The Return of Mascot Leathers

[HoosierDaddy]

Seems popular overseas. Draws a blank here. [huh]

 

[Otter]

Never Mind The Asterisks, by the Asterisk Pistols !!

 

[Monitor]

If I manage to sell any of my jackets, I will buy Black Rock.

 

[Otter]

Black Rock. To me, that sounds like a company either selling close personal protection or pension plans !

 

[nick123]

If I manage to sell any of my jackets, I will buy Black Rock.

Isn't that heroin??

 

[Edward]

Isn't that heroin??

I thought it was brown? (I've read Trainspotting, me).


BTW..... any interest in British rocker jackets from the 59/ Ace café / café racer scene? Was toying with the idea of starting a thread...

 

[IXL]

Oh heck yes!!!

 

[tropicalbob]

I was in a Dublin pub one night right around the time the Pistols first LP came out, when I was introduced to a local radio/tv personality cool-guy who was sperting a "Never Mind the -------" button on his lapel. Literally, as he'd put a piece of tape over the word. When I laughed and asked him about it, he said, "Well, y'know, ya don't want to offend people."

 

[Monitor]

I thought it was brown? (I've read Trainspotting, me).


BTW..... any interest in British rocker jackets from the 59/ Ace café / café racer scene? Was toying with the idea of starting a thread...

I'm all for it! +1000

 

[Edward]

I'll look into that tomorrow.... I've finally gotten shot of the eam papers I had to mark, and my teaching days are a bit more mangeable this week, so I'v actually got some time to myself here and there before I fly out on Saturday now...

On the Mascot tip, here's a jacket selling on ebay that's of interest. No label, but All the hallmarks of being an original Mascot Black Rock:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VINTAGE-L...111?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item3aab961db7

Note especially the chunky main-zip, which appears to be original on this jacket (in close-up photos). While I can't be certain as absent the label it's impossible to date it to sixties or seventies, it does have the same sort of zip I've seen on many of this type of jacket before, so the zips on the reissues are accurate to originals at some point during their run.

 

[Edward]

Well, there you are: turns out the pvnk rock credentials of the revivied Mascot are strong as they ever were. Check out the photo of a Black Rock being sported by none other than Mr Dave Vanian of the Damned here: http://www.mascotleathers.com/#!black-rock/c1xea

 

[nick123]

Best British **** band IMHO!

 

[handymike]

and to think Peter Murphy was up for the job.

 

[tropicalbob]

Best British **** band IMHO!

That would be Joy Division (IMHO).

 

[Edward]

Well, if New Order achieved one thing, it was to prove where all the creative talent in Joy Division lay. Ian Curtis.

Herself and I took a wander up to the Ace cafe forf a latre lunch yesterday. Food was great (their own-braned sausages in any form are especially wonderful). I wasn't able to try on the Mascots as they only have one of each model hanging up, the label announcing that they will be 'custom made to order'. I didn't think to ask if they had any to try one because I wasn't gonig to be buying yesterday, and I hate putting people out if I'm jut tyre-kicking. Anyhow... First impressions are reasonably good. They had all three models - the Black Night, Black Rock, and Black Cafe. All in - of course - black leather, with a bright red lining. Hanging up against the Lewises, they don't look immediately bad or cheap, which is impressive, given the price difference. A Lewis Bronx is now £750.00, while the Mascots are £299.00 apiece. The pocket-zips are nicely styled, in a correct-looking size with pullers that look close to the original coffin-pullers. The main zips are a bit chunkier, though no moreso than on the Lewises.... they look, in person, to be the same as the original Mascots I've seen. The only thing that might be off against the original late 50s Mascots is the long, square puller.... I've seen it on lots of Mascots, but not sure whether it came in in the early-mid Sixties or earlier. The jacket shell is all-leather: as I suspected, they've dropped the original feature of the inside hem and nderside of the collar being vinyl. I think that's wise.... all-leather is best, and I don't imagine moern buyers would be thrilled with total accuracy just there. Whered they are like the originals - and British jackets of the period more generally - is that they are much lighter than a modern bike jacket. This is not your Aero J106 or Buco repro or even Schott steerhide Perfecto 618. It feels more akin to the wieght of a goat A2. Definitely easier to patch and pin-up at that rate.... Compared to the Lewises, which are again much lighter than most, they're roughly the same weight of hide. Nothing in the labelling says what it is other than "all leather", but I'd put money on cowhide. Nice jackets, though if you're planning on taking a spill in one, buy bigger and wear armour underneath.

Edited to add:

While the Mascot designs all look nicer in person, the one that is most different from the photos is the mandarin-collar cafe racer. TBh, I thought it looked a bit..... off, somehow, in the photos on the website. Nothing I could fully articulate, it just didn't look 'right' somehow. In person, however, it's a really nice design. If you wanted a lighter-weight cafe racer type for casual wear in warmer weather, it's well worth a looksee.

 

[nick123]

Has anyone here purchased one of these??

 

[galopede]

Has anyone here purchased one of these??

I am in contact with Chris & Nick at Mascot at the moment, looking to get a Black Rock jacket. We have exchanged several emails working out the sizing I need (Bit on the large size!)

They are fast replying and so far seem very helpful. Just waiting for their final tweak before slapping a deposit down.

So, I can't help with the actual jacket as yet but the experience so far is good.

Gareth

 

[galopede]

I received my Mascot Black Rock this week, about 3 weeks from ordering, after a couple of weeks sorting the sizing. I am very pleased with it. The leather is quite supple (next to am Alaxander Leathers Drifter in Chromexcel Steer I bought about 18 months ago)

It it very decent quality leather though, certainly not mall jacket quality! All the manufacturing, seams, zips etc are well done and solid.

I will get some photos soon if anyone is interested. Chris and Nick at Mascot were very helpful with many fast email replies about sizing and suggestions. I am quite large and wanted it loose to wear jumpers under and with plenty of shoulder room as I always have problems with off he peg being too tight across the shoulders.They have done me proud, especially at the price of £300 + £10 shipping.

For anyone wondering where they are made, I asked Chris and he replied
"They source the leather in Italy, cut in the east & finish in London.

It’s a grade A aniline leather with smooth grain & 1.3mm thickness. It’s as close as we could get to the sheepskin feel that the originals were made with because if we went with sheepskin & 100% UK manufacture, the jackets would have to retail closer to £800!"

Gareth

 

[nick123]

Looking forward to seeing the jacket. I have a Damned "Neat Neat Neat" shirt headed my way in the mail.

 

[Edward]

Thanks for the review, Galopede (I missed it previously when I asked for one on the other thread!). Sounds good. I'd anticipated that there would have to be an element of Far East manufacture to keep the price down like that (Lewis are all made in the UK, and charge accordingly). They look great. I'm still eying up the Black Night as a base for a Rocker jacket. Would be great to see pictures. It sounds like the skins they're using are light enough for Summer wear, but without the tear-danger of lambskin... Did they say exactly which hide it is? Sheep?