399th FS 369th Group Cable Raincoat A2

[coolhandluke]

Hello gentlemen. Just wanted to share a photo of an original size 40 Cable A2 from my collection. I have a handful of USGI field jackets in my milsurp collection, but this is my lone flight jacket. The jacket was gifted to me awhile ago by the owners daughter along with his M1 helmet, painted foot locker, among other items.

Any feedback about care, preservation, and valuation would be greatly appreciated.

 

[CBI]

looks super!!!!

 

[B-Man2]

Hello gentlemen. Just wanted to share a photo of an original size 40 Cable A2 from my collection. I have a handful of USGI field jackets in my milsurp collection, but this is my lone flight jacket. The jacket was gifted to me awhile ago by the owners daughter along with his M1 helmet, painted foot locker, among other items.

Any feedback about care, preservation, and valuation would be greatly appreciated.

View attachment 74833

Great looking jacket .
If you don’t intend to put it on occasionally and you’re simply going to display it … then I would leave it alone . If you decide you wear it then I would give it a VERY light coating of Picards leather dressing . The emphasis here is on the word VERY . Just a light coat using using your finger tips . Anything more will just sit on the surface of the jacket and goop it up . Take care to stay away from the patch . If you want a further valuation of the jacket please take some close up photos of the zipper, knits, inside liner and all of the flat outer panels of the jacket .

 

[mulceber]

Gorgeous original 10008-P. Any more photos that you can share?

Regarding care, in addition to Pecard's, I've had a lot of success with just simple Vaseline. That was recommended to me by some of the guys here. As Burt said, the rule of thumb here is to use it VERY sparingly. The technique he suggested is spot-on. If you think you've used enough, you've used too much. You can always add more later.

 

[coolhandluke]

Thanks gentlemen. Below are a few additional photos. I have no plans to wear, only to preserve and display. The jacket is well worn and has its fair share of detractions. While the sleeve knits appear to match to the eye under normal lighting, they look to have been replaced in the photos below. The verdigris on the hardware definitely needs to be addressed as well.

 

[coolhandluke]

 

[coolhandluke]

 

[B-Man2]

Your jacket looks to be made of goatskin. You have several dry areas on the jacket . The collar and the shoulders and down that arm are drying and need attention . The collar shows some cracking . Those are your first concerns . Lightly coat those areas . As Jan said use less product at first, you can always add more later . DONOT hang the jacket on any type of hanger . Keep it on the display form you’re using .

 

[SuinBruin]

Lovely.

 

[B-Man2]

Once you treat it please take some “after” pictures so we can see how it’s improved .

 

[Micawber]

For display do ensure you keep it out of sun or bright daylight, subdued lighting in a stable atmospheric environment will help it.

 

[blackrat2]

I only have a crappy phone to view pics at this time, is it a depot re-dye ?

 

[Silver Surfer]

The hides look to have darkened with age, not redyed. At first I was, wtf? When I saw the collar stand (cables never used them), but than realized the what appears to be a collar stand in the liner, is actually a repair. Outstanding example.

 

[tjoenn]

Here is its twin but mine is redyed... looks familiar?

 

[Silver Surfer]

Yeah, another one I should have kept. I always thought that with time a size 42 goat cable would show up…….not. No explanation for it, but I am kinda partial to the cable goat contract.

 

[Chandler]

Leave any and all snaps UN-snapped -- those little nipple snaps have a tendency to get brittle over time and will just crush to nothing after a certain point.

Someone at one of the very old forums pointed this out to me a long time ago, maybe Marc Weinshenker at Acme Depot.

 

[coolhandluke]

For display do ensure you keep it out of sun or bright daylight, subdued lighting in a stable atmospheric environment will help it.

The jacket is displayed inside of a closet, on a mannequin form, in my office at home. It doesn't see natural sunlight.

In regards to the use of Pecards, have many of you personally used it on an original A2? I've applied Pecards sparingly to a couple M1916 holsters and a handful of antique baseball gloves with pretty poor results. In every instance the leather was noticeably darkened and almost always suffered from white bloom afterwards. I was also under the impression that Pecards supposedly contains petroleum distillates which would cause more rapid deterioration in the long run. Because of that, I have pretty much only used natural lanolin on antique leather goods since.

From prior research I found that treating original A2's with a leather preservative is extremely frowned upon by collectors over on usmilitariaforum.com. That's why I have left the jacket untouched up to this point. I am assuming that, given the current condition, a light treatment would not decrease the value of the jacket further correct?

Leave any and all snaps UN-snapped -- those little nipple snaps have a tendency to get brittle over time and will just crush to nothing after a certain point.

Someone at one of the very old forums pointed this out to me a long time ago, maybe Marc Weinshenker at Acme Depot.

Excellent tip!

 

[B-Man2]

I haves used Pecards on my original A2’s for a while, with no detrimental effects to my jackets. I use it one time, on each jacket and never need to use it again. I have multiple originals. I avoid putting it on the stitching and if you have a build up of residue, you have used it entirely too often or too much . Now having said that you will have varying opinions on the product, in this forum as well. If you already use a lanolin based product, and are comfortable with the results, then stay with what you know works for you.

 

[33-1729]

Gorgeous original 10008-P. Any more photos that you can share?

Regarding care, in addition to Pecard's, I've had a lot of success with just simple Vaseline. That was recommended to me by some of the guys here. As Burt said, the rule of thumb here is to use it VERY sparingly. The technique he suggested is spot-on. If you think you've used enough, you've used too much. You can always add more later.

Great looking jacket.

I purchased Pecard’s but then John Chapman told me he used Vaseline, so that’s what I do now too. He also said extremely small amounts and work it in, just as you mentioned.

 

[Silver Surfer]

I have advocated Vaseline since god was a pup. Applied in warm sun light, the stuff will be absorbed into the hide fifers. If there is any discoloration due to the Vaseline application, that will go away as the Vaseline is absorbed. A light touch works, and more can be applied to dryer areas as needed.