Noble House Shop

[Edward]

Has anyone ever bought anything from this eBay seller?

http://stores.ebay.co.uk/noble-house-shop

They have a range of what appear to be own-brand leather jackets of varying styles, commonly flying jackets. Their take on the B3 seems to me to be "wrong" in the pockert details (like the Wested, it has two hand warmer pockets - that wasn't original, was it?), though the Luftwaffe jackets look spot on. Prices are very keen. Anyone ever dealt with them?

 

[garzo]

I started a thread on this asking the same question a while back. A few Noble customers shared their opinions. Apparently it's rather a low-end manufacturer.
I noted that they had a lot of designs that appeared to be from Eastman Leather, but at about a quarter of the price, which I found curious, including a WWII style Luftwaffe jacket, the Hartmann jacket and their black leather flying coat. Of course Noble House is not using the same leather, just similar styles.
Here's the previous thread: http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?t=14616&highlight=noble+house+germany

 

[Edward]

I started a thread on this asking the same question a while back. A few Noble customers shared their opinions. Apparently it's rather a low-end manufacturer.
I noted that they had a lot of designs that appeared to be from Eastman Leather, but at about a quarter of the price, which I found curious, including a WWII style Luftwaffe jacket, the Hartmann jacket and their black leather flying coat. Of course Noble House is not using the same leather, just similar styles.
Here's the previous thread: http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?t=14616&highlight=noble+house+germany

Thanks. Sounds as if it's the old "get what you pay for" story.... I really fancy those Luftwaffe jackets, but it seems better to wait for an Eastman than spend a fair chunk of what one of those would cost on something that maybe isn't just so good...

 

[John Lever]

I bought a Kanal jacket from them. It was cheap at £150. They are made in S. America from very thin sheepskin and have nasty plastic zips. I sent mine back by return of post for a full refund.
I can't recommend them.
John

 

[aswatland]

Their jackets regularly appear on Ebay. They have two basic B3 designs and both are inaccuarate-just look at the cuffs! The Luftwaffe jackets are generic and made of low grade leather. I would not touch their products as there are plenty of far better repros to be had-or originals!

 

[Edward]

Thanks, guys - the Luftwaffe jackets where what caught my eye - they looked nice and I've had some great bike leathers in that price bracket before. If the quality's bad though, there's no point - I'll wait until I can afford an Eastman.

I've noticed the incorrect pocket detailing in a very high proportion of B3 replicas.... I suppose that's some concession to practicality for the average user, handwarmer pockets, but it does seem to me that it's a bit suspect to make out that they're accurate WW2 replicas...

 

[aswatland]

Thanks, guys - the Luftwaffe jackets where what caught my eye - they looked nice and I've had some great bike leathers in that price bracket before. If the quality's bad though, there's no point - I'll wait until I can afford an Eastman.

I've noticed the incorrect pocket detailing in a very high proportion of B3 replicas.... I suppose that's some concession to practicality for the average user, handwarmer pockets, but it does seem to me that it's a bit suspect to make out that they're accurate WW2 replicas...

You would not go wrong buying an ELC B3. They are more expensive than the Aero equivalent, but more accurate. I have bought several decent originals from the states and shall be posting some photos of my latest Rough wear on the forum shortly.

 

[Edward]

You would not go wrong buying an ELC B3. They are more expensive than the Aero equivalent, but more accurate. I have bought several decent originals from the states and shall be posting some photos of my latest Rough wear on the forum shortly.

Look forward to seeing those. Of the sheepskins, the one that has really caught my eye of late is the Buzz Rickson B2, but that's a long way away (he said, looking at the bank balance..).

 

[PatC]

Noble house jackets

Hello all,
Just in response to your questions about the Noble House jackets. I bought two of them together on ebay about a year ago. One was what is called the museum quality B-3 and the second was the black Luftwaffe jacket.

The B-3 jacket looked okay, but not accurate. When I received it I found that what should have been the horsehide leather reinforcing panels on the upper arms were actually simply much thiner sheepskin panels of a lighter shade than the rest of the jacket. All the horsehide straps were of poor quality. The sheepskin of the main part of the jacket was very nice and of a good quality. I found a label inside one of the pockets stating that it had been made in URUGUAY. People who had no interest in historic accuracy thought it was lovely and it quickly moved on to a delighted owner.


I found the Luftwaffe jacket to be in very poor condition, with scrapes and stains on the leather, which was actually good quality where it wasn't damaged.I spoke to them on the phone and found them very decent to deal with. They replaced the jacket without any problem, also paying for the return delivery between Ireland and Germany. The replacement was totally different, having a far better quality about it, with no issues of note. Having said that,you get what you pay for.

If historical accuracy is of paramount importance then I would advise everybody to look elsewhere, if however you just want a reasonable everyday jacket that you may be happy with the Luftwaffe jacket.In the last year I have often worn it in preference to what may be classed as my "good" jackets and have come to have a fondness for it which I haven't developed for some of it's more illustrious relations.

All the best,
Pat

 

[Marv]

Pat, any chance of posting some pics of the Luftwaffe jacket for our perusal.

 

[Edward]

I would be interested to see that too....

I have to admit that while I'm currently saving for some war and prewar era replica leathers (A2, B6, B2, I think in that order), I'm somewhat frightened by the price of these things... bear in mind none of my leather jackets to date have cost me more than GBP100 a pop.... most of them I've bought used for a fraction of that. There's a great temptation to buy something cheaper, but then I try to remember that if it's a choice between one jacket at GBP200 that will do me six years and one at twice that that will last for four times that..... Well, it's clear that it's better waiting. It can be hard sometimes! I saw a link somewhere on here the other day to a What Price Glory Irvin in a war era pattern that with current exchange rates would be only aboyut GBP150. Half of me says "can't be any good that cheap", the other half says "that would be a great winter option until you can afford the B2!".

 

[garzo]

Unless you find a good deal on a second-hand Eastman, one of their new jackets will definitely set you back as they are quite pricey. My friend has this jacket: http://www.eastmanleather.com/images/LuftWW2mont.jpg
and he loves it. Actually, I love it too. It's not that he's a fan of WWII-era German militaria at all. In fact, he feels a bit guilty wearing it sometimes, especially with that inside label. But if you didn't know what the jacket was (and most people don't), you'd think it was a very nice motorcycle jacket, a cross between a cafe racer and a traditional moto jacket. The Eastman is made of beautiful horsehide, real tough, and a velvety cotton "moleskin" lining. Actually, I've always wanted one of these jackets myself.

I believe these jackets were originally civilian in origin as the Luftwaffe had no official leather flying jackets. And I suspect they are not "German" in origin at all but a European style that was common at the time in Germany and also France and I also suspect that this style made it over to the states, probably long before war broke out, and was the basis for the early American motorcycle jackets.

It definitely looks like the granddaddy of the modern American motorcycle cop jacket.

 

[Edward]

Unless you find a good deal on a second-hand Eastman, one of their new jackets will definitely set you back as they are quite pricey. My friend has this jacket: http://www.eastmanleather.com/images/LuftWW2mont.jpg
and he loves it. Actually, I love it too. It's not that he's a fan of WWII-era German militaria at all. In fact, he feels a bit guilty wearing it sometimes, especially with that inside label. But if you didn't know what the jacket was (and most people don't), you'd think it was a very nice motorcycle jacket, a cross between a cafe racer and a traditional moto jacket. The Eastman is made of beautiful horsehide, real tough, and a velvety cotton "moleskin" lining. Actually, I've always wanted one of these jackets myself.

They are gorgeous. Eventually, one day.... I plan to replace my cafe racer style with one of those - when it coems the time for it to go to the leather jacket heaven in the sky, that is. Or eBay.

I believe these jackets were originally civilian in origin as the Luftwaffe had no official leather flying jackets. And I suspect they are not "German" in origin at all but a European style that was common at the time in Germany and also France and I also suspect that this style made it over to the states, probably long before war broke out, and was the basis for the early American motorcycle jackets.

The Luftwaffe short jackets do seem to bear a lot more resemblence to what became the standard mc jacket of the 50s and 60s, though the most typical one - the Brando style - AFAIK has its roots as far back as the 20s. Lord only knows how big of a statement of rebelliousness it was to wear one of those back then. I remember getting my first one at the turn of the 90s and my folks (after having given in and agreeing to pay for one of that style, following the return of a blouson type that....well, they meant well, but they didn't quite have a fifteen year old nu-punk's understanding that a leather jacket is just so much more than a jacket made of leather.... ) issuing me with all sorts of warnings as to where it could and could not be worn, lol.

It definitely looks like the granddaddy of the modern American motorcycle cop jacket.

It does that. I'd assume that those though grew out of a cross between A" styles and the prewar civililian jackets that lacked the A2's elasticated waistband and cuffs.

ETA: As I learned on another thread, the early leathers worn by the Luftwaffe were all "private purchase" civilian gear that was tolerated for wear with uniform, though some leathers were issued later in the war.