Rock & Roll Hall of Fame - John Lennon Hamburg Jacket

[Plumbline]

Hey Guys ...

was in at the Rock & Roll hall of fame in Cleveland at the weekend and had a long look at their Beatles exhibit where they have a " John Lennon Hamburg " Jacket.


It's a halfbelt jacket very similar to JC's Ventura ( with some subtle variations re. cuff straps, collar and cut ... I took a load of pics which I will upload later ... but has anyone seen any detail analysis on this ??? There was no label and it looked like a 1950's cut.

Any details most appreciated ( I know there were pics of Lennon in this a few months back)

cheers


Robb

 

[schitzo]

I have nothing to add here, except for hurry up with the photos!

 

[pipvh]

I thought all those Hamburg jackets had knit waists - when you see the boys in their matching 'levvers' they seem to be black pilot-style things. Or maybe that was a bit later?

So yes, hurry with the pics!

 

[cordwangler]

I thought all those Hamburg jackets had knit waists - when you see the boys in their matching 'levvers' they seem to be black pilot-style things. Or maybe that was a bit later?

So yes, hurry with the pics!

It was more about the AMOUNT of leather than specifics:

http://thateventuality.tumblr.com/post/18851787359/the-leather-days-appreciation-post

Leggy Mountbatten would've understood. So would Judas Priest.

This pic shows some detail

 

[Edward]

It was more about the AMOUNT of leather than specifics:

http://thateventuality.tumblr.com/post/18851787359/the-leather-days-appreciation-post

Leggy Mountbatten would've understood. So would Judas Priest.

This pic shows some detail

Maybe it was those tight trousers they all wore.

 

[Plumbline]

The Jacket



The description

 

[Plumbline]

Some of the pics of Lennon wearing it ... there are also some pics of George Harrison wearing it ... so it may have been Harrisons originally ????

 

[robrinay]

I remember reading that they bought their jackets together from the same shop in Hamburg - Here is a link to the Bonhams sale of George Harrisons with label for id.

https://www.bonhams.com/auctions/19801/lot/300/

 

[Plumbline]

Rob .. I seem to recall that they bought 4 identical leather jackets in Hamburg and that these had distinctive wool inserts in the collar. I recall seeing a copy in one of the Hard Rock Cafe's ( can't remember the exact one) but they were more 60's styled and much more mass produced looking. There were lots of pics of these and also the bomber style elastic waist and cuff ones ( similar to the Harrison one which sold for £100k+ a few years ago ) ... I did see claims a few years ago that there were 4 of the bomber style jackets also but tht only one had ever been sold ..... so keep your eyes peeled on ebay

 

[havocpaul]

That jacket on display doesn't look like the ones in the various Hamburg pics, they have a knitted collar area, cuffs and waist. George's leather jacket sold in recent years at auction https://www.bonhams.com/press_release/11252/ and had the knitted waist and cuffs. Not saying Lennon didn't at some time own that one but don't think it's from the Hamburg era.

 

[Plumbline]

That's sort of the point Paul ... he is reported to have bought it before he went to Hamburg .... the 4 Hamburg Jackets were identical ... this one is an outlier but is confirmed as the jacket he wore in the cover for "Rock & Roll" as photographed by Jurgen Vollmer ( he took a few of this jacket).

https://www.flickr.com/photos/24517262@N06/3708616099//

 

[Seb Lucas]

I know that the Indiana Jones jacket on display in places like the Hard Rock Cafe were actually bad repo A2's and never worn on the movie. So I'm always suspicious of a business with a celebrity item as a draw card.

 

[Plumbline]

agreed ... but they have some pictoral evidence and the items on display comes directly from the John Lennon Estate along with several other items ... as do the Michael Jackson items etc.

In any case it's a REALLY cool looking jacket .... no makers label I could see but a nice tartan/plaid lining and quite thick leather.

 

[Edward]

The Jacket

I do love the irony of having the Stones' (the superior band, really, anyhow) reflections on the glass.... lol

I know that the Indiana Jones jacket on display in places like the Hard Rock Cafe were actually bad repo A2's and never worn on the movie. So I'm always suspicious of a business with a celebrity item as a draw card.

Unlikely in the HRC - they don't go in for that sort of non-music stuff. Planet Hollywood is movies, but all about the genuine article. Sounds like the sort of thing you'd see in a TFI Fridays, though - they seem often to have displays relating to popular, 'feel good' pop culture films which are of that sort of generic but not really accurate level (the one in Covent Garden in London, last time I was in, had an Indy display with what looked like a pleather "fedora"). Bti naff, though to be fair I don't think they've ever tried to pass it off as legit.

agreed ... but they have some pictoral evidence and the items on display comes directly from the John Lennon Estate along with several other items ... as do the Michael Jackson items etc.

In any case it's a REALLY cool looking jacket .... no makers label I could see but a nice tartan/plaid lining and quite thick leather.

Looks very much like the jacket that was sold about ten years ago (I think), with the story that it had been given by Lennon to a friend in payment of a debt owed to the friend, who had kept it for years and then decided to sell. Certainly looks like the sort of fifties-era take on the halfbelt that the Aero model is based on (though obviously the Aero lacks the wrist straps in standard pattern).

 

[Seb Lucas]

Well, if it is from back in the day, it's in better condition than John is.

 

[Edward]

Well, if it is from back in the day, it's in better condition than John is.

I wonder what the hide is? It could be donkey and still have been less of an ass than its owner.

 

[Sloan1874]

lol I can hear Yoko ordering a hit already...

 

[dudewuttheheck]

Well, if it is from back in the day, it's in better condition than John is.

I thought a good leather jacket was supposed to outlive its owner

 

[Seb Lucas]

I thought a good leather jacket was supposed to outlive its owner

True. But the quality of some is so bad you need to be shot at forty for it to happen.

 

[Edward]

lol I can hear Yoko ordering a hit already...

Woman reminds me of an anteater.


They live off dead beetles too, right?