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Buzz Rickson Aero "Bronco Hide" A-2 21996 now at HPA

CBI

Well-Known Member
The first BR A-2 ("Bronco Hide" Aero 21996) to be on the History Preservation Associates site is there under New Products. Nice but a little artificial looking close-up however .......... Oh My Gaad - $1,595.00 :eek:

What are they thinking?

I really don't think this cut is representative of the 21996 contract (note pocket shape, pocket flap and body shape (looks more like a Werber body?) Aero's tend to me kind of big all over. This looks rather trim. Perhaps there were greater variations within the contract?

http://historypreservation.com/hpassoci ... _thumb.jpg
 

Grant

Well-Known Member
Wonder if "Bronco hide" is anything close to the "Mustang" hide of years past. LOL
 

Swing

New Member
CBI said:
The first BR A-2 ("Bronco Hide" Aero 21996) to be on the History Preservation Associates site is there under New Products. Nice but a little artificial looking close-up however .......... Oh My Gaad - $1,595.00 :eek:

What are they thinking?

I really don't think this cut is representative of the 21996 contract (note pocket shape, pocket flap and body shape (looks more like a Werber body?) Aero's tend to me kind of big all over. This looks rather trim. Perhaps there were greater variations within the contract?

http://historypreservation.com/hpassoci ... _thumb.jpg

I've never been impressed with what I've seen online of Buzz's A-2s. Other than the red knits, the jacket doesn't look all that "Aero" to me, and if you're going to make a 21996, it HAS to be a beautiful dark brown with red undertones, like the originals. That's the appeal to that contract (at least for me).

~Swing
 

TankBuster

Active Member
Who cares how good a repro looks, at that price anyone up to a modern size 44/46 can buy a real one!! :lol:
I'm not that impressed with this one regardless!
 

Roughwear

Well-Known Member
This just looks like a generic A2 with berry knits. Aeros had square pocket corners and narrower pocket flaps than this one.
 

Tim P

Well-Known Member
I have made this point before, until you start with your Roughwear or doniger style collars you can take a basic a-2 shape, sew the x on the eppaulettes a certain way, call it a gizmo sportswear and declare it to be stitch perfect, allude to Steve macween if you like and hike the price by 150 to 300 quid over your generic.
Only the likes of us (and not so much me) would take issue with the claim.
 

greyhound52

New Member
I got an original Aero size 44 with paint on the back in very wearable condition for 1500 dollars. 95 less than this BR. So what does that say? That for the US market this is overpriced.
 

watchmanjimg

Well-Known Member
I definitely think HPA and Buzz are in for an unpleasant surprise. Now that JC has a comparable horsehide there will be no real advantage to paying four figures for a repro A-2.
 

deeb7

Gone, but not forgotten.
watchmanjimg said:
I definitely think HPA and Buzz are in for an unpleasant surprise. Now that JC has a comparable horsehide there will be no real advantage to paying four figures for a repro A-2.

True for the knowledgeable, and patient ... the advantage that HPA has is that it can offer availability.

Sometimes you just want it on the doorstep tomorrow. :)
 

watchmanjimg

Well-Known Member
deeb7 said:
True for the knowledgeable, and patient ... the advantage that HPA has is that it can offer availability.

Sometimes you just want it on the doorstep tomorrow. :)

So badly that you'd pay nearly double for a jacket that may or may not be the peer of a GW? Now that sounds like an unhealthy obsession . . . :eek:

George: You have at least one BR A-2, haven't you? Care to weigh in on this?
 

SuinBruin

Well-Known Member
If you want a Crown zip you may also be more willing to look at Buzz. They have the repro Crowns, whereas John prices NOS Crowns on his site at an additional $250. (Why oh why can't the repro Crowns be available to the general public and not just on Buzz and Eastman jackets? My Bronco would look killer with one.)
 

deeb7

Gone, but not forgotten.
watchmanjimg said:
So badly that you'd pay nearly double for a jacket that may or may not be the peer of a GW? Now that sounds like an unhealthy obsession . . . :eek:

It's a niche market, but I still think they'll sell a few ... some customers won't have heard about Good Wear, or be prepared to wait.

Plenty of impatient people have paid way too much for a Rolex Daytona.
 

asiamiles

Well-Known Member
deeb7 said:
It's a niche market, but I still think they'll sell a few ... some customers won't have heard about Good Wear, or be prepared to wait.

Indeed. The wait factor is a bigger issue than some on here might think. Most people want the jacket "now" and if they're told there's a 3 month wait they're likely to think, "I'll leave it and see what else I can find in that period of time." Plus Buzz has built up a reputation over the years. So they will appeal to those who have the money to splash.
 

greyhound52

New Member
I have two Bronco hide BR A-2s and their house brand A2. When you compare the leather to the new leather John has (which is from Japan) their is no comparsion I like John's better. I think for the price of John's jackets which are about half of this jacket (which I did have by the way and sold) I think the buyer is better off with a GW. However, as David wrote if one does not know about GW and loves the look of the BR then you go for it. We are very lucky to know about GW and the fact that John's jackets are so accurate I could not think of buying another jacket from another maker now.
 

watchmanjimg

Well-Known Member
PENSACOLA said:
"George: You have at least one BR A-2, haven't you? Care to weigh in on this?"



Here's the thread from the "hat people"--fedora lounge where the BR A-2 was highly spoken about:

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?t=13557

greyhound52 said:
I have two Bronco hide BR A-2s and their house brand A2. When you compare the leather to the new leather John has (which is from Japan) their is no comparsion I like John's better. I think for the price of John's jackets which are about half of this jacket (which I did have by the way and sold) I think the buyer is better off with a GW. However, as David wrote if one does not know about GW and loves the look of the BR then you go for it. We are very lucky to know about GW and the fact that John's jackets are so accurate I could not think of buying another jacket from another maker now.

This is what I expected all along. That thread on the Fedora Lounge was years ago, before this comparison was possible. I'm not badmouthing the Buzz A-2s, but George's comments speak for themselves.
 
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