Pre-1950s British/European sportswear and leisurewear

[Baron Kurtz]

I know there was an awful lot of dual use of workwear as sportswear in the 1930s and 40s, as a perusal of the Pathe archive would suggest. I'm interested in the stuff that was dedicated sportswear. Whether it be for cycling, hunting, golf, whatever, there was an awful lot of stuff available that was specifically designed and marketed for sporting use.

I'll start this off with an excellent example that I recently found. I tell you without shame: this is my Holy Grail. For years I've sought this jacket, and I've never seen another one. I'd really love a Bukta one, but Macintosh will have to do! Charles Macintosh (for whom the Mackintosh overcoat is eponymous) designed the original rainproof fabric in the early 1800s, making it out of natural India rubber using a patented process. It retains its rainproof qualities after all this time. The rain just beads off. The folded metal zipper slider and stopper box date this jacket to the 1930s. It is fully reversible with patch pockets and buttons to tighten the cuffs on both sides.

If you've got some European sportswear, let's see it! Ben, I'd love to see that Lillywhites ski suit with the poles.

 

[Baron Kurtz]

And here are some period advertisements/marketing materials for jackets such as these:

Bukta, 1939. Not much difference between the men's and women's jackets.

Houndsditch Warehouse Co. 1938. Stated use of Lightning brand zippers.

Manufacture Francaise d'Armes et Cycles. 1936

 

[Two Types]

Cyclewear 1937:

Sports shirts, 1936:

Golf jackets, 1938:

Sportswear 1926:

Golf, 1937:

 

[Baron Kurtz]

I do like the Bukta health angle for their Buxsylk line. It was an obvious tack to take considering most waterproofs were rubber or rubberised, and so relatively unbreathable. Another page of the Bukta booklets I posted suggests that the Buxsylk is a cotton product, but it's a little vague. All it says it that it's NOT Sea Island cotton.

 

[cordwangler]

There's a book, or at least scholarly article, to be written about the lost fabrics of the British garment industry (Invisible on Everest is a great starting point for this). And there'd definitely be a chapter on breathable, water-resistant cottons (non-waxed and untreated, that is). A jungle of trademarks and patents pending for twills, tight-weave and otherwise breathable foul-weather fabrics awaits the diligent researcher.

Any other big names to be looked into, in addition to Bukta, Burberry, Grenfell and Ventile®?

I was looking into this subject a couple of years ago and found a decent-quality raincoat by Hackett, produced in an Italian tight-weave cotton described in pretty much the same terms as Ventile®, but not using the trademark name. There was also a (very badly cut) jacket around at the same time - can't remember the maker/brand - made from Italian cellular cotton that looked okay. Not surprising that I came to a dead end trying to find out the fabric manufacturers.

It would be interesting (probably only to me) to trace the breathable, water-resistant cotton family tree and see whether it's possible to rediscover the 'lost fabrics' of sporting/leisure antiquity.

Nigel Cabourn and a few others in the industry probably know loads about this, and they'd probably love to talk loads about it, if prompted nicely.

 

[Metatron]

Nice, subtle holy grail Baron!
Heres' a Catalogue with similar stuff from Finland originally posted by Martti Kujansuu:
http://digi.kansalliskirjasto.fi/pi...?conversationId=64&action=entryPage&id=341607

 

[Baron Kurtz]

Cool. Does it say anywhere what they're made of?

 

[Metatron]

It should do! Can't read Finnish though unfortunately.

Here's some stuff I found on Etsy, knitting pattern covers:

I think the brown jacket on the left is absolutely perfect.

 

[Fastuni]

Metatron, these knitwear are fantastic.

Here another specimen of European sportswear:

A German belted sports jacket made of thick blue wool tricot.
With it's size 42 it ought to be rather large for me, but with a sweater underneath and the belt tightened it has served well this winter. I really learned to appreciate the practicability of buttoned pockets

Best Regards

 

[majormajor]

It should do! Can't read Finnish though unfortunately.

Here's some stuff I found on Etsy, knitting pattern covers:

I think the brown jacket on the left is absolutely perfect.

Back in the 50's and 60's, my dear old Mum (now in her late 80's) used to run the knitting pattern department at Sirdar Wool. They used to knit and mathematically test every new pattern. She had many hundreds of them, many just like the ones above.

Did she keep them, or did she throw them all out? Don't ask.......:eeek:

 

[Two Types]

This is a rather curious jacket. I can't tell if it is leather or a rubberised jacket. It is from the film 'The Foreman Went to France' (1942):

 

[Baron Kurtz]

I can't really tell either, but it has the look of lambskin, the leather that was typically used on these jackets. That fold at the right collarbone seems a bit too "organic" for a rubberised duck.

Nice Lightning zipper, too.

bk

 

[Baron Kurtz]

Another German suit with jodhpurs. Oh, how I wish I had the argent to buy this one! Looks like a nice military-esque fabric (though it's not military, see below).

From a distance it seems military, but those buttons slap it firmly into the "sporty" category!

Love the waistband on this one with hook/eye closure, long tunnel belt loops, and the waistband facing fabric.

 

[Baron Kurtz]

Two Types: Your inbox is full!!!!

 

[Two Types]

cleared

 

[Two Types]

Here's Bonar Colleano in the 1950 film 'Pool of London':

The elasticated waistband is similar to the one on BK's jacket that started this thread.

 

[Two Types]

Here is Robert Beatty in a very similar jacket from the film 'San Demetrio, London' (1944), except that this one has zipped pockets:

 

[majormajor]

In one shot it looks zipped. In the others, the zipper is lower, but the jacket front is held together. A reversable zip perhaps, or has wardrobe just stitched it up for the shot?

 

[Two Types]

Here is a nice example (but with plenty of mothing on the collar), currently for sale by Hogspear. The Sartor Weatherproof jacket:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/V-Special...n_s_Vintage_Coats_Jackets&hash=item20d258beed

 

[Dr H]

Mmm I like that one, thanks for the heads up.