Post War Sears Hecules Jackets

[tmitchell59]

Love the jackets in this thread!

When I went over to VLJ to check on the Real McCoys I saw your GW and McCoys again. There is something very special about those jackets. I recently bid on a GW Ventura in capeskin, but regret not going strong enough to buy it. I have a Buzz Rickson I need to do a thread on. Really stunning.

These 50s jackets are still in pretty good shape and do get worn.

Really great information, thank you for putting all this together .

Thanks, I'm hoping more Hercules will come forward. There are so many variations; long/short, brown/black, belts/straps. Then you get into the Sportclad, Winward, Penney branded and even more styles. I have a few of those too. I actually find the Winwards I have to be higher quality than the Sears. At least the samples I have seem to be.

 

[gtdean48]

Yes, you saw this on a previous thread when I bought it from Tom. He thought early 50s at the time while you thought late 40s. It's a spring loaded crown zipper. It's a 42, but I'm guessing that it was sold as a Tall, which I understand was an available size at one point...

If it was a 44, I'd still have it!
I agree it is probably a Tall too.

 

[tmitchell59]

^ To me that's just the right length in this style jacket. That's my favorite of the ones you've shown. I really like the pocket design.

I like them. The pockets give them that overall square look, but it does have a tighter fit through the body. When you see this jackets I think of the Aero Highwayman. I have a steer Highwayman and it is fuller and longer. The "new" one I bought is probably a 42 so it will be snug. Interesting that all three have lost there label. They have the typical neck wear on the lining.

Looks good on you!
On me it looked too Bolero. That's why I wish someone would do a repop.....like 25" long instead of the 23.5" that mine was.
It would be great in the Vicenza black.....
are you reading this CloudyLemonade? (wink, wink)

Yes, I think it would look great in one of the "new" leathers. I would not think it would be a complicated jacket to re-make given it it seems pretty simple, but I'm not a tailor. If anyone wants to have it re-made they could copy one of mine. I'd send it to them, just so they don't rip it apart!

 

[handymike]

Here is the back shot of mine:
Before alteration:
After:

Mine had been poorly relined and lost the label, but this is what it would have been (taken from the identical jacket in black):

 

[tmitchell59]

This is the Steerhide size 46. I must have taken these right after I treated it. It does not have that shine now. This is labeled a 46 and fits like a 46. Check out the sleeves in this one, they are like pant legs! This Steerhide is rather substantial

 

[Worf]

^^^^^^ That sir is a beauty!!!!! Thanks for sharing....

Worf

 

[tmitchell59]

I wore this jacket this winter. Nice when belted, Alpaca lining. I would think this coat was pretty expensive in the day. It is HH though not marked. It has and old HH smell. Also has storm cuffs.

 

[tmitchell59]

^^^^^^ That sir is a beauty!!!!! Thanks for sharing....

Worf

You are welcome! I will have to get this out today, weather in Illinois has turned chilly. It is a little big on me.

Congratulations on your retirement!! I left in January and love it. Gives me time to post pics all day!

 

[pawineguy]

^^^^^^ That sir is a beauty!!!!! Thanks for sharing....

Worf

+1, that's a gorgeous hide.

 

[Monitor]

In love with the pant legs sleeve jacket! Just wow!

 

[jonbuilder]

Here my Hercules, a long half belt in FQHH size 46 in excellent condition. I owned this jacket 15+ years, it's a little large on me now but a keeper.

 

[tmitchell59]

View attachment 28328 View attachment 28329
Here my Hercules, a long half belt in FQHH size 46 in excellent condition. I owned this jacket 15+ years, it's a little large on me now but a keeper.

That is a nice one. That Red lining, man was that popular. I had a Winward Steerhide that was very similar in style. I have a Lakeland HH that may be closer. I'm getting so a 46 is too big for me, which is good. I buy 46-42, but got jackets well below that. I've sold several new jackets size 46, I wanted them to be right, but they just weren't.

 

[Hide'n'seek]

These are not the best shots, but they do show how short these jackets are. This is the right size on the black one. I like it others will not. Maybe it works for my torso.

This is very much like our old Montgomery ( we still have patterns in our archive ) We have a like new one on our sale page at the moment. http://www.aeroleatherclothing.com/product-detail.php?id=2572

 

[handymike]

That Montgomery is nice. I'll bet with a "premium slim-fit" makeover it would be a great new addition to the line-up.

 

[tmitchell59]

This is very much like our old Montgomery ( we still have patterns in our archive ) We have a like new one on our sale page at the moment. http://www.aeroleatherclothing.com/p...il.php?id=2572

Well there it is Handymike. Looks pretty short and measures short. Mine is 24.25 inches. I wouldn't want it any shorter. What is the Montgomery reference; the General, Montgomery Wards?

that jacket would look great on the right person. The 42 I have is the 24.25 inches. the Aero is 23.

Thanks for posting that link.

I have another one coming on Friday. I will put up some pics.

 

[robrinay]

Montgomery Ward sold the 'Windward' range of jackets, as I understand it from my readings on VLJ and here and they were competitors to Sears Roebuck who sold the 'Hercules' range. I'd love to know which manufacturers actually made their jackets.

 

[tmitchell59]

I'd love to know which manufacturers actually made their jackets.

Yes, I would like to know more about that too. I have Winward and also Sportclad from JC Penney. They both used their own names also. The Winward jackets I own and have seen seem to be better quality, but that is a jump.

I got another black "Hercules" without a label. It is pictured in the middle below. It does not appear to ever had a label. The other two had Sears Hercules labels.

These thee look to be made by the same company. They are identical.

 

[handymike]

Hey TMitchell, that new on was a score...
definitely not an Irvin Foster

 

[bretron]

That Montgomery is nice. I'll bet with a "premium slim-fit" makeover it would be a great new addition to the line-up.

+1x100

In midweight seal HH or goat, pls

 

[tmitchell59]

Hey TMitchell, that new on was a score...
definitely not an Irvin Foster

No not a Foster. I have a couple of Fosters and sent one back. He got that reference from the other one in that picture that sold with that description. This new one is more along the lines of a 40, not one I can zip. I think they are really nice vintage jackets. The newest one is in excellent condition. Maybe late 50s? I'm thinking the two without labels are steer hide, the labeled jacket is HH. I've seen this style with both tags. I've got a couple of more from this era I will post, both labeled HH. I do like to buy black, just a little more difficult to find, little more demand.