The dirty rotten ones !

[Charlie]

Hello guys.

As I had announced previously, I'm starting to show you my collection ...

Some will be disappointed because I'll start with rotten jackets.
I speak here of the "red rot", the fear of all collectors.


You know folks, the one you buy and when you've receive it, go into pieces.


I also requiring your expertise -not for any cure which is impossible-but for giving these old babes a birth date.

The first one is made out of...steer ???

the color is light brown

no tag, no label, not a thing

half-belt design, but I think, poor quality...a lot of pieces of leather...

zipper is a Talon. I guess this jacket is from the end of the 50's.

The second one is a little older :

the label say poneyskin, and Knopf of Boston.

also a half belt design but with elastic waist :

the leather is dry, and the stitching is going back to the coil wire...

the talon is the same as the one found on some a2, so I can date this jacket 1942-1950

The last one is the more intresting, but also a big piece of red rot !

I think the design is great :

made of really light horsehide
The taillor is SIERRA (from what I can read one the label, the rest is mystery)

Also Talon zippers
The back is pleated in an "art deco" way

I think the last one is from the end of the 30's ?

That's all !

Thanks for your datation guys !

Charlie

 

[Bruce Wayne]

what exactly is this red rot that you are showing us?
thanx!!!
Charlie

 

[Charlie]

Hello again,

Thanks for your interest Bruce !

For the red rot definition, wikipedia is your friend :

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_rot_(leather)

Regards

 

[DJS Press]

When you click on the link, Wikipedia says:

Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. Please search for Red rot (leather in Wikipedia to check for alternative titles or spellings.

 

[Feng_Li]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_rot_(leather)

The close-paren didn't make it into the original link.

 

[dr greg]

Acid Rain?

I've never seen or heard of red-rot, and I live in a very humid environment where you have to watch all leather garments for mould, so could it be an industrial pollution thing?

 

[Charlie]

No, it's not industrial polution, it's a typical "sickness" of old leather, commonly found on old books bindings. The last jacket may have over 70 years old...

I've got leather bags of 100 years old that have this problem too.

 

[BigHairyFinn]

Oh, like this one?

About sz 48 and up for grabs.

 

[jac]

Wow...

These things look like they've been exhumed.

I hope I'm not gonna p.o. the mods, but there is a hh jacket on fleabay right now (you notice I'm not posting any link) that SCREAMS red rot.

They're calling it 'patina laden'!

Soo sad.

 

[jac]

Came upon these recently;

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_rot_(leather)

http://cool-palimpsest.stanford.edu/jcms/issue3/dirksen.html

http://www.furniturehelpers.com/about_leather_furniture.htm

Caveat Emptor!

 

[RP McMurphy]

Red Rot

Too bad about those jackets, they look neat. Is there any way to stop the spread of the rot so that they might be wearable? Real shame when we can't hold on to things of the past...