is spot on, snug without being tight.

My only concern was the hide felt a little on the dry side but this was soon cured with a liberal coating of Hydrophane which went sub-surface within minutes. Now the hide feels 100%.

The finishing touch was to cut a pull for the main zip from a scrap of HH I keep aside for such purposes.

This is truly an example of the bargains that can be found on eBay & I'm looking forward to wearing this one often for years to come.

 

[kools]

Well done! I'm glad to hear about the fit. I, too, hope to one day stumble across across a deal such as this. Stylistically this one is nice and can be used with a plentitude of different ensembles.

 

[Sefton]

That's a beauty. You nabbed a good one. Probably fit me too, but you spotted it first so congratulations. I feel a bit like a vulture feeding off of the slumping world economy by taking advantage of the sudden surge of items and short supply of bidders on Ebay...

just kidding actually, no guilt here at all!

Please do post a few pics when you get it back with the new lining.
Sefton

 

[DBLIII]

Very nice! The only problem I can see is that I didn't purchase it myself.

 

[john z]

Very nice! The only problem I can see is that I didn't purchase it myself.

From where I'm standing I don't see the problem

I'm loving this jacket. I put it on to wear to work this morning. It's now 23:50 & have yet to take it off!

What surprised me was the amount of compliments I had for it from people who had no appreciation of it as a period piece.

On the other hand one female colleague in particular was quite upset to learn it is HH.

 

[AARP]

On the other hand one female colleague in particular was quite upset to learn it is HH.

I almost fell out of my chair laughing :eusa_clap

 

[deluxestyling]

Johnny so glad the jacket worked out and it's a treat to hear the comments from the chaps on it too. I'm so glad it's being loved now, it had spent far too long hanging in the wardrobe. All the best...

 

[Flitcraft]

Looks great! Good score!

 

[Edward]

On the other hand one female colleague in particular was quite upset to learn it is HH.

This will happen. I think it doesn't occur to a lot of folks that leather is anything other than cow.... horse leather does tend to attract the "euw, icky!" sort of reaction, I suppose as much as anything because here in England (and the UK more widely) folks do tend to be conditioned not to think of horse as a 'food' animal, and not one that we use in the sense of as a raw material of any sort, as opposed to as a working animal or for riding. I sometimes find I encounter a similar reaction from folks when they discover my fedoras are rabbit fur (can be a handy way of getting especially women to stop pawing the hats somtimes!). Not to reopen the "fur debate," which has been done to death round these parts. Ultimately, though, I think nowadays folsk just aren't familiar with horsehide for jackets etc - it's simply not as common as it was back in the day.