Zippers

[Baron Kurtz]

Another ZIPP. From an - i think - 1950s jacket, though it could be earlier . . . or later.

The jacket

The ZIPP. Like BTs, branded only, no DRP, BCWrN or DBP. Has that "mark of authenticity" at the bottom of the zip.

bk

 

[Baron Kurtz]

DRP N?ºrnberg

A little more info on ZIPPs marked DRP Nürnberg. e.g.:

ZIPP werk GmbH was at 69 Hoefenerstrasse in Nürnberg (now occupied by something called a "Buffeteria"), and appears on a list of companies employing forced labourers up 'til 1945. No surprises there. I'm jumping to the conclusion that ZIPPs marked "DRP Nürnberg" - like my example above - rather than simply "DRP" were made at this factory. Why this particular factory had the privilege of putting their town name after the DRP remains mysterious.

Was Nürnberg ever a German government centre? This being the only other explanation i can come up with for the "DRP Nürnberg" designation.

bk

 

[Baron Kurtz]

Also a reference to a patent application in the name of "ZIPP Werk GmbH" as late as 1970.

bk

 

[Hawk_Eye]

I posted these on the Irvin thread but I thought it might be more useful over here. Its a set of set double trunnion brass DOTs, which I think are most likely postwar. Up until a couple months ago they were all one zipper. The main zip with the slider bucket used to be 57 inches long. I cut it down to jacket length, and used the reamining track along with the hardware from 2 junked blue-taped DOTS and made a complete set of tan-taped zips. Towards the end are a couple other zips I've come across.

All three of these have no markings apart from the DOT logo, and the trunnions look stronger than wartime-issue zips.

Late-war Flash Fastener Zip

Late-war Irvin sleeve zip, unknown maker.

 

[Feraud]

I hope this info is not redundant but here are some pics from a '35 Sears catalog.

 

[nightandthecity]

press-stud excitement!

now then chaps....

I thought I'd post this here rather than start a new thread as press-studs (US snap fasteners) and zippers are a closely related issue for all jacket geeks, and it seems the same kind of obscure international links were operating.

I have just listed on evilbay this 1940s Australian made jacket. Like a lot of vintage commonwealth clothing it shows a unique mix of UK and US design influences - and also in this case fittings. The zip is a British Lightning, but it is the press studs that are interesting. They are the classic United Carr ring fasteners ubiquitous on WW2 US military gear, but Australian made and marked as CARR FAST AUSTRALIA instead of UNITED CARR.

I found that fascinating enough, but about the same time as I aquired it I also bought this 1930s British jacket, and was surprised and intrigued to find it had an unusual pattern of CARR studs on the pockets. Which raises such questions as, were these simply imports, or did Carr produce in the UK as well - as , it would now seem, they did in Australia. Interesting that it is such a different pattern to the well known 1940s Carr, possibly because it's a 30s jacket - but possibly because they were UK made? The nipple style is very typical of British studs of the period.

Back to zippers: on the Irvin thread it was sugested that these "W" marked Lightnings (quite common on WW2 British military gear) were not actually made by Lightning but are Waldes copies. I'm not sure what the evidence for that is, but if true it suggests that Waldes were operating in Britain as well as the US, and that like Talon they had some sort of link with Lightning.

gosh, this is exciting!!!

(BTW, if interested in the Australian jacket I can't post a live ebay link but my ID is zippgunn)

 

[BellyTank]

The French Connection

Interesting!

For posterity and the annals(anals).

Not the best photo- you can't actually see the branding stamped into the meatl but this zipper is French and the brand is "Eclaire"(French),
which we have (all) seen before.

The zipper/s is/are used in the leg of a pair of privately tailored, miltary, corduroy breeches, which would seem to be from the '20s/'30s.

The zipper seems to be the same stampings as the early "Hookless" "Talon" and even "Lightning" models- but now another foreign market exemplar.

Was there, perhaps an actual "licensing" agreement, or partnership with other/foreign trimmings suppliers then..?

Canada(Lightning)/France(Eclaire)- maybe this is actually the connection... Canada/France. Hookless/Talon's business partner in Canada
and their family in France.


B
T

 

[Baron Kurtz]

ernational

I have just listed on evilbay this 1940s Australian made jacket. The zip is a British Lightning, but it is the press studs that are interesting. They are the classic United Carr ring fasteners ubiquitous on WW2 US military gear, but Australian made and marked as CARR FAST AUSTRALIA instead of UNITED CARR.

Hi Night,

I just bought a deadstock 1952 Aussie "Ike-type" jacket with Lightning brand brass zipper (like the one on your jacket) and Carr Fast Australia ring snaps on the chest pocket flaps and arm cuffs. Will post on this jacket soon . . .

bk

 

[BellyTank]

Aha!
The Khaki drill ones, in small sizes...

Damn you, Kurtz!

I've seen them in surplus stores but always small sizes.


B
T

 

[Baron Kurtz]

Yes, the KD ones. Yes in a small size. Damn me!!

bk

 

[BellyTank]

Another interesting example.
A German "ZIPP" brand sliding fastener.
Looking like a Hookless/earlier Talon.

This time, on a WW2, or possibly earlier Kriegsmarine sailor's shirt.


B
T

 

[Baron Kurtz]

^^^ I've heard them talked of, but this is the first i've seen. Great stuff!

Cross posted from Adveturer's Gear, here's a deco Lightning zipper from a 1952 Australian military short jacket.

This jacket is also fitted with the "Carr Fast Australia" press studs described/pictured earlier by NATC. Here's one.

And a boring old Conmar from a pair of 40s American suit trousers.

bk

 

[MrBern]

WWII WALDES

The talon on my officer trousers died , so I picked up this replacement.
I've known the dealer from some reenactments, quite a nice fellow.
He indicated these were taken off the mountain trousers used by Mount troops & Special Forces(FSSF). But Im not sure if he meant the early Wool versions or the later Cotton.

 

[BellyTank]

That IS a nice zipper- WALDES are pretty thin on the ground.


B
T

 

[MrBern]

$5 on the evil auction site.
No other bidders.

But a canabalized Crown PULL went for about $40

BT, what other gear bore a Waldes zip?

 

[BellyTank]

I had a USAAF D-2 with a WALDES- seen others with them but all the D-2s I've seen have been made by Aero Leather Clothing. Could have been an Aero thing- don't know of any rules for Waldes. And a USN "Field Jacket".
I'm sure I've had one on an Army M-41.


B
T

 

[Dinerman]

Lightning from a canadian made sweater

Westex. Any info on these? I couldn't find any.

 

[Hawk_Eye]

Dinerman, a friend of mine has a 1960/70s green RCAF flight suit thats covered in those oval Lightning zips, except the lightning logo is curved and looks like the logo on the WW2 zips.

 

[Dinerman]

Here's a question- when did YKK zippers first hit the market? I have a jacket that perfectly matches an early '50s ad for it, but the zip is a brass YKK. It doesn't look like a replacement, but I could be wrong.

Any ideas?

 

[Dinerman]

And this is what the jacket looks like, only it's in a faded (to a weird purple) gabardine, and is the mens, not the boy's.

And this is the label. Same as in the ad.