Suits - Pre 1920

[Broccoli]

The brown coat once had black silk around the edges, but time has made it brown/green/khaki. It is very worn. Fancy, thick lining. These clothes have been worked in!

Why do you think I couldn't sell it? I'd get too attached to it?

 

[Rabbit]

The brown coat once had black silk around the edges, but time has made it brown/green/khaki. It is very worn. Fancy, thick lining. These clothes have been worked in!

Why do you think I couldn't sell it? I'd get too attached to it?

No, I meant that finding a buyer isn't always easy. The vintage market isn't something that one can depend on. Some time ago, HBK sold an exquisite 1910s (or was it 1920s, I forget) orphaned suit jacket which didn't get that much attention despite its excellent condition, and it sold for a fairly low bid.
Of course if it's cheap enough, I wouldn't think twice about buying an early piece like this (if I were you, I mean).

 

[Broccoli]

It is an uneven market, very true. I'll buy it, but not for a price I'm not certain I'll get it sold for. These old pieces are very interesting to study as well

 

[Two Types]

The brown jacket looks to be in good condition, apart from the piping. With fresh piping, it could look good.

 

[Dostioffsky]

Haha! These clothes always come in my size! I'll buy the green ones. I'll keep you in mind dostioffsky. I am a 37 inch chest 29 waist for reference.

Thanks, I am the same size . I should say that they look great on you!

 

[Dinerman]

1900s? 1910s? White flannel cutaway coat. I've never seen anything like this before. What context do you suppose it would have been worn in? According to the person I bought it from, it was originally sold in Big Timber, Montana, but there are no tags, so I only have the word of the person who they bought it from to confirm that.

 

[Rabbit]

Extraordinary find, Dinerman. Can we see a photo of the back and the liner? It looks like a 1890s coat of a summer suit to me. Not an unusual cut for a suit of that period.

from American Fashions 1897 and 1898:

 

[Dinerman]

Here's the back and lining. Heavily slanted pockets, ticket pocket.

 

[Rabbit]

Very nice, and incredibly clean. Sure looks like a 1890s-1900s summer suit's coat to me.

 

[esteban68]

DM that's a beautiful coat, I dream about such things but would fear to wear it for the worry of getting it dirty!

 

[herringbonekid]

the longer length and more angular cutaway (more angular than the rounded ones in Rabbit's illys) make me think 1910-14.
i agree it was probably part of a suit.

 

[Two Types]

Dinerman, I have a very similar silk jacket. It even has the same one button cuff on an open slit. but not as cutaway at the front.

open cuff

buttons held on by a ring

what date would you put on this?

 

[Papperskatt]

Wow! I'm away from the internet for a while and some awesome thins turn up! Those suit parts from Broccoli are really cool, especially the green jacket and waistcoat. I wish that I had found them...

And I agree on HBK's theory of the age of Dinerman's white jacket. It looks early teens to me.

Now excuse me while I disappear for a few more weeks as I need to keep renovating my house...

 

[Eddie Derbyshire]

Dinerman, I have a very similar silk jacket. It even has the same one button cuff on an open slit. but not as cutaway at the front.

open cuff

buttons held on by a ring

what date would you put on this?

Looks great TT. It's a tricky one (for me anyway, so let me have a go ). You could easily see that button-stance up to the 1940s, I'd reckon, but the lapels say much earlier? The cuffs and lack of a breast pocket again could be an indicating factor, or indeed just something to do with the cloth used (i.e. silk=summery=slightly less formal?). My gut says late 1920s? Those shoulders seem to lack the padding that would come later than that, and there isn't an awful lot of cut-away on the jacket's front.

Superb jacket though. Is it fairly stiff to wear?

 

[Eddie Derbyshire]

1900s? 1910s? White flannel cutaway coat. I've never seen anything like this before. What context do you suppose it would have been worn in? According to the person I bought it from, it was originally sold in Big Timber, Montana, but there are no tags, so I only have the word of the person who they bought it from to confirm that.

Very nice Dinerman. Seems odd for it to be such a summery colour (and cut, to be honest) and yet to be in a fairly thick flannel. As you say, it is difficult to pin-down the situation it might have been worn in. You don't suppose it could have been a service jacket? Like for a waiter or valet? A thicker version of a Duck (Duc?) jacket?

 

[Rabbit]

Very nice deconstructed summer jacket, TT. The removable buttons would indicate that it's intended to be a washable jacket. The WWII RAF linen bush jackets of their tropical uniform have buttons with rings just like that.

I wonder if silk as old as that is better suited for handwashing or for dry cleaning? Tender stuff in any case.

 

[Two Types]

I haven't worn it yet since it needs to be professionally pressed (Barmey - who is a tailor - is going to sort it out for me). The silk is so soft it is beautiful. The construction (shoulder seams, interior design, lack of breat pocket etc) made Barmey think it was no later than the early 1920s, but it is difficult to tell. He was impressed by the amount of high quality hand stitching on the jacket.

 

[Eddie Derbyshire]

Are they Mother-of-Pearl buttons TT? It's very nice. What would you match it with d'you reckon? White flannels and cravat? Or maybe go whole-hog with a straw boater and double-round collar?

 

[Two Types]

Or maybe go whole-hog with a straw boater and double-round collar?

The straw boater is at the top of my list of things I would never wear. I would feel like a public school ******* of a certain type (think of the famous 1970s photo of Tony Blair wearing a boater). More likely it will be white shoes, grey flannels, cravat and a soft collared linen shirt. The stiff collar look doesn't work for me.

 

[Broccoli]

Papperskatt are you interested in the brown jacket? It is very well worn but still in incredibly sturdy condition. I have yet to decide what I do with the green jacket/vest. They are in the freezer now, not sure if I should start cleaning and repairing or if I just should sell them. I might wash/repair and let it hang in the closet for a while and see how that feels. But if some people really, really want them I might as well let them go right now?