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FRENCH CANCAN: Brother can you spare a dime (part 2)
FRENCH CANCAN: Brother can you spare a dime (part 2): Hobo nickels… The altering of coins dates to the 18th century or earlier. Beginning in the 1750s, the most common form of coin alteratio...
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Inspiration 2012; All Aboard the Queen Mary
Its that special time of year again. Clothing companies head west to Las Vegas for Magic and Project. Gigantic shows where little and big fashion brands alike get to show off their wears. It is...
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Rivet Head: Inspiration Vol. 3 x Himel Bros.
Rivet Head: Inspiration Vol. 3 x Himel Bros.A nice posting about my brand Himel Bros in Los Angeles
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Wool, Leather, and Canvass: Spring is Coming
Well the winter never really came this year. I am behind on my posting. I really feel badly about it but my Himel Brothers brand has been eating up all my time. I am making a quick post to...
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Locavoirs, Leather and Mindfulness....
Part of the great struggle of both the vintage leather business and the new leather business is that of ethics. Mindfulness is that process of becoming aware of the self and seeing all things as...
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Aviator Jackets and the D pocket: part 1
This jacket was advertised in 1939 by Penney's. As with many jackets of this aviator style, it was made of capeskin. This one featured a "sports back" and half belt, with yoked shoulders, and button...
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Aviator Jackets and the D- Pocket: Part 2
Aviation Jacket ad from 1940. Not surprisingly, made of capeskin leather. I find it interesting the asymmetrical and sloppy ways the lapels on these jackets are often illustrated. I guess it's like...
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Aviator Jackets and the D Pocket: Part 3
Here is yet another style of map pocket employed on these Aviation jackets which carried over onto later motorcycle jackets. This variant had an inset pocket, with a stitched outline. The zippered...
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Aviator in the flesh
This jacket was loaned to me for photos by a friend. His father bought it just after the close of WWII and wore it for riding motorcycles for years. It is capeskin leather, with a simple half-belt...
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Foster Sportswear Aviator Jacket
This one was made by Foster Sportswear, probably just after the war. It's capeskin, as is typical for this style. The combination handwarmer/flap pockets would seem more at home on a belted surcoat...
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Aviator ski jackets
The ad below, dating from 1939, is interesting for a number of reasons. First is the pocket. It follows the conventions of what would become the d-pocket, with the curved stitching and the smaller...
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Aviator Jackets and the D Pocket : Part 4
As brought up by the previous post, the "Reverse D" was another style of pocket these jackets had, often in combination with a slanted breast map pocket. For wearing around town, the handwarmer...
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Button Aviator
An uncommon variant in this 1940s time frame was the button front aviator jacket. The example below dates from 1946, and while the original style was a zipper fronted version of what basically was a...
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Silver Canadian D-Pocket motorcycle jacket
This motorcycle jacket was made in Canada, probably by the British Manufacturing Company (later British Cycle leathers, later Brimaco). The basic design takes heavy influence from the Harley Davidson...
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Three Generations of Albert Richard Mackinaws
A brief recap on the history of the company- the full writeup can be found here:http://vintageleatherjackets.blogspot.com/2013/09/albert-richard-leather-jackets.htmlAlbert Richard's parent company...
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Spotlight on Grizzlies
With a crisp winter wind in the air, I think it's time to focus on the style of jacket that has come to be known as the "Grizzly". Watch this spot for a new post every day about this 1930s leather...
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Origins of the Grizzly
For those who could afford it, fur was the best material in the constant battle between warmth and weight. It was the material of choice for high end cold weather motoring garments, as it was water and...
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Ede's King-O-Fur: Advertising and Adventure
Ede's King-O-Fur understood the marketing of rugged clothing. While other manufacturers of "Grizzly" jackets advertised their jackets like so:King-O-FUR got endorsements from adventurers and real life...
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Laskin Lamb Jackets, 1934-1935
By about 1933, the "Grizzly" had found its form. The body was made of mouton. The sleeves, waistband and trim around the zipper were leather. Waists were belted.Ad from 1934. Many of the earlier ones...
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