Pre-1950s British/European sportswear and leisurewear

[Fastuni]

Zipped summer shirt with RITSCH zipper:

 

[herringbonekid]

^ that reminds me of some tops i sold a couple of years ago:

 

[Fastuni]

Bleyle was a very famous German producer of high quality garments for children.
Do you remember what size the Bleyle sweater was?

 

[herringbonekid]

^ ... and that reminds me of a cardigan i still own and wear:

(... is knitwear really 'sportswear' though ? my pedantic side thinks not, but then, there hasn't been a definitive knitwear thread for cardigans and sweaters outside of specific ones such as fair isles and military whatevers.)

 

[herringbonekid]

Do you remember what size the Bleyle sweater was?

thanks, i never knew what nationality that label was. i think i presumed it was French.
the cardigan was about a 34" and the zip waistcoat about a 40".

 

[Fastuni]

You are welcome.

34 inches chest sounds like a school-age chap's size. But they also produced for grown-up costumers.

The German Historical Museum has some online exhibits of Bleyle (which BTW was located in Stuttgart) garments from the 20-30's. Interesting that in 1929 they used the English word "sweater".

http://www.dhm.de/datenbank/dhm.php?seite=5&fld_0=20020309
http://www.dhm.de/datenbank/dhm.php?seite=5&fld_0=95000172
http://www.dhm.de/datenbank/dhm.php?seite=5&fld_0=95000174

 

[Baron Kurtz]

How DARE you, sir!

34 inches chest sounds like a school-age chap's size. But they also produced for grown-up costumers.

 

[Two Types]

This is a rambling club from July 1955:

There is the expected mixture of leisure wear and army surplus. My mum (fourth from right in front row) appears to be wearing a jacket very similar to the one BK posted at the start of the thread.

 

[Two Types]

This is from September 1948:

A button-up leisure jacket, or a heavy shirt worn as a jacket?

 

[Baron Kurtz]

Well, tucked in as it is, it looks like a heavy shirt worn as a second shirt. Are those epaulettes on the outer shirt?

 

[Two Types]

They do appear to be epaulettes. My guess is that he's going out on his bike for the day and is wearing the second shirt as a lightweight extra layer he can easily pack into his saddlebags when it gets warmer.

 

[Baron Kurtz]

German lederkombi. Bought immediately postwar in '48 or '49 the original buyer couldn't remember which. Has WWII-era ZIPP zippers, with the DRP Nürnberg markings, at the leg cuffs. Made of medium weight goatskin, it's a very comfortable suit to wear. All I need is an era motorcycle to put the trousers to use! The jacket and trousers are fully lined in the original heavy cotton moleskin. According to the original owner he hadn't used it since the early 60s, so the condition is awesome.

A garment most certainly designed specifically for motorcycle use, with the reinforcement to the seat and inner knees. No Luftwaffe here! Possibly the first such leather jacket since WWII that hasn't been openly marketed as a "Luftwaffe jacket".

 

[Baron Kurtz]

 

[herringbonekid]

All I need is an era motorcycle to put the trousers to use!

a 1939 Brough Superior is the perfect accessory to that suit:

p.s. where did you find the suit ?

 

[Baron Kurtz]

German eBay.

I was thinking a Velocette, myself.

But given the provenance, maybe a BMW R35. The seller was trying to get me to buy one of these, as that's what he rode with this suit.

 

[Metatron]

The original owner would have been the German equivalent of the guys immortalised by 'The wild one'.
There aren't many photos of 1930s-1950s German motorcyclists out there, has anyone seen any?

 

[Two Types]

For a post-war German motorcycle, it has to be a Simson

They are one the lesser known german motorcycle manufacturers, simply becaue they were based in the DDR.

So if you are going to be elitist with a super rare motorcycle suit, why spoil it with something as common as a BMW?

(Simson also made bicycles, cars and guns)

 

[simonc]

Lovely jacket, gotta love those epaulettes and that lining.

 

[Edward]

For a post-war German motorcycle, it has to be a Simson http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qX_C6pKTU...BKQ/W0e0kIzfm6s/s640/1952_simson-awo-425t.jpg

They are one the lesser known german motorcycle manufacturers, simply becaue they were based in the DDR.
http://www.mz-und-simson.de/simson/awowerbung.jpg


So if you are going to be elitist with a super rare motorcycle suit, why spoil it with something as common as a BMW?

(Simson also made bicycles, cars and guns)

Are they rare-expensive, or rare-cheap? Bike equivalent of a Trabbie?

 

[Two Types]

Are they rare-expensive, or rare-cheap? Bike equivalent of a Trabbie?

I've only ever seen two: one was in a speciality vintage motorcycle dealership in Brandenburg. That was old and looked expensive. the next morning I saw a seventies one in a junk shop outside the town (piled up beside the prams and the broken kids bikes).