Instagram story viewer> @onehellofajacket> Posts

A collection of fine old jackets

@onehellofajacket

474

followers

634

following

Vintage archive for future reference.

POSTS STORIES REELS TAGGED

Wool gabardine by Allen Mfg Co. Probably made in the late 40s, early 50s. by @onehellofajacket

30

7

10 days ago

This is my Sears Hercules vertical zipper map pocket crosszip jacket.

Back in the day, people would buy stuff from catalogs, a.k.a. mail order, which was the predecessor of online shopping. This business model originally emerged to meet the needs of rural residents. Before Amazon, Rakuten, and the like, there were Sears Roebuck & Co. and Montgomery Ward in the States, and Eaton's and Simpsons-Sears (a partnership between Sears and Simpson) in Canada. A fun fact: August 18th is National Mail Order Catalog Day, which commemorates the date Montgomery Ward issued its first mail order catalog in 1872.

This jacket was part of the Sears catalog under its Hercules Outerwear label. You can see the jacket in the catalog in the last image (top left corner). This is one of my favorite motorcycle jacket designs. It's essentially the typical W-collar crosszip on an A2 or flight jacket chassis, with the addition of a big pocket on one side. That pocket was used to store anything, but it was allegedly intended for a map so the rider would know where they were going. Remember, there was no Google Maps back in the 50s 😂.

I have another one with a similar design that I posted about a few months ago. That jacket has another big pocket in the back in addition to the front pocket. This Sears Hercules doesn't have that.

Although this jacket has a Sears label, it was made by Appalachian Tanned & Tailored down in Tullahoma, TN. You can tell by the leather tab underneath the main label. The company started in 1943 and made jackets under the same name until 1966. A contemporary maker and other collectors also call this model the Appalachian.

This company is still around, although it has changed ownership and name since 1966. Its current name is Taylor's Leatherwear, and you can read more about the history on their website.

The jacket fits a little on the blousy side since it's based on a flight jacket. It feels comfortable and the whole vibe is just cool. I love this one a lot, especially since it's in near-mint condition. I'm extremely lucky to have this piece. My good friend, @yuuki.matsumoto.3557, even has the two-tone black-and-white version of this jacket.

Cool as hell!!! by @onehellofajacket

152

15

2 years ago

48

2

2 years ago

150

19

2 years ago

90

20

2 years ago

This is my Sears braided trim MC jacket.

From what I've gathered, there were probably 3 versions of this Sears jacket. Plus other makers, such as Blatt of Chicago and Sports Apparel of Rhode Island, also made similar style with their own label. And based on the label of mine, it was made by California Sportswear.

This jacket has that hero fit to it, meaning wide shoulders and tapered waist. Now, this dude is a 40, but its measurements borderline between a 40 and 42. Shoulders is around 19", which is rather large for a vintage 40. Shoulders on a 40 usually around 18 - 18.5" in my experience. Pit to pit on this dude is 22", which again is considerably roomy for a 40 (21" - 21.5" seems to be the norm). Now, the waist is at 17.5", which is a big drop from 22". That's 4.5" drop. And you also have to take into consideration the tightening of the belt when wearing. I also want to mention the baggy sleeves, which is similar to a Fidelity cafe racer that I have. Lots of room for your guns.

So fit-wise, I'd say a mesomorph or a jacked endomorph would look great in this jacket. Somebody that has some muscles on their frame.

This jacket definitely has that cool factor thanks to the braided trim even though the design is just the typical MC jacket. What I'd say though is the selected cowhide. It's the nicest cowhide I've ever touched. Has a smooth feel to it, almost like pony hide imo. I've a Sears Map pocket steerhide made by Appalachian, but it feels thin and not as robust as this CSC cowhide. That goes to show the different level between makers.

The main zipper is a LENZIP replacement. I believe it was done way back in the days and not recently. Gotta say, it was a pretty good job. I only spotted 2 missing holes. The rest of the zippers are your typical diamond pull Talons. Snaps work well. No complaints on the hardware.

These jackets are quite rare to come around, but I was lucky enough to purchase this one. Fun fact, Johnny Depp has this exact one (see last photo). If you've noticed, he always wears cool vintage leathers. Dude probably has great stylist or he's collector himself. Either way, he's cool.
.
.
.
.
.
#searshercules #vintageleatherjacket #cowhidejacket by @onehellofajacket

152

6

3 years ago

This is my Los Angeles Sport Togs half belt.

Not much info available on this label and the same can be said for the number of their jackets circling in the market these days. Few to none. So it's safe to say that this jacket is quite rare.

I took a chance on this one and it happened to be in size 38 which is small for me at 40/42. However, the odd thing is that I can still put it on and move around with ease. I believe it's because of the internal elastic band across the back. It also has the leather gussets on both sides so mobility is certainly not an issue here. I can't zip it all the way up though.

Judging from the TALON slider, this dude was probably made in the mid 30s so he's definitely old (almost 90 years old). Yet the leather is still in great shape. No shoulders burn or any flaking. Don't know what leather it is though. Probably cow or lightweight horse.

The lining, however, might need to be replaced. It has holes in various sizes where the two lower pockets are. One of the pocket bags has a small hole as well. The rest of the lining is fine. Furthermore, I believe the lining is cotton linen twill which is quite lightweight, thin and breathable. This is understandable given the location of the maker. You don't need thick lining for SoCal weather.

I've been studying this jacket for a while now. I look at its design (mainly the cuffs & back) and I know that I've seen it somewhere. I searched hard, but my brain couldn't find it.

It finally dawned on me that those are the designs used on the Montgomery Ward aviator aka Cat's Eyes as dubbed by @terrymitchell1617 . Please see the last 2 pics and notice the cuffs and the back. Furthermore, @coolleatherjackets pointed out to me that Cali Sportswear also made this style for MW despite a few differences. So we can now conclude that LA Sport Togs was one of the makers of the Montgomery Ward "Cat's Eyes" in addition to the almighty CSC.

Due to the sizing, I’m putting this jacket up for sale. So if you're interested, please DM for more info.

Special thank to Marc for the CSC info and Terry for letting me use his photos.
.
.
.
.
.
#losangelessporttogs #vintageleatherjacketsforsale #vintageleatherjacket by @onehellofajacket

52

2

3 years ago

This is my Shanhouse & Sons short woolie in a bright colourway.

From what I've gathered, the company was started by William Shanhouse who was an immigrant from Russia and set up shop in Rockford, Illinois. Shanhouse was of high class and experienced in garment making. At one point, their factory, which occupied a total of 24,750 sq/ft of working space, employed more than 100 workers and output more than 30,000 dozens of clothing. Every garment that went out of the plant had a Workers' Union tag which guaranteed the conditions under which it was produced. No sweatshop. None of that bullshit.

Shanhouse garments are quite rare to come by in the wild. And if you do, it's usually in pretty rough shape. I was lucky enough to be at the right time and place to purchase this one. It's in tip top shape with no holes and no rips. Nada.

Despite the bright colourway, I actually dig it. I put this one on whenever I wear my monochromatic outfit, making it the focal point.

Construction-wise, this dude is one level up from other woolies that I've owned. It has bartacks at the corners of the pockets. Something that I've seen in denim garments, but was utilized here to prevent the wool from tearing at high stress areas. In addition to that, the cuff is lined with extra fabric to further protect the wool there. And the buttons are very good looking, certainly more attractive than plain black buttons I've seen in other woolies.

Spring-loaded Crown, diamond pull and two-button cinches. No half belt though. It would have been nice if it has a half belt there, but it still has that V-taper silhouette that the half belt creates. The wool is mid weight, very warm and cozy to wear.

This dude is surely premium - one of my favourites for sure.

Source: history.rockfordpubliclibrary.org
.
.
.
.
.
#vintagewool #shanhouse #vintage #vintagejacket #shanhouseandsons #rockfordillinois #vintageworkwear #vintagestyle by @onehellofajacket

48

4

3 years ago

This is my Hard On Leather (HO) trucker jacket, made by Taubers of California.

HO was a small store located in San Francisco, CA that sells leather jackets and boots to men. The owner's name is Sam and the store was short-lived, operating from 1978 to 1980. Its address was 1133 Polk St, which is a few doors down from @johnsonleathersf . You can see a picture of the storefront in the last slide.

Even though this jacket has a HO label, it was definitely made by Taubers.

The first dead giveaway is the type 3 trucker design. This design is uniquely Taubers - western yoke with large western-inspired front pockets. I've never seen any other brands with it. All the jackets with this exact design have a Taubers of California label.

The second one is the two triangle patches on both ends of the inner pocket. I have a Taubers cross-zip and it has the same thing as well as other Taubers I've seen online.

The final one is the label stitching. Taubers doesn't stitch the top of their label. That's why I was able to identify the HO text from the back as the front of the label is faded.

Based on the timeline of HO store, I believe this jacket was made from late 70s to early 80s. There is no leather tag in it, but I think it's horsehide due to the tiny pores and striations throughout the jacket. Although weighing a hefty 5.5lbs, it's extremely comfortable to wear and the pattern is exactly what I prefer - broad shoulders with enough room in the chest and tapered down at the waist. One drawback is the back length at 19" to which I have to tuck my shirt in to maintain a proper proportion for my outfit. The jacket, however, has a nice front drop which curves along your pelvic line, similar to some of the 40s aviator jackets.

AFAIK, only @terrymitchell1617 has this jacket style but in black. He's recently got a zipper version as well. I've never seen anyone else in my circle that has a similar one in either colours. I'd love to know though.

This is one of my grail pieces for sure.

Image source: Flickr

-- Special thank to Tony Alter for giving me the permission to use the HO picture. --
.
.
.
.
.
#tauberleather #tauberleatherjacket #leathertruckerjacket #horsehidejacket by @onehellofajacket

52

6

3 years ago

32

2

3 years ago

This is a California Highway Patrol (or CHP) straight zip jacket made by the prolific California Sportswear Company (or CSC). It was used by motor cops all over the great state of California.

Notice the circle patch with two holes in the front. That's for holding the badge. A little further down, we have two slanted pockets. Then the kidney hem with loops both front and back for the belt. Some CHP jackets (Taubers came to mind) even have a cut-off for the pistol there.

There are two labels on this jacket. The top one is the maker which is CSC. The bottom one is Harris & Frank. A quick Google search reveals that it was a big clothing retailer based in Southern CA many years ago. H&F indeed contracted CSC for these jackets. But why would cops buy their jacket from a clothing retailer though? Didn't they get issued one by their department? A little mystery there.

A friend I made through this hobby told me that he used to frequent H&F stores in San Bernadino back in the 50s. They were good, but he also told me that Victor clothier had better selections of leathers although I've never came across one with that label in the wild.

Now, many makers made this style - Seattle Woolen, Lake-O-Wood, Ralphs-Pugh, Cal, etc. - with a few different variations on the same chassis. But I like this version the most. Simple yet undeniably cool. I believe that the Real McCoy based their Mobster on this very one here. Such an honour to own an OG in great conditions.

And speaking of Cal, if you search for the show Highway Patrol S1E27 on the Tube, you'll see Clint Eastwood wearing almost the same jacket here, but instead made by @cal_leather . He looks cooler than cool or ice cold in that one. 😎

This dude will go nowhere. One of my grail jackets for sure.
.
.
.
.
.
#vintageleatherjacket #chpjacket #horsehide #californiasportswear #leatherjacket #vintagechpjacket by @onehellofajacket

59

2

3 years ago

Unlabelled short woolie in a beautiful red/black plaid. Simplistic yet elegant in its design.

Notice the large collar. I don't know the intent behind it, but I love popping the collar when wearing the jacket. It certainly adds a little flair to your overall outfit.

Another thing to pay attention to is the lack of buckles for the half belt in the back. Instead, you'll find an elastic band on the inside to provide some sort of adjustment similar to the buckles. This tells me that the jacket was probably made during the height of WW2 (mid-40s). All metal needed to be used for the war effort so makers made do with what they had at the time.

Now, even though this jacket is unlabelled, I believe that it might have had a yellow J.C. Penney label. I've seen one guy with a Penney wool hunting jacket that has the same red/black plaid pattern plus the large collar design.

And finally, beautiful antique brass Coat & Clarks zipper with the O-ring pull for the cigarette pocket.

One hell of a jacket, ain't it?

This is one of my favourite wool jackets in my small curated collection.
.
.
.
.
.
#vintagewoolsportsjacket #jcpenneyjacket #vintageclothes #jcpenny #searshercules #montgomeryward #windward #wooljacket #vintagewooljacket #woolrich by @onehellofajacket

43

8

3 years ago