24th_infantry Posted January 12, 2013 Share #1 Posted January 12, 2013 I found this jacket but now I'm starting to wonder if its a fake. Please help me. I'm planning on going tomorrow to see the guy but I don't want to find out he's giving me a load of ****. Any help is greatly appreciated! I don't know anything about A-2 and I really want one for my collection but I don't want a repro. He wants $250 for the jacket. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
warguy Posted January 12, 2013 Share #2 Posted January 12, 2013 With the photos you have posted it looks good to me. Would help if you had a close up of zipper, snaps under collar, etc, but has the right tag and liner from what I can see. Kevin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sabrejet Posted January 13, 2013 Share #3 Posted January 13, 2013 1401-P Roughwear A2's plus their labels are perfectly reproduced by Eastman Leather clothing. However...given the degree of wear on the jacket in your photograph I'd say it was probably an original...and at just $250 something of a bargain! http://www.eastmanleather.com/product_info.php?products_id=224 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hbtcoveralls Posted January 13, 2013 Share #4 Posted January 13, 2013 real real real... Good luck Tom Bowers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
History Man Posted January 13, 2013 Share #5 Posted January 13, 2013 I saw this one on CL. I was in contact with the seller for a while about his fathers service but havent heard from him. Price is okay but it looks somewhat dried out by the other photos in the ad. I would also be careful of the "fighter pilot story" as the story has changed from what he told me. Philip Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
usaaf93 Posted January 13, 2013 Share #6 Posted January 13, 2013 Looks pretty good to me but check the zipper too !! A lot of them have been changed after ww2. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sabrejet Posted January 13, 2013 Share #7 Posted January 13, 2013 It might be scuffed and a little "dried out" but $250 for an original A2 is a bargain. It could easily "revived", should you purchase it, by liberally applying a leather dressing such as Pecard's, which will help re-moisturize the leather and improve its overall appearance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corpsmancollector Posted January 13, 2013 Share #8 Posted January 13, 2013 Looks good to me from the photos posted... Will Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doyler Posted January 13, 2013 Share #9 Posted January 13, 2013 The jacket is right as rain.For the price its a great example.The only issue to me is the jacket is named to one individual and the seller is trying to attach his fathers history to it.Not uncommon to see a jacket worn or owned by another but its hard resale if the buyer goes to re-sell it and things dont match up "perfectly"in the eyes of most collectors these days.Im not a big fan of buying off CL cross country.to many issues and flakes out there to contend with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
24th_infantry Posted January 13, 2013 Author Share #10 Posted January 13, 2013 I passed on the jacket. The guy ended up being a real jerk. Something about the jacket just turned me off from it, and I had a gut feeling I needed to pass. The zipper wasn't talon but rather some random name "iowa" or something and read "made in USA" on the back. Anyways, the seams on the jacket were seperating, the collar was all torn, cuffs and waist were moth eaten and ripped. The leather was very dry and almost brittle in areas and holes were beginning to form in the leather. I decided to pass and save the money for a really nice A-2. I'd rather pay more for a nicer A-2 than buy one and question its origins. Something just felt wrong about it. The guy had other military items and wanted full retail price for them all but the A-2 he wasn't asking full price and I think that sent up a red flag. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doyler Posted January 13, 2013 Share #11 Posted January 13, 2013 I passed on the jacket. The guy ended up being a real jerk. Something about the jacket just turned me off from it, and I had a gut feeling I needed to pass. The zipper wasn't talon but rather some random name "iowa" or something and read "made in USA" on the back. Anyways, the seams on the jacket were seperating, the collar was all torn, cuffs and waist were moth eaten and ripped. The leather was very dry and almost brittle in areas and holes were beginning to form in the leather. I decided to pass and save the money for a really nice A-2. I'd rather pay more for a nicer A-2 than buy one and question its origins. Something just felt wrong about it. The guy had other military items and wanted full retail price for them all but the A-2 he wasn't asking full price and I think that sent up a red flag. More CL dramma Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sabrejet Posted January 13, 2013 Share #12 Posted January 13, 2013 Not such a bargain close up and personal then? Never mind...you did the right thing by walking away from it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
24th_infantry Posted January 13, 2013 Author Share #13 Posted January 13, 2013 Yes, too much drama. Pictures can only tell you so much and I guess people don't understand that. CL is a hit and miss thing. Sometimes you find that diamond in the rough and other times you run into those people who think their items are worth its weight in gold. I really appreciate all your help! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vintageproductions Posted January 13, 2013 Share #14 Posted January 13, 2013 even with the drama, $250.00 was a great price. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hbtcoveralls Posted January 13, 2013 Share #15 Posted January 13, 2013 even with the drama, $250.00 was a great price. Yeah, even in that condition and with some "drama" and A-2 is still bringing a lot more than $250.00. But if you want a better one then you were right to hold off. Tom Bowers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corpsmancollector Posted January 13, 2013 Share #16 Posted January 13, 2013 That's fair enough 24th, even at the great price sometimes you gotta trust your gut and pass... Will Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doyler Posted January 14, 2013 Share #17 Posted January 14, 2013 even with the drama, $250.00 was a great price. I agree.Good price for a decent Rough Wear early contract and if you wanted a decent display jacket it would do.Years ago I paid a h=e-ll of a lot more for an ID'd jacket from the 390th in worse shape.Mine actually had a hole in the jacket,similiar wear to the sleeves as they tend to split where creased,with lots of flaking to the finnish.Poorly kept but a War Horse and Im pretty sue mision worn on more than one occasion.Its a size 44,squadron patched,pic of pilot wearing it andnamed on the back ELOBO and mission bobmbs.Man was a B17 pilot.Its crusty but has class. If wanting a nice example best to walk away.No harm in that Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cobrahistorian Posted January 28, 2013 Share #18 Posted January 28, 2013 Serial number checks out to William R. Cook who enlisted in the Air Corps in 1943. For $250, I'd have jumped on a named A-2. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paulgt3 Posted January 28, 2013 Share #19 Posted January 28, 2013 There are only a couple a companies that make repros of the roughwear contract that I know of and given the age, probably its a real deal. But the original label looks good and the lining looks right given the age. I would have bought it too. a Good repro from Goodwear is $1600 now so that one would have been a good deal. As far as getting one for your collection you should get that one ($250 is NOTHING) and then display it and then buy a nice used Good wear from John Chapman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
History Man Posted January 28, 2013 Share #20 Posted January 28, 2013 It is amazing that sometimes the repros cost a ton more than an original. Personally after hearing the "in hands" inspection I might have passed because while it is an A2 jacket it is in salty condition and would need some work to preserve. Philip Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paulgt3 Posted January 28, 2013 Share #21 Posted January 28, 2013 Yea I agree there were some red flags, but A2's are my favorite right now so I think I would have scooped it up. Like I said Goodwears are going up $400! to $1549. But he said his backlog is so great he had to do something. So that was his solution. Thats why I would have grabbed that one for $250 plus there are places to get it repaired. But I dont blame the OP one bit! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nack Posted January 28, 2013 Share #22 Posted January 28, 2013 Like I said on the WAF, condition is everything. If it was dry and cracking in person, I wouldn't worry too much about passing on this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDK Posted January 28, 2013 Share #23 Posted January 28, 2013 Like I said on the WAF, condition is everything. If it was dry and cracking in person, I wouldn't worry too much about passing on this. Agreed! It all comes down to how bad it was. A dry rotted A-2 wouldn't be worth $250 to me, and I collect them! I've seen some with such bad dryrot that they crumble if you try to move them. Hold out for a nice one and you will never feel bad for letting this one go! JD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paulgt3 Posted January 29, 2013 Share #24 Posted January 29, 2013 I agree with the dry rot, HOWEVER the ones I have seen with dry rot, which isnt many, the lining was in much worse shape than that one and usually so is the label. So it looks like it could be revived like Sabre said. In the market where good repros are $1600 new and you have to wait for 12-15 months fer it, $250 is not that large of a mistake. Granted there arent many photos but judging by what we have there it looks ok sorta. If the leather is retrievable, then your home free. The lining looks good and you can easily replace the cuffs and bottom knits. NOS Zippers are all over the place for $100 if you know someone $150 if you dont, then you have a beauty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nack Posted January 29, 2013 Share #25 Posted January 29, 2013 I agree with the dry rot, HOWEVER the ones I have seen with dry rot, which isnt many, the lining was in much worse shape than that one and usually so is the label. So it looks like it could be revived like Sabre said. In the market where good repros are $1600 new and you have to wait for 12-15 months fer it, $250 is not that large of a mistake. Granted there arent many photos but judging by what we have there it looks ok sorta. If the leather is retrievable, then your home free. The lining looks good and you can easily replace the cuffs and bottom knits. NOS Zippers are all over the place for $100 if you know someone $150 if you dont, then you have a beauty. I think your perspective on this is from the angle of vintage-clothes collecting/wearing. For militaria-collecting purposes, the price of a modern repro is not part of the analysis, nor is the cost of replacing the knits and lining. If you want a WWII A-2 jacket for your militaria collection, condition of all the parts is critical. So, different strokes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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