Late fathers vintage leather coat ,help with age and make .

[PDO]

This was my late father's coat . He was born in 1918 and served in the Canadian Army during WW2 driving a bike and running messages ---coat is not war related . I think he owned the coat either before or after the war ie late 30,s or early 40,s . It may have been already used when it came into his hands . The only story I can remember him telling about the coat was him wearing it unloading concrete blocks , thus the wear on the front . I wore the coat a bit as a teanage as the coat is quite small . I am now 73 so its been a very long time since it fit me .Its condition at that time is as you see it now well worn . Some measurements are pit to pit is 20.5, shoulder 17.5 back length 22.5 and sleeve length 22.

I have been researching it for a while now and have made my way through all the post in the vintage forum , Fedora , various sale sites with no real luck . I did find one on the Fedora site by Rabbit on Feb 12022, link https://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/niks-vintage-1930s-leather-jacket-sale-size-36-38.106824/ Looks to be the same coat shown on thread 60 by Andreart under "Very cool horsehide coat" on Feb 17 2013 . Rabbet said he believed that his coat was made by Durable , but I could find nothing on this company .

Based on my research it looks like a half belt design with a sunburst back . The sunburst appears to have been created by sewing darts in and not pieces . It has no label nor any identifying labels anywhere. The main zipper has the word FLASH front and back on the pull and USA . The small zipper has no markings and appears to be a coil design ? Lots of research has turned up nothing on the zipper or coat . The D rings on the side pulls have no info on them . Lining is a red plaid with a dark blue in the sleeves. Cuffs once had buttons , but long gone and now sewn closed .

The overall patina on the coat is undesirable --its just plain beautiful and the back is like a work of art . Trying to document it and would like to pass it down , but my wife wants to get rid of old stuff so I hide when she is in this mood and my son is not into things like this . I love the back and may find a way to mount it on the wall in my office to enjoy as it does bring joy looking at it .

So I was hoping all the wise minds on the site may help me better understand the coat , its age , make, style and type of leather . Wished I had asked more questions when dad was around but that is life .

Thank you

 

[sunflo9968]

Don"t get rid of that jacket!!! That is a piece of your father, every fold, every wear mark, and yes the patina. That jacket has more value then Money.

 

[leper-colony]

You may also want to post on this forum as well: https://www.thefedoralounge.com/forums/outerwear-and-workwear.4/

 

[PDO]

Don"t get rid of that jacket!!! That is a piece of your father, every fold, every wear mark, and yes the patina. That jacket has more value then Money.

Very true .

 

[PDO]

You may also want to post on this forum as well: https://www.thefedoralounge.com/forums/outerwear-and-workwear.4/

Thank you I was trying to sort out where was the best place to post on this forum and now I know .

 

[leper-colony]

Thank you I was trying to sort out where was the best place to post on this forum and now I know .

The interest is more military here, the other site has a ton of civy interest. Neat jacket!

 

[mulceber]

Definitely keep it. Go to the mat on this one. If for some reason you can't persuade your wife to keep it, DO NOT throw it out or give it away. Plenty of people would pay good money for it.

 

[Southoftheborder]

Durable was a US company making leather jackets that many sources say was taken over by Schott in the fifties. Many of those sources also state that they were the makers of the so called Brando jacket worn in the Wild One which Schott claims to be the maker of. Their claim being retrospective if it can be believed at all having bought the company later.

I have never seen any proof of that online but it's generally accepted by many people interested in these types of jacket.

There is also a modern French company which uses that name and makes very expensive jackets.

This is a very nice pre war jacket and you should hang on to it. If it was a pre war article of clothing that your wife's mother wore would she throw it away? Apart from its value to you it has financial value, it's not junk.

 

[flyincowboy]

To me this jacket worth a restoration ! Have the lining fixed .Give the leather a good " feed treatment " with a good cream like Sapo Pecard and keep it!!! Despite the sentimental value this jacket has style. You can ask a taylor or a manufacturer to make a good copy in new leather and wear the hell out of it!

 

[Silver Surfer]

that is one helova nice jacket, with patina to die for. keep it. opinion? ask Steve sellers to make and install a new liner for it, and show case it in your office, as mentioned. also, you can ask Steve to make a clone of it in your size. kickass piece of work.

 

[PDO]

Definitely keep it. Go to the mat on this one. If for some reason you can't persuade your wife to keep it, DO NOT throw it out or give it away. Plenty of people would pay good money for it.

Thank you

 

[PDO]

Durable was a US company making leather jackets that many sources say was taken over by Schott in the fifties. Many of those sources also state that they were the makers of the so called Brando jacket worn in the Wild One which Schott claims to be the maker of. Their claim being retrospective if it can be believed at all having bought the company later.

I have never seen any proof of that online but it's generally accepted by many people interested in these types of jacket.

There is also a modern French company which uses that name and makes very expensive jackets.

This is a very nice pre war jacket and you should hang on to it. If it was a pre war article of clothing that your wife's mother wore would she throw it away? Apart from its value to you it has financial value, it's not junk.

Thank you for info on Durable , I tried to google them a number of different ways and did not find a thing . Any thoughts on the zipper with the word FLASH on the pull. It does not appear to be one of the better known zippers .

 

[PDO]

that is one helova nice jacket, with patina to die for. keep it. opinion? ask Steve sellers to make and install a new liner for it, and show case it in your office, as mentioned. also, you can ask Steve to make a clone of it in your size. kickass piece of work.

I am up in Ontario Canada so not sure of any local sources that reline coats or do repairs .

 

[Micawber]

I don't have much to add other than that as a family heirloom it deserves TLC and after that a special place.

 

[PDO]

To me this jacket worth a restoration ! Have the lining fixed .Give the leather a good " feed treatment " with a good cream like Sapo Pecard and keep it!!! Despite the sentimental value this jacket has style. You can ask a taylor or a manufacturer to make a good copy in new leather and wear the hell out of it!

I have a cream by URAD called Tenderly and tried a bit on the cuff and it changes the colour so I am not sure of the right approach . I expect all products will darken the leather .

 

[Silver Surfer]

interesting zipper. I am not familiar with the flash brand. however, it looks a bit like crown zippers made in the later 40s-early 50s. perhaps it was made under contract from crown? also, imo, vaseline, yeah that stuff, works wonders on old hides. a rub down using a soft cloth does the trick. don't over do it, though. it will temporarily darken the hides, but the original color will return within a few days or week. btw: John chapman [goodwear leather] uses vaseline on vintage leather.

 

[Skyhawk]

Wonderful jacket! As it's been said, it will darken when you condition it but it is really only returning to it's original color. I would suggest Renapur leather conditioner. It's works better than petroleum products. The consistency is the same as vaseline or Pecard, but it is bees wax based and has natural oils like johoba oil. It restores moisture into the hides better than the other products and leaves a lot less residue afterwards.
It's available many places including on Amazon.

 

[PDO]

interesting zipper. I am not familiar with the flash brand. however, it looks a bit like crown zippers made in the later 40s-early 50s. perhaps it was made under contract from crown? also, imo, vaseline, yeah that stuff, works wonders on old hides. a rub down using a soft cloth does the trick. don't over do it, though. it will temporarily darken the hides, but the original color will return within a few days or week. btw: John chapman [goodwear leather] uses vaseline on vintage leather.

I have lots of vaseline so will give it a try on a small hidden area and see how it works . I have a couple small tear areas and I remember seeing someone suggest using crazy glue to carefully bind the edges together ?

 

[foster]

That is a BEAUTIFUL jacket!
For leather conditioning, I like to use Huberd's as it is a natural-based oil treatment that does not leave the surface feeling like slime once it soaks in. I use it more for footwear than jackets, but I have used it on leather jackets on occasion.

 

[Silver Surfer]

pix of the tears, please. don't use crazy glue, as it drys hard, and will pull leather away if it moves. you will want a glue that is flexible, like Aileens leather glue.