Vintage Outerwear: Threads of the Past

[tmitchell59]

Quiet here Two Sears Fieldmaster from the late 50s. The A2 style has the standout 50s Red quilt lining. The Fieldmaster label began in 1955. The A2 styled jackets show up in about every catalog through the 50s. This jacket is Steerhide many were sold in Horsehide as well. Both these jackets were made by Appalachian Tanned and Tailored.

The A2 has little wear and a great fit in size 44.

 

[tmitchell59]

This Style was first cataloged around 1959 and is also seen with the 60s Oakbrook label. This jacket is also seen with the Appalachian Tanned and Tailored label. There were tagged as horsehide and Steerhide. All have this pile lining. The jacket was also available in brown, more common in black.

Sears sold some interesting jackets during this early 60s transition. I've had a few and sold them all. Had even a bit longer style in this time.

1959 Sears Catalog

 

[tmitchell59]

Appalachian labeled

 

[tmitchell59]

Three Sportclad half-belts

And a Hercules

 

[EAC]

I think @tmitchell59 will like this one:

What's interesting is that it is slightly different from the one reported in the 1948 Sears Special catalog (not the Christmas one, as I mistakingly wrote in the Sears Motorcycle Jacket History thread, thanks to tmitchell59 for reporting the correct name):

As you can see, 6 buttons instead of 5 and pointed, instead of squared, buttoned cuffs.
As far as I know, this is a very elusive piece; this jacket is only the second one of its kind I have ever seen actual photos of (the other is in the Lighting Archives Leather Jacket book) and the pictured one is the only catalog page (to my knowledge) advertising it.

It is of course not a straight up reproduction of the 506xx jacket sold in denim fabric by Levi's at the time (different pocket shape and back design among other details as you can see below), but the pattern it is still very similar. I wonder if this has something to do with this jacket being so short lived.

Finally, for those interested, Warehouse & Co is currently selling a quite accurate reproduction of this Hercules, in both black and brown.

 

[Will Zach]

That jacket is a unicorn. Wow.

 

[EAC]

That jacket is a unicorn. Wow.

It indeed is. The guys at Warehouse & Co write on their website about the short production period and the rarity of the jacket that inspired their reproduction (see below), so I guess the japanese experts agree as well:

 

[tmitchell59]

I think @tmitchell59 will like this one:

Yes, I do like this one! This jacket did not appear in another catalog that I know. Notice the, no pocket, MC jacket on this page was also short lived. This model was quickly replaced and is not seen in another catalog.

Post war production and innovation.

I doubt I will ever see one for sale.

 

[tmitchell59]

It indeed is. The guys at Warehouse & Co write on their website about the short production period and the rarity of the jacket that inspired their reproduction (see below), so I guess the japanese experts agree as well:

View attachment 442937
View attachment 442938

I've got original Hercules labels that would look perfect in this jacket. How much are they?

 

[EAC]

Yes, I do like this one! This jacket did not appear in another catalog that I know. Notice the, no pocket, MC jacket on this page was also short lived. This model was quickly replaced and is not seen in another catalog.

Post war production and innovation.

I doubt I will ever see one for sale.

I agree on the MC jacket, but consider that it just evolved with minor changes. The Type I utterly disappeared and I do not know when Sears started again selling leather truckers, I should check the 60s and 70s catalogs.
The Levi's short horn roughout jacket introduced in the 50s were instead much more successful from a commercial point of view, I think: they were produced with minor changes well into the 70s and their pattern was later adopted, with some modifications, on the 557xx, which then became (and still is to this day) the quintessential trucker and denim jacket.
Who knows, maybe Sears was ahead of its time, or maybe black smooth leather was not the correct marketing move for the first leather western jacket.

 

[EAC]

I've got original Hercules labels that would look perfect in this jacket. How much are they?

Warehouse & Co sells them for 170500 Yen taxes excluded, while Standard & Strange in the US stocks the brown version (1690 USD).

 

[Blackadder]

I've got original Hercules labels that would look perfect in this jacket. How much are they?

https://www.ware-house.co.jp/?pid=161275179

 

[tmitchell59]

I agree on the MC jacket, but consider that it just evolved with minor changes. The Type I utterly disappeared and I do not know when Sears started again selling leather truckers, I should check the 60s and 70s catalogs.
The Levi's short horn roughout jacket introduced in the 50s were instead much more successful from a commercial point of view, I think: they were produced with minor changes well into the 70s and their pattern was later adopted, with some modifications, on the 557xx, which then became (and still is to this day) the quintessential trucker and denim jacket.
Who knows, maybe Sears was ahead of its time, or maybe black smooth leather was not the correct marketing move for the first leather western jacket.

I'm not knowledgeable about the history of Levi jackets. Note; this jackets has the "Made in California" script. I have always assumed that those jackets were made my California Sportswear Company. Levi was also in California, but a nationally known brand by 1948. Perhaps the Hercules jacket was too close in design and look to the Levi jacket and discontinued.

I can't not recall any leather trucker jackets in subsequent Sears catalogs.

Levi appeared to dominate in the 50s with their leather Trucker jackets, smooth and roughout.

 

[EAC]

I can't not recall any leather trucker jackets in subsequent Sears catalogs.

They are most likely in the later, less relevant ones.

This I found is probably 70s/80s:

I agree that they might have stepped on Levi's feet with the 40s one.

 

[tmitchell59]

They are most likely in the later, less relevant ones.

This I found is probably 70s/80s:

View attachment 442979
View attachment 442980

I agree that they might have stepped on Levi's feet with the 40s one.

No trucker images in the 60-65 Sears catalogs. I have little information after 1965. There are many example of Sears Trucker styles on the market, most must be from the 70s as pictured below.

This is a 1975 image

I recall these jackets, they were very popular. The Levi roughout use to show up all the time in resale shops. They must have sold a ton of these. Many were made in Mexico I would guess.

 

[EAC]

No trucker images in the 60-65 Sears catalogs. I have little information after 1965. There are many example of Sears Trucker styles on the market, most must be from the 70s as pictured below.

This is a 1975 image

View attachment 442981

I recall these jackets, they were very popular. The Levi roughout use to show up all the time in resale shops. They must have sold a ton of these. Many were made in Mexico I would guess.

Yep, first occurrence I found of Sear's truckers is in the 1971 F/W catalog:

Plenty of similar pieces around, all suede, all 70s or later and most likely inspired by Levi's jackets.

This one is intriguing, though:

The seller says 50s; by looking at the label I would say 50s or 60s. A woman's jacket, though, not exactly Levi's market at the time.

 

[EAC]

An interesting unbranded horsehide sport jacket from the 40s, between a motorcycle and an aviator one: this one was worn by a USN member:

 

[EAC]

A couple of 30s Perfectos. Horsehide sport jacket:

Horsehide car coat:

I thought the perfecto name was reserved to MC jackets and the habit of slapping it everywhere was a modern one which capitalized on the fame it gained in the 50s and 60s; I guess I was wrong.

 

[EAC]

40s Sears Topline:

 

[Imuricecreamman]

A couple of 30s Perfectos. Horsehide sport jacket:

View attachment 443414 View attachment 443415 View attachment 443416 View attachment 443417

Horsehide car coat:

View attachment 443418 View attachment 443419 View attachment 443420

I thought the perfecto name was reserved to MC jackets and habit of slapping it everywhere was a modern one which capitalized on the fame it gained in the 50s and 60s; I guess I was wrong.

Perfect 2 jacket collection.