Peacoat from "Major Coat Company"?

[Longplay]

After reading several threads on peacoats, I'm still wanting some advice before I make a decision.

I own a peacoat I purchased at Selfridge Air National Guard base in the early 70s, but - surprise! - I can't squeeze into it any more! I loved that coat and how it looked and have decided I want one again. Having owned an original 32oz coat, I'm torn between new and vintage and have some questions, the answers to which may help me.

1) If I go new, because I want a 6-button back-vented coat like my old one, I'm leaning toward a Sterlingwear Navigator. Will I notice a huge difference in the stiffness of the fabric, i.e. 24 vs 32oz? Does the 24oz material flop around like the cheap peacoats I've seen at malls? If it holds its shape well and the collar stands up nicely, at my age I wouldn't really mind something less binding and lighter. Just don't want it to look unstructured.

2) Is this vintage jacket truly vintage? Did a company named "Major Coat Company" really make peacoats for the U.S. Navy?

3) If the answer to 2) is yes, would a 42R from that era fit someone 5'-9" tall with a 42" chest (I wear size 42 sports coats)? I'm intending to wear a sweater under it. It seems that the chest size would fit when comparing the listed size to that of to my overcoats but the 36" length seems to have it hanging well below my rear end. Were 42S peacoats issued? If so, perhaps that's what I'd need.

 

[Jeff M]

Welcome.
The best thread on peacoat dating and sizing is the one by forum member "Peacoat" stickied to the top of the forum section;

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?35824-PEACOAT-DATING

Bottom line is most folks who know their peacoats look for ones made out of kersey wool .Military issued peacoats made prior to 1980 are made out of kersey. Melton wool has been used since 1980.
Kersey is denser, more wind/water resistant, softer, smoother than melton wool.

Here is a link to the eBay section describing how to tell from the label when military issued clothing was made;

http://www.ebay.com/gds/Intrepretin...PO-Contract-Numbers-/10000000010153791/g.html

If I am reading the label on the peacoat you linked to correctly it looks like the linked jacket DSA100 number suffix is 0412, meaning it was made on 2004 in December. That would make it melton wool.

I'd recommend checking eBay for a good quality "vintage" (kersey wool) peacoat dating from the late 1940's to the mid 60's. That's where I've had my luck.

 

[Peacoat]

Label is hard to read, but I think it is a 1986 coat. Jeff is right about reading the thread to find out more about these pea coats.

There is nothing wrong with the current issue pea coats, after 1979, but many of us prefer the vintage Kersey wool coats. You would notice a big difference between your vintage coat (assuming it was an issue peacoat) and the current issue and civilian models. If you post a picture of your tag, I can probably tell you something about it.

Would a Bartender be so kind as to move this to the big peacoat thread?

 

[Jeff M]

I need new glasses. :twitch:

 

[Nyah]

I don't have a lot of peacoat experience but, I did just recently pick up the Navigator mentioned in your first question. It doesn't flop around. It has a great collar which stands up well. And yes, it's quite structured in the shoulders.

 

[Atticus Finch]

I don't know a great deal about peacoats, but I know a little something about military flight jackets and they have the same style specification tags. Yes, it is a USN issued coat. Yes, evidently there was a contractor named Major Coat Company. The jacket was made in fiscal year 1985 or 1986. It has a DLA number so the blurry two digit date has to be eighty something.

While the eBay guide to dating military kit by contract number is a good starting point, is not entirely correct in all that it says.

AF

 

[Longplay]

Thanks for the information, all. I'll see if I can dig out my old peacoat from storage.

After posting I did some sizing investigations based on Sterlingwear's chart for peacoats and from what I can tell, although I have a 42" chest they say I should get a 44 peacoat. Would that be right for a new Navigator?

Also, from their chart, and knowing where I think the peacoat should hit at the bottom, it appears I would need a Short (32.75" long) rather than a Regular. If the vintage one, which was listed as 36" long, is typical of vintage Regulars, I would need a Short there, too. I would imagine that finding a vintage Short would be rather difficult.

Regarding that, is there an accepted point at which the bottom is supposed to hit?

 

[Atticus Finch]

I have an issued Sterlingwear in my normal size and it is a tad tight in the chest. Based only on my one peacoat from this company, I would agree that you should size up. Of course, other people's experince may differ.

AF

 

[Worf]

I've a Sterlingware "Commercial" and an issued peacoat - later years. The modern SW's are cut more for fashion, in at the waist, tall collar for "popping", padded shoulders for swaggering. I wear that one when I want to impress. I wear the quilted issue for warmth.

Worf

 

[Longplay]

I uploaded pictures to Photobucket here. A front button is missing and I need to find a new one.

Oddly enough, there are no tags and I don't see any marks that indicate tags were cut off. There is also no locker loop. As I mentioned earlier, my father (and Army LTC) bought it for me in the early 1970s at the Navy uniform store at Selfridge Air National Guard base. Perhaps they allowed non-Navy military personnel to purchase issue items but without tags?

I made some measurements and believe it's a 30R! No wonder I can't get into it! Hard to believe I was ever that small

 

[Nyah]

Thanks for the information, all. I'll see if I can dig out my old peacoat from storage.

After posting I did some sizing investigations based on Sterlingwear's chart for peacoats and from what I can tell, although I have a 42" chest they say I should get a 44 peacoat. Would that be right for a new Navigator?

I ordered mine over the phone and asked specifically about this. Their chart you're referring to, which suggests to go up above the chest measurement (for example, a 42" chest should go with a size 44) is actually only for their Authentic model and, that the Navigator model can be worn true-to-size or, even one size lower than chest measurement (example: 42" chest going with size 40) if you want a tighter fit. Having tried on the Navigator, my opinion agrees with that. The difference between these two coat models is that the Authentic has a thick, insulated lining while the Navigator has just a thin fabric lining.

 

[Longplay]

I ordered mine over the phone and asked specifically about this. Their chart you're referring to, which suggests to go up above the chest measurement (for example, a 42" chest should go with a size 44) is actually only for their Authentic model and, that the Navigator model can be worn true-to-size or, even one size lower than chest measurement (example: 42" chest going with size 40) if you want a tighter fit. Having tried on the Navigator, my opinion agrees with that. The difference between these two coat models is that the Authentic has a thick, insulated lining while the Navigator has just a thin fabric lining.

The thin satiny lining was what my original had and what I'd prefer. If I go this route, I'll order over the phone, too.

 

[Peacoat]

The thin satiny lining was what my original had and what I'd prefer. If I go this route, I'll order over the phone, too.

If you don't want to get a vintage peacoat, which is what you evidently had originally, then you may want to look into Sterlingwear's Mil Spec peacoat. They are a bit more expensive but are the same as the current issue coat, which means they are not a civilianized copy. Still, the material is quite different from the vintage peacoats--both the shell and the interior lining. If you haven't already, read my sticky on peacoat dating at the top of the Outerwear section. There is a section on fit toward the end.

Like you, I was trying to replace my original peacoat given to me back in about 1971. Three peacoat purchases later, I finally found the same type coat I originally had. Along the way I accumulated a bit of knowledge about these coats. By now I was fascinated by these pieces of history. The research continued for several more years, culminating in the peacoat dating guide, which removes much of the mystery of the provenance of these coats.

As it turns out, the original peacoat had been hidden away in a closet, long forgotten since my last move years before. I guess it was a good thing I couldn't find it when I first looked for it about 10 years ago.

Good luck in your search, whichever direction you decide to go. PC

 

[Doctor Damage]

Sterlingwear's size chart seems at first glance to be really useful, but in fact is quite useless. I'm amazed that they even post it. There is NO way that a size 36S pea jacket has the same sleeve length as a size 56L coat - idiots!

 

[Spoonbelly]

The vintage Kersey coats are the way to go. I have a few of them and prefer them much more then the more modern day black Melton coats. It sounds like you would need a size 44 if you want to wear them with a sweater underneath. Only one problem though - size 44 in a Kersey coat will take a while to find. 38 and 40's are the most common size. The larger the size after these two, the more rare they are to find, and the prices tend to be higher also. I take a size 46 and it takes me quite a while to find them. I used to check ebay everyday until I found one. There is a website called Vintage Trends.com in Calif. which have many pea coats. If they do have an old Kersey in a larger size the prices will be quite a bit higher then what you will find on ebay. The Kersey wool is stiffer, and more dense then todays materials. Major Coat Co. did make pea coats for the Navy, but I'm not sure what years they did. Real pea coats are not supposed to fit like the ones made today - which are usually too short, tight, etc. They make them that way just to save money on materials. Pea coats are supposed to be 3/4 length coats and are supposed to fall well below ones caboose and not just a little below the waist. I've never come across an "S" (short) size in a Kersey coat. "S" sizes are also pretty rare in Melton coats, but they do exist. At 5'-9" an "R" size 44 should fit fine.

 

[Longplay]

...Real pea coats are not supposed to fit like the ones made today - which are usually too short, tight, etc. They make them that way just to save money on materials. Pea coats are supposed to be 3/4 length coats and are supposed to fall well below ones caboose and not just a little below the waist...

Thanks for the advice. I've been corresponding with Sterlingwear and they've been extremely responsive and helpful. Their last email confirmed what you've said here, saying "the Men’s Authentic, Navigator, and Men’s Spec coat all fall mid-thigh in length, as does the Mariner. The Classic is a tad bit shorter."

 

[Longplay]

I found what appears to be a recent mil spec Sterlingwear peacoat on eBay. Given that I'm thinking of getting a Sterlingwear 42S, it would seem that this would be a bargain in comparison with a new one. Has anyone experienced rip-offs with eBay peacoats?

 

[Atticus Finch]

I found what appears to be a recent mil spec Sterlingwear peacoat.

When I hear the term "mil-spec" I think of items that are made to military specifications, but are made for the civilian market. The peacoat in your link was made in 1990 and is an actual military item.

AF

 

[Jeff M]

I found what appears to be a recent mil spec Sterlingwear peacoat on eBay. Given that I'm thinking of getting a Sterlingwear 42S, it would seem that this would be a bargain in comparison with a new one. Has anyone experienced rip-offs with eBay peacoats?

Another one you may want to take a look at;

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Mens-VTG-Wo...87?pt=US_CSA_MC_Outerwear&hash=item3cdaa3a457

Longplay, this also looks to be in your size.
Don't know why you have your heart set on peacoat made out of melton wool, but do consider an earlier one like this made out of Kersey.
There is a reason Kersey peacoats are sought after by peacoat aficianados.
Warmer, better wind/water protection, more compact, smoother/softer than melton wool.
Just a higher quality wool that is obvious once you compare the two side by side.

 

[Longplay]

Another one you may want to take a look at;

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Mens-VTG-Wo...87?pt=US_CSA_MC_Outerwear&hash=item3cdaa3a457

Longplay, this also looks to be in your size.
Don't know why you have your heart set on peacoat made out of melton wool, but do consider an earlier one like this made out of Kersey.
There is a reason Kersey peacoats are sought after by peacoat aficianados.
Warmer, better wind/water protection, more compact, smoother/softer than melton wool.
Just a higher quality wool that is obvious once you compare the two side by side.

I don't really have my heart set on anything specific, except to get a well-constructed peacoat that uses Navy specs (or close - relaxed armpits is acceptable) in relatively good condition. Comparative warmth isn't really an issue for me. Would I be correct in assuming that my early 70s peacoat is Kersey?

From looking at all of the vintage offerings I can see that going that route will be a trial and error journey, likely involving returns.

Also, I see many eBay peacoats are missing buttons, as is my existing too-small vintage coat. Is there a good source for accurate replacements? I see button offerings on eBay but suspect that some might be cheap knockoffs.