Vintage Tweed Shooting suit for sale by 'Bookster'

[Two Types]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/INCREDIBLE-...=UK_Men_s_Suits_Tailoring&hash=item43ae87c0e3

This will be a nice suit for someone. It even comes with a matching deerstalker hat.

Interesting large interior pockets with a supporting strap. I am hoping someone will tell me all about this feature -history, how often you see this, period you would expect to see it etc. I am assuming this is a feature that is specific to country suits - for carrying extra shotgun cartridges etc.

 

[Nick D]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/INCREDIBLE-...=UK_Men_s_Suits_Tailoring&hash=item43ae87c0e3

This will be a nice suit for someone. It even comes with a matching deerstalker hat.

Interesting large interior pockets with a supporting strap. I am hoping someone will tell me all about this feature -history, how often you see this, period you would expect to see it etc. I am assuming this is a feature that is specific to country suits - for carrying extra shotgun cartridges etc.

I just saw a plus-fours suit with the same feature a couple weeks ago in Edinburgh. It's a stay, to hold up the weight of whatever is put in the pocket. Given the placement and nature of the pocket I'd say it's a game pocket for small birds. It could be for shells, but you'd usually carry them in a more easily-accessible outer pocket.

 

[Two Types]

That's what I thought. The reason I asked was that I recently saw this style of interior pocket on a 1940s suit (made by Burtons) for sale in a vintage shop in Glasgow. I though it strange to have such a feature on a normal suit (this one was a blue striped suit). I am expecting (hoping) HBK to contribute a detailed assessment of this type of interior pocket ...

 

[herringbonekid]

TT, proper shooting suits are rather outside my area of interest i'm afraid. i'm really only into the city attire. greeny check tweed country suits aren't my thing.
Nick is probably right, although why would anyone want to put a dead, bleeding bird inside their pocket ? (see... i just don't get it)

 

[Nick D]

Nick is probably right, although why would anyone want to put a dead, bleeding bird inside their pocket ? (see... i just don't get it)

Game pockets (also known as 'poachers pockets'), aren't that unusual on sporting clothes. The pocketing may be lined in something dense that keeps any blood from staining the outside, but small game doesn't usually bleed all that much to start with. I have a wool jacket with a game pocket that takes up the whole lower back that you could fit a couple good-sized rabbits into.

 

[Nick D]

I though it strange to have such a feature on a normal suit (this one was a blue striped suit).

It could be that the suit was owned by someone familiar with shooting clothes, and he adapted the idea to a city suit for carrying something heavy in the city (whatever it may have been).

 

[Two Types]

That would be logical. The perfect size for a book - or the world's largest hipflask.

 

[PADDY]

Where's the vintage shop(s) in Glasgow as I'm on the train to there now. Thanks!

 

[Two Types]

There are a number:
'Starry Starry Night' and 'Circa Vintage' are in Ruthven Lane, just off Byres Road, close to Hillhead subway station. Starry Starry Night was where I saw the Burton suit with the inner pockets as discussed. They had plenty of nice pieces last time I was in there (make sure you check out the cabinets to the left of the door, there are shirts and collars etc in there).
Sheila in Circa Vintage is very nice: most of her stock is womens, but if you ask her about what she has in storage she might be able to help with suits etc.
Then there a number along Great Western Road, I didn't explore them all but one in particular had a good selection of scarves and loads of military jackets.
In the city centre there is 'Mr Ben' at the bottom of King Street (south from Trongate - under a railway arch). It has loads of ties. I found a few very nice ones. I didn't really check out the rest of the stock.
There is also a new shop on King Street, but I didn't check it out.
If you are going to be in Glasgow at the weekend it's worth looking around at the Barras. Sometimes some nice stuff turns up (I once found a 1950s raincoat for £8 which was a real bargain). It can be a case of hunting around but there is often some really nice pieces, in particular heavy coats.

One thing is certain, if you are looking for vintage woolen ties, you'll find plenty of them.

Best of luck. Let us know if you find anything good.

 

[Baron Kurtz]

I just bought a 3 piece grey tweed suit of indeterminate age (won't know 'til I get back to the UK to have a look at it) with the pocket strap feature. The trousers have a high fishtail back so i'm hopeful of age!

bk

 

[Edward]

All those Two-Types mentions are great. Shortage of menswear in larger sizes (typical of vintage in general), but all good prices (much more so than central London!). Starry Starry Night I liek a lot - picked up a couple of cravats in there, also last I was up a really nice, probably 1930s homburg in (I think) beaver fur, for twenty quid....