1940 Aero being sold by forum member

[Roughwear]

I see George has listed another great jacket featured on JC's CD. The hh is in great condition and I hope this sells. I believe there are about five A2s from this very small pre-War contract known to exist. George's, one in Japan, one on the previous version of the Aero website and presumably still in Scotland and two in England. Members may know of more in the USA.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ORIGINAL-PRE-WW2- ... 256041a870

 

[bob capa]

I wonder if he would take a payment plan?

 

[Roughwear]

George has revised the auction with a $200 starting price and a BIN of $3000. The last two size 44 1940 Aeros with labels sold for under $2,000 on Ebay in 2010. However it is a very rare contract and if someone really wants it they may hit the BIN.

 

[JDAM]

The last two size 44 1940 Aeros with labels sold for under $2,000 on Ebay in 2010.

I guess they're only worth under two grand then?

 

[Roughwear]

The last two size 44 1940 Aeros with labels sold for under $2,000 on Ebay in 2010.

I guess they're only worth under two grand then?

Perhaps, but at the end of the day like all things they are worth what people are prepared to pay. The huge Irvin which sold earlier today reached nearly £2K, whereas I thought half the amount would be the end price. You only need two bidders desperate for a jacket for the price to go very high.

 

[JDAM]

The huge Irvin which sold earlier today reached nearly £2K

Remarkable. I just saw the link to the auction. And it's not a very pretty Irvin either. But a cup half full and all that...

 

[deeb7]

The last two size 44 1940 Aeros with labels sold for under $2,000 on Ebay in 2010. However it is a very rare contract and if someone really wants it they may hit the BIN.

I looked at John's CD, and it appears that the label from this jacket now resides in a 1938 contract Aero. I don't get it, wouldn't it be better to have one jacket correct ... it would certainly help the price of this jacket if they were reunited?

 

[oldskoolonly]

Yeah, I dont get it either. I cant see how this jacket without its label would get anywhere near the BIN price or even half that??? Surely the value comes from the combined features of the jacket. ie, it stands alone because of its identifiable history or its in great Condition with the label intact etc and of course extremely rare but identifiable as that being complete with the label that backs it up? I understand that its a rare jacket to the very experienced eye but to the rest of us its just another ww2 A2 but with its label missing and its value weighs on the hear say of the experts not with the jacket itself.

I dont have a great deal of experience with genuine A2's but I do with rare muscle cars. If someone says they have a rare and valuable muscle car but cant back it up with the I.D tags that were fitted with the car to show its identification as such, its only worth what a tarted up standard version of that car is worth. Anyhow, thats what I think when I see that jacket.
I also believe that a real expert would not pay anywhere near that price because of those reasons. JMO

 

[Roughwear]

The lack of an original label on an A2 will deter many collectors. Normally an A2 without a label will sell for less than one with its label, but this ultra rare Aero is highly desirable and should reach a decent price. It's a size 44 and the hh is great condition. The knits could be repaired to make a wearable A2. I think it ought to sell in the $1500-$1800 range provided the reserve is not set too high.

 

[JDAM]

I looked at John's CD, and it appears that the label from this jacket now resides in a 1938 contract Aero. I don't get it, wouldn't it be better to have one jacket correct ... it would certainly help the price of this jacket if they were reunited?

Are you saying this jacket used to have its label but is was removed and added to another, incorrect spec jacket?

 

[deeb7]

Are you saying this jacket used to have its label but is was removed and added to another, incorrect spec jacket?

That's how it appears ...

 

[JDAM]

Are you saying this jacket used to have its label but is was removed and added to another, incorrect spec jacket?

That's how it appears ...

Bizarre. Oh well.

 

[prostaff4ever]

Hello All! I haven't been on VLJ for over a month now since the holiday season had begun. I think Dave pinged me about the label on Ebay messaging (sorry, but I can't conclusively put the EBay call sign together with VLJ members' real names). So, just to set the record straight, I bought both the 1938 and the 1940 Aero directly from the same private collector, so I too realized that he removed the spec tag from the 1940 and hand sewed it to the 1938. Whatever the motive for the monkey business, who knows, but since I am again split between California and Florida, I was unable to remove the label from the 1938 to take a picture for this listing. Nonetheless, if the reserve is met, I will remove the label and send it along with this 1940 Aero to the ultimate winner. I do not mention it in the listing as I did not have access to it for photographing at the time I put the 1940 up for sale. Also, although I highly suspect the aforementioned monkey business, the label DID come with the 1938, so I would not be able to categorically state without a shadow of doubt that the collector I purchased the jackets from made the switch himself, so I decided it would be more ethical not to make any claims about it for this particular auction. If somebody does win the jacket, then I will have a very nice surprise gift for him when he receives the jacket along with this explanation. The 1940 contract is pretty distinctive, so I figured that if someone were really looking for one, he would probably recognize all the trademark characteristics without requiring the label. This is truly one phenomenal jacket and the leather is commensurately amazing. It is on my short list of ultimate keepers, but it is too large for me; however, that said, I would not be one bit heartbroken if it doesn't sell. I would truly miss it as I still do Andrew's 16159 (for ANY price)!!

I wish I had had the foresight back then to put an acceptable reserve on that one! (Andrew, you know what I mean! I still have to take an occasional opportunity to needle you once in a while in good humor though!)

George

 

[Roughwear]

George, I know I got a great deal on the RW 16159 but I would hate to see your Aero sell for less than it could (depending on your reserve) were the 1940 label to be mentioned in the listing. With the correct label is will certainly fetch more. Good luck with it.

 

[prostaff4ever]

Thanks, Andrew! There is a large part of me that hope it doesn't get sold. There's a reason the RW 16159 went out so early. At the time I liked this 1940 so much more, but with a bit of distance and separation, they're now 50/50 in my book of beloved jackets!

George

 

[deeb7]

... I think Dave pinged me about the label on Ebay messaging (sorry, but I can't conclusively put the EBay call sign together with VLJ members' real names).

Me? .... surely not.

Good to see you back here, George. I agree with Andrew, put it in the listing as it should help the price. I don't think you're losing anything by taking it off the 38, even though it's so close, it's still wrong.

 

[JDAM]

And here's the label to go with this label-less jacket : )

http://cgi.ebay.com/WWII-A-2-Leather-Bo ... 2663wt_907

 

[prostaff4ever]

David,

Glad to be back! I'm not concerned at all about removing the label from my 38 since I'm 99.999% sure that it doesn't belong on it, but I had scoured the lining of the 40 around where the label ought to have been looking for stitch marks, but it is as smooth as a baby's bottom and completely devoid of any evidence of a sewing machine needle having passed through the fabric in that area, so I couldn't be 100% certain that there was a ever a label mounted on it. Of course, that is highly unlikely, but I would have thought that if the collector I bought the pair from had done the handiwork himself, then it would have been within the last 2 decades and I would think that there would have been some small sign of at least one needle hole in that area, and there are absolutely none! It's a mystery to me. By the way, JDAM, thanks for the link! Now, there appears to be at least one more 1940 unearthed, but not in super condition and unfortunately in one of the mini-sizes! Too bad this one isn't a size 42!

George

 

[Roughwear]

So there are now six known survivors from the 1940 contract. If the jacket doesn't make the reserve George you might consider installing the original label from the size 36 Aero as it would complete your jacket and increase its value. I doubt if this small jacket will be on the market for long.

 

[Silver Surfer]

the size 1939 aero is the one i posted about. by the measurements, its more like a 38 or 40, imho