Sears Motorcylce Jacket History 1949-1963

[JMax]

The jacket above has the "Styled and made in California" slogan.

I just received this one. Looks to be the same jacket without the label. Note these jackets have a inner leather lining at the hem instead of Corduroy. Mine looks to be Steerhide as the ebay jacket does also.

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This is an Odd Duck. I don't recall a Hercules with no Back yoke or spots. Of course the spots could have been added, but they look correct.

Ive got the same steerhide Cali version, but the stitching on the red lining creates much smaller diamonds.

 

[Wildhorses]

The jacket above has the "Styled and made in California" slogan.

I just received this one. Looks to be the same jacket without the label. Note these jackets have a inner leather lining at the hem instead of Corduroy. Mine looks to be Steerhide as the ebay jacket does also.

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This is an Odd Duck. I don't recall a Hercules with no Back yoke or spots. Of course the spots could have been added, but they look correct.

This jacket is new ! Where did you find that... The pocket on yours is perfectly squared too, and it is sewn on the real stitched panel (map pocket) to the jacket. The recent jackets map pocket has stitchings, but it's not a separate panel.
The older the better look again.
And about the mid 50s jacket without yoke at back, we are used to see later 50s MC Herc with no D pockets, and some have decorative white stitching around the pockets. Just a different thing.

 

[Wildhorses]

Ive got the same steerhide Cali version, but the stitching on the red lining creates much smaller diamonds.

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An other small detail, I think I only have seen steerhide jackets with the size number on the label, and no size on the HH ones.

 

[JMax]

An other small detail, I think I only have seen steerhide jackets with the size number on the label, and no size on the HH ones.

Yes. Very true. Never seen sizing on labels in HH Sears. Now watch someone post that one jacket that proves us wrong lol.

 

[JMax]

Does this count?

 

[Wildhorses]

The size is on a separate tag. But at least it is there. Maybe the main reason is that the main HERCULES labels were mass-producted, without size numbers. Some variants had the size on them. The HORSE HIDE or STEER HIDE tag may depend on the factory where the jackets were made, some with the size added.

 

[jonbuilder]

An other well used 50s MC with the true stitched pocket

What is a true stitched pocket?

 

[Wildhorses]

What is a true stitched pocket?

Yes, this is just a matter of preference to me. I like the original D pocket, as seen on the first example in the following pic : the map pocket is a leather panel that is stitched to the jacket, and the cigarette pocket is a leather panel that is stitched to the map pocket.
Later, like on the second example, the cigarette pocket is stitched to the map pocket, but the map pocket is not an added panel, we can see the stitching around that draw the shape. Like on a windward. Or a sofa...
And in the third example the map pocket is stitched this way, and the cigarette pocket is not an added panel anymore,
we just see the lapel and nothing else.
I prefer the early ones of course. Just a personal choice.

 

[handymike]

I like that second shot though. The piping makes it pretty cool to my eye. I have a jacket that only has stitching to indicate a “D-pocket” and I wish it had piping since the stitching isn’t really visible 80 years later.

 

[Wildhorses]

Nothing wrong with the piping, except they wear out quicker than the rest of the jacket. I like the oldschool look of the patched pockets more.

 

[JMax]

Is this what you would call the patch set-up, but with a bit of “piping”? Looks like it would fit in your evolution of the Sears d pocket. Very cool. It definitely helps to see them presented like you did.

 

[handymike]

This is the best of both worlds! Looks like the edges are rolled under and “finished”.

 

[tmitchell59]

Three wool lined. These three appears to be made by the same maker. The same D pocket and the rivets at the belt loops. I have pictures of another with the red lining and the same 40s Hercules label. These do not have a Made in California label. I originally thought these were made by Appalachian. Appalachian has different D pocket and epaulets. So the maker of these three remains a mystery.

Early Wool lined made of Goatskin!

 

[tmitchell59]

The epaulets on this unlabeled jacket are the same as the Appalachian Vertical zip jackets. This one, like the vertical zip, have through belts. I will search the pictures for these features on other Sears labeled jackets.

Note square pocket.

 

[Wildhorses]

Yes it is classier this way, without the rough sides. I like it.
Configurations are endless, I could add the difference btween the early visible zip, and the later ones, masked by leather bands. Your jacket is the "stealth" maybe... But the zip is not painted in black

 

[Wildhorses]

The epaulets on this unlabeled jacket are the same as the Appalachian Vertical zip jackets. This one, like the vertical zip, have through belts. I will search the pictures for these features on other Sears labeled jackets.

Note square pocket.

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Nice stitching on the epaulets, lke an A-2. About the goat one, it seems like that leather does not hold that well with time ?

 

[tmitchell59]

Here is evidence that at least two companies were making the early Sears jackets.

Both appear to have the same label, but this one has Made in California writing. The one below does not. The D pockets are different. The second jacket also has the riveted belt loops. Both have sewn on belts.

 

[tmitchell59]

These Oakbrooks have the Appalachian Square patch pocket and the sewn epaulets. The same as this unlabeled jacket. The Oaks are labeled as Steerhide.

 

[JMax]

Old auction of Herc owned by Elvis. Interesting.

https://www.julienslive.com/lot-details/index/catalog/192/lot/82775

 

[tmitchell59]

Old auction of Herc owned by Elvis. Interesting.

https://www.julienslive.com/lot-details/index/catalog/192/lot/82775

Elvis is also shown wearing a HD Cycle Champ in the day. This Hercules has the non-stitched pocket. I looked through the Sears catalog and these show up around 1954 and stay in production through out the 1950s.

I'm thinking the California made through belts were being replaced by this jacket. The "made in Cali" label was short lived in the 50s after being used in the late 40s.