Sears Motorcylce Jacket History 1949-1963

[JMax]

I can't really explain why but I love these jackets so much more than the J-24...

And they usually look better than the Buco when worn.

 

[tmitchell59]

An other through-belt D-pocket on #bay. At the asked price, it will sit for a while. Green plaid lining and removable fur collar, beautiful, and in a nice size.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/115619804231?hash=item1aeb7a3447:g:9SUAAOSwi7FjhHf4&amdata=enc:AQAHAAAAoLlUauoRewV8Uk0Rh9kvWVCBWRvN1W5vQ9sWoSdPgBpc69NsZSpr4mXJGhe3qakwwIWGfTJ+PSH7j9D9hKHjUJD0BCeSqBByaByDO8AzWL5duuGpA4WHDbICiX0oBeSK2OkfVFxXB2mdsDYclvOQWOZ+dqZgIj1FmTq1Eev9Wa91MjQ/jlzrIpgv3KP74kR3fSkmU7EncMkRb6B8TUFt68A=|tkp:Bk9SR-q42oOcYQ
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Does any one know/recognize this seller?

 

[photo2u]

Beautiful jacket. Got to get my hand on a very special one.

 

[tmitchell59]

Allstate (Buco) jackets in 1954 Sears Catalog. First mention of this model. Note; no D pocket jackets. T

The female version is gone from the last appearance of the Allstate jackets I find in 1957 catalog.

They show a Allstate D pocket in the 1949 catalog

I'm not even sure of the Buco model name for this style. This Taubers is the first I had seen of this similar style. This was found in Japan. I have never seen anther Taubers like it. It has the look of a ladies jacket. I would assume that Taubers copied this Buco design for, at least, one copy.

 

[tmitchell59]

Sears Allstate

 

[tmitchell59]

 

[hodgeko]

Adding my new Herc to this wonderful thread.

I spent all day yesterday (in between work stuff), reading all 20 pages of this thread. A fascinating bit of archaeology! Thanks to everyone who has contributed, and especially @tmitchell59 for kicking the whole thing off.

From what I read, the somewhat unusual leather label/wool lining combo seems to put this one at about 1950? Seems to still be a mystery who made it for Sears, right? Whether it was Buco, Cal, or someone else.

Some slightly unique qualities for this year/make/model:

The wool lining going all the way to the bottom of the back rather than having a little leather strip that goes across.

Zippers on the underside of the sleeves rather than the tops.

The snaps on the top of the collar don't match up with anything underneath (saw this same anomaly on one of Terry's pics).

No inside pocket.


It's also got the handwarmer pocket, sewn-in belt, Conmar main zip, and Talons on the sleeves. I think that covers all the details y'all have mentioned on other jackets.


Anyway, I'm very excited about this one. I wouldn't exactly call myself a collector like a lot of you guys. I kind of get my sights set on obtaining one great example of a certain style. So for me, getting this awesome 50s motorcycle jacket is a big one off the list. I'm big on 50s stuff in general, and nothing says 50s like this killer piece.

Happy to contribute to this excellent history you guys have going!

T

 

[tmitchell59]

Thanks for sharing this missing link!

I wouldn't exactly call myself a collector like a lot of you guys. I kind of get my sights set on obtaining one great example of a certain style.

I like this statement. No need to have a house full. Like you said, set your sights and go for it. You did quite well.

Seems to still be a mystery who made it for Sears, right? Whether it was Buco, Cal, or someone else

I do not recall seeing this particular jacket. I searched my archieve and found this leather label wool lined. It is by a different maker with obvious differences. This is the maker, below, (unknown) that produced the bulk of the wool lined. They have added the back kidney belt.

The maker of the jacket above is unknown as yet. The jacket below was made by California Sportswear Co. Both of these leather labeled jackets are the last of the woolies and made by different companies.

This California Sportswear jacket is the last of the Woolies. Note the "modern" 50s label with the mountains. This didn't last long. They dropped the mountains and went to "made in California" to designate the jackets made by CSC.

Sorry I can not load the "mountain" labeled jacket. It is the same as the one below. Note the "older" label. The horsehide tag is California Sportswear.

Id bought both of these jackets from the same seller. Both are size 46, the largest Sears offered. Made by different makers.

The jacket in question is a CSC jacket probably at the end of the Woolies.

 

[tmitchell59]

More information.

It looks as though Roughwear, California Sportswear and Appalachian were the primary producers of Sears MC jackets.

The horsehide tag (below) is Roughwear, the CSC jackets say "made in California ". The Appalachian tags simple say horsehide

On another note: I believe all the Supreme Quality jackets (as below) were made by Roughwear. Note the French seams, which CSC or Appalachian didn't use

I've also believe both Roughwear and CSC made the braided trim jackets. The studded belt jackets probably just Roughwear.

 

[hodgeko]

Nice! So mine is definitely California Sportswear, good to know! The sheer number of variations in details among the different makers is astounding. I love looking at all the differences, and they are all so cool.

 

[tmitchell59]

Braided trim by California Sportswear

 

[tmitchell59]

Braided trim with studded belt. Can't make out the faded leather/size tag. This looks like a Appalachian tag, but looks like higher quality.

 

[tmitchell59]

Nice! So mine is definitely California Sportswear, good to know! The sheer number of variations in details among the different makers is astounding. I love looking at all the differences, and they are all so cool.

Yes, I believe CSC. I thought one maker did all the leather tags, but I have seen them on Appalachian and now Californian. Montgomery Ward, Windward also used the leather tag. The use of leather tag was short lived in the early 50s.

 

[Nacho]

From what I've gathered, there were probably 3 versions of the Sears Braided Trim MC jacket. I don't know the chronological order of those versions so I'm just gonna label them A, B, and C. If anybody has concrete information about this or possibly more versions, please feel free to chime in.

Note: Special thank to Yuki Matsumoto for sending me the pictures and giving me the permission to post them here on the Lounge. The C1 pics were taken from eBay. Pictures of version A, B and C2 belong to Yuki. He has one of the coolest leather collections out there. I'll include a link to his IG below. When you read this, Yuki-san, thank you!

https://www.instagram.com/yuuki.matsumoto.3557/

Version A (2 stars)

(Notice the tiny waist line on this one)

Version B (no star)

Version C1 (plain back + two stars on epaulets + no saps on top collar)

 

[Nacho]

Version C2 (black/white + two 4-studs on epaulets + snaps on top collar)

I'm pretty sure version A and B were made by CSC based on the label. Interesting that one has "Selected Cowhide" while the other has "Selected Steerhide".

I don't know who made version C1 and C2. My money is on Appalachian Tanned and Tailored on the C2 since the leather tag is beneath the label. Don't know about the C1 though. It doesn't have "Styled in Cali", but the leather tag is on the side, which is similar to the A and B.

 

[Nacho]

And here is mine...

So mine looks like version B based on the shape, the lining and the overall feel. One thing stood out to me on Yuki's jacket is that it doesn't have the 2 stars. When I bought mine, there were no stars there either, but the epaulets did have the imprints which means the previous owner either removed them or installed then removed them later on. I dig the 2 stars look so I contacted Schott and they sent me 2 sets for FREE. Very nice of them.

Below is my thoughts on my jacket only. I don't own other versions so I can't speak to them.

Pattern

This jacket isn't for everyone. It has that hero fit to it, meaning wide shoulders and very tapered waist. Now, this dude is a 40, but its measurements borderline between a 40 and 42. I'm gonna let the numbers speak for itself here. Also, a few fit pics.

As you can see, shoulders is around 19", which is rather large for a vintage 40. Shoulders on a 40 usually around 18 - 18.5" from my experience. P2P on this dude is 22", which again is considerably roomy for a 40 (21" - 21.5" seems to be the norm). Coupled that with the action backs, mobility ain't a problem here. Now, the waist is at 17.5", which is a big drop from 22". That's 4.5" drop. And you also have to take into consideration the tightening of the belt when wearing. Here are the fit pics.

You can see from the back the drastic V-taper. This is me not tightening the belt yet. Also, I want to mention the baggy sleeves. Very similar to a Fidelity cafe racer that I have. Lots of room for your guns on this dude.

So fit-wise, I would say a mesomorph or a jacked endomorph would look great in this jacket. Somebody that has some muscles on their frame. If you have a tube shape body or toilet roll as Bezie likes to put it lol, it might be harder to pull this one off. This is me basing on what I have in front of me. Not trying to attack anybody here.

 

[Nacho]

Construction

Even though this jacket was made by CSC. And I know we all love CSC here. I would like to say few things about the construction on this one.

No French Seam - I'm surprised that I can't find any French seam on this dude. It only has zig zag stitching throughout. French seam is usually a sign that the maker cares about the quality of their garment. It's harder to tear and takes longer to put together. If you have some time, watch this video below on how to do a French seam on just 2 pieces of leather - the amount of work that it takes let alone French sewing different panels on a jacket.

I want you to pay attention to the collar here. It's constructed with 3 pieces of leather, put together with zig zag stitching. The location of those stitches is right at the bend of the collar so there will be a lot of stress there. Very unusual from the typical two-piece collar with the French seam in the middle, right? I like the stitching in the middle because I always pop my collar so there isn't much stress on that seam. But this one here is the opposite.

No metal eyelets - the belt doesn't have any metal eyelets. What it has are these threaded holes. This practice is rather labour intensive because you have to sew by hand versus using tool to install the metal eyelets. Also, the thread is prone to fray over time with repeated use. I don't get what CSC is trying to save money here. They still had to pay people to hand-sew these button holes, no?

Video below illustrates the process. Not on leather though, but the process is pretty much similar.

Also, the buckle isn't the nicest either. That buckle side of the belt is also too long that it doesn't tighten all the way, leaving the belt hanging down the jacket. You can see on the picture above that the buckle is way past the zipper box. A good rule of thumb is that the buckle should be right at the box. Maybe it serves a purpose where, by having the buckle on one side, it doesn't scratch the tank as the rider leans forward when riding. Just a thought.

 

[Nacho]

Other than that, this jacket definitely has that cool factor thanks to the braided trim even though the design is just the typical MC jacket.

What I would say though is the selected cowhide. It's the nicest cowhide I've ever touched. Has a smooth feel to it, almost like pony hide imo. I've a Sears Map pocket steerhide made by Appalachian, but it feels thin and not as robust as this CSC cowhide. That goes to show the different level between makers.

The main zipper is a replacement on this dude. It's a LENZIP. I believe it was done way back in the days and not recently. And it was a pretty good job too. I only spotted 2 missing holes. The rest of the zippers are your typical diamond pull Talons. Snaps work well. No complaints on the hardware.

Stitching is also clean on this dude. A few uneven spots here and there. But that's expected for vintage leathers. And that's why we love them.

So that's my initial thoughts for this Sears Braided Trim MC. This mini-review might continue to change in the future.

These jackets are quite rare to come around, but I was lucky enough to be at the right place and the right time to purchase this one. Despite a few shortcomings, I absolutely love it.

I'd love to see review on other versions though. The C2 version is such a doozy.

Hope you find this one useful.

Cheers!

 

[JMax]

Other than that, this jacket definitely has that cool factor thanks to the braided trim even though the design is just the typical MC jacket.

What I would say though is the selected cowhide. It's the nicest cowhide I've ever touched. Has a smooth feel to it, almost like pony hide imo. I've a Sears Map pocket steerhide made by Appalachian, but it feels thin and not as robust as this CSC cowhide. That goes to show the different level between makers.

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The main zipper is a replacement on this dude. It's a LENZIP. I believe it was done way back in the days and not recently. And it was a pretty good job too. I only spotted 2 missing holes. The rest of the zippers are your typical diamond pull Talons. Snaps work well. No complaints on the hardware.

Stitching is also clean on this dude. A few uneven spots here and there. But that's expected for vintage leathers. And that's why we love them.

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So that's my thoughts for this Sears Braided Trim MC. This mini-review might change in the future.

These jackets are quite rare to come around, but I was lucky enough to the at the right place and the right time to purchase this one. Despite a few shortcomings, I absolutely love it.

I'd love to see review on other versions though. The C2 version is such a doozy.

Hope you find this one useful.

Cheers!

Thanks for taking the time. Awesome jacket.

 

[jeo]

And here is mine...

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So mine looks like version B based on the shape, the lining and the overall feel. One thing stood out to me on Yuki's jacket is that it doesn't have the 2 stars. When I bought mine, there were no stars there either, but the epaulets did have the imprints which means the previous owner either removed them or installed then removed them later on. I dig the 2 stars look so I contacted Schott and they sent me 2 sets for FREE. Very nice of them.

Below is my thoughts on my jacket only. I don't own other versions so I can't speak to them.

Pattern

This jacket isn't for everyone. It has that hero fit to it, meaning wide shoulders and very tapered waist. Now, this dude is a 40, but its measurements borderline between a 40 and 42. I'm gonna let the numbers speak for itself here. Also, a few fit pics.

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As you can see, shoulders is around 19", which is rather large for a vintage 40. Shoulders on a 40 usually around 18 - 18.5" from my experience. P2P on this dude is 22", which again is considerably roomy for a 40 (21" - 21.5" seems to be the norm). Coupled that with the action backs, mobility ain't a problem here. Now, the waist is at 17.5", which is a big drop from 22". That's 4.5" drop. And you also have to take into consideration the tightening of the belt when wearing. Here are the fit pics.

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You can see from the back the drastic V-taper. This is me not tightening the belt yet. Also, I want to mention the baggy sleeves. Very similar to a Fidelity cafe racer that I have. Lots of room for your guns on this dude.

So fit-wise, I would say a mesomorph or a jacked endomorph would look great in this jacket. Somebody that has some muscles on their frame. This is me basing on what I have in front of me. Not trying to attack anybody here.

Beautiful! Great fit on you too!

I'm pretty sure version A and B were made by CSC based on the label.

Yes, those are both CSC leather tags.

I don't know who made version C1 and C2. My money is on Appalachian Tanned and Tailored on the C2 since the leather tag is beneath the label.

That’s a size tag beneath the Herc label, not a leather tag. Leather tag would be to the side.

Here’s a Grais connection.

Don't know about the C1 though. It doesn't have "Styled in Cali", but the leather tag is on the side, which is similar to the A and B.

And here’s a Blatt connection. Herc on the right.

Here’s a version of this style with a Deerfoot label made by Sports Apparel Inc.

If the braided Hercs were made by Grais or Blatt then it’s possible that is the leather label they used when manufacturing for other brands and perhaps they made some of the Spiegel’s.

Perhaps some of the Lawrence jackets too. This one looks like a Grais or a Blatt.

And perhaps some of the Aldencrest jackets as well.