Crown zippers

[Peter Graham]

I know I'm not alone on the forum in preferring a Crown zipper above all others as their zipper of choice on any jacket. What is it about Crowns that make them special ? For me it's a combination of form and function. The beautiful sliders combined with the unique tooth design giving a very smooth action lift them out of the ordinary, and of course the vintage appeal. No one makes so unique looking zippers nowdays. Before posting this I googled "Crown zippers". I could find very little info so if anyone could provide dates for Crown coming into existence and ceasing trading I would be very interested. I thought it would be fun to compare different types of Crown so below are pics of the different types in my collection. I don't have any examples of the type fitted to postwar B-15's, L-2's etc so if anyone can post pics of these and any others I've ommited maybe we can put together the definitive Crown zipper guide.

The classic WW2 Crown Chevron as fitted to my now departed Spiewak A-2. This one has a nickel finish.

Another example fitted to an M-41 field jacket. The slider has remnants of green anodizing.

This is an oddity. The zipper was broken and was fitted to a strange postwar deck jacket copy. I can't remember if the teeth were of the chevron or peg tooth variety. I was never sure if this type was used in WW2 but there was an original M-41 on ebay recently fitted with this slider.

Large peg tooth type fitted to 1944 dated A-11 flight pants. The zipper is not marked Crown but it's odvious that it is.

Small peg tooth type fitted as a main zipper on a Blue Anchor L-2B. This type was used on the sleeve zippers of Crown fitted nylon jackets well into the 60's.

Another example of this zipper, painted green and fitted to the sleeve of my 1964 Alpha N-2B. Leather pullers were not always fitted.

Type fitted to the 1st issue Lion Uniforms MA-1. This is a Buzz repro.

The name on the zippers changed to Coats & Clark in the early 60's ? This one is fitted to a 1964 Alpha MA-1.

Another slider design. This time fitted to a 1964 Alpha N-2B.

I'm a bit hazy about dates so if anyone can fill in the blanks I'd be very interested.

 

[watchmanjimg]

Peter:

Look on either side of the slider of the A-11 pants as well as the '64 MA-1 with the "C&C" puller. Let us know if you see anything.

 

[Peter Graham]

Peter:

Look on either side of the slider of the A-11 pants as well as the '64 MA-1 with the "C&C" puller. Let us know if you see anything.

Well I'll be damned ! It says Crown on one side and USA on the other. I'd never noticed that before and probably never would. Thanks Jim, you know your stuff.

 

[watchmanjimg]

My pleasure, Peter. As you can imagine, I've looked at a lot of zippers. :shock:

 

[Jaydee]

Mash has some Crown models with dates:
http://www.vintageproductions.com/shop/index.php?target=categories&category_id=103

 

[Weasel_Loader]

Nice research Peter. Love the photos too with all the variety.

Someday, I'd like to have an A-2 with a Crown.

 

[oose]

Hi,

From my Allen Overall Company K-2b flight suit from 62.

bottom of main zip marked CC both sides



main zip


and then all other zips are this type


everthing else I have is Talon and Conmar.

stu

 

[Hunter57]

I have this large Crown zip sitting on my desk. I've not seen one like it that I can recall, but hopefully someone here can ID it for me.

 

[Burnsie]

Great pics - nice work! Hopefully some zipper experts can fill in the blanks. I too would love to have an A-2 with a Crown - I bought a Buzz Oldin-Dennis B-10 in large part because it had one. (Hope the wife doesn't find out I paid that much...to have a certain zipper! I'm sick).

 

[deeb7]

Redcloud is of some help ...

http://www.redcloud.co.jp/detail/zipper.htm

Other than that, I'm waiting for Aota Mituhiro (Full Gear) to publish his defintive zipper book ... shouldn't be long now.

 

[Peter Graham]

Another variation of Crown as fitted to the sleeve pocket of my recently aquired Rolen sportswear B-15D mod. It's a spring loaded type similar in shape to the WW2 Crown but slightly larger. The main zipper is identical to the one fitted to the Buzz MA-1 as pictured above except that it has a leather puller, and of course, it's an original. Pictures of the jacket to follow once it's had a little restoration done.

 

[ties70]

Hello Peter,

here is a picture of my N-3A REED PROD. Crown zipper.....

Here is a Crown from M*A*S*H....wanted for "something special" but long sold....s**t!! It features the green-ish finish you were mentioning earlier....

 

[fraazierjo]

This thread is good timing - I just bought that great looking A2 that was Paddy's avatar jacket and it needs a nnew zipper. Only a vintage will do for this beauty and Paddy advises me I to get a NOS Crown if I can find one. Can anyone out there help me out?I'll also put this heartfelt appeal on the buy/sell section.

 

[Peter Graham]

This thread is good timing - I just bought that great looking A2 that was Paddy's avatar jacket and it needs a nnew zipper. Only a vintage will do for this beauty and Paddy advises me I to get a NOS Crown if I can find one. Can anyone out there help me out?I'll also put this heartfelt appeal on the buy/sell section.

The WW2 pattern Crown as fitted to A-2's is a much sought after zipper. If you search hard enough you will find one but you'll pay top dollar for it. Good luck in your search.

 

[SuinBruin]

What Peter said. NOS Crowns come up on eBay now and then, but the bidding tends to be pretty hot. I think the last one I saw went for $350 or so.

I have a Good Wear Dubow on order and asked John to set aside a NOS Crown for it... it does push the cost up (the wife's jaw dropped when I told her I was spending $1,200 on a jacket) but there is just something about the classic chevron Crown.... I don't think John will sell any of the zips he has in stock, but you may ask him if he has any tips or leads on tracking one down.

Good luck in your search.

cheers,
matt

 

[asiamiles]

What Peter said. NOS Crowns come up on eBay now and then, but the bidding tends to be pretty hot. I think the last one I saw went for $350 or so.

There was one on Yahoo auctions a few days ago...presumably ex-MASH stock ($80 seemed a lot at the time! ). I bid up to around $125, but it went for about $180 in the end. I guess if I could have sold it for $350...