I will make some better pics later but I confirm that there are no relations between the stamped and the hand written markings

Even more , the stamping markings are QUITE bigger than the regular standard stamping usualy found on gear equipment (twice the size).

 

definitely used not belonged to Thomas( First name) Avery ( last name) but to Thomas ( Last name) and 9909 last SN Digits

Teufelhund

Err- I never said that Avery made jackets- I said one of the period documents said the metal FITTINGS were made by them.

 

The Army letter thanking the companies for making them in such speed SPECIFICLY mentions only the four known companies- not Avery.

 

I have never seen anything to belive that Avery did anything other than subcontract for the metal bits- which takes a lot different type of machinery than sewing things.

 

And so until I see somthing to convince me otherwise I do not feel that Avery made them in the War and I do not feel that is an Avery produced wartime item.

 

This not to say it is not a wartime assault jacket, just that I do not think the Stamping refers to it being made at the Avery Factory.

Err- I never said that Avery made jackets- I said one of the period documents said the metal FITTINGS were made by them.

 

My mistake .

 

Thanks for the clarification.

 

Bryan

Here are two examples of Avery made field gear. Note the poor quality stamping on the M1 Garand sling. Hard to make out "Avery" in the picture but it is there.

 

Bryan

 

 

Here are two examples of Avery made field gear. Note the poor quality stamping on the M1 Garand sling. Hard to make out "Avery" in the picture but it is there.

 

Bryan

 

 

 

 

I will make some better pictures of the markings using macro device in day light..

but franky said , this item in in my collection for more than 25 years and is absolutely genuine.

It was acquired long before 'Easy" Co et PVt Ryan period

 

Remember the bible and the Sint Thomas story ( same name as on the spade flap)

Teufelhund

T

OK, so Avery did make fabric material. I just find it very odd it was mentioned as ebing where they sourced the hardware from, but was not mentioned when sending a letter to the four known companies thanking them for their speedy production work on getting these done on a rush basis.

 

There are still so many unknowns about the darn thing- but as this seems to be the only Avery marked one that I know of, and Brian knows of (and I know he has been loooking at examples a lot more than I ), and the records don't do not mention they made them, I find it really odd.

 

Of course the records also say only the three sizes were made and that seems ot have been incorrect.

 

I actually have a letter off to current Avery company asking if they might have a company archives.

Some more pics..

 

Sorry, but I haven't reduced the size of the pics for the sake of clarity

 

One can make his own opinion about the subject

 

Yours faithfully

 

Teufelhund

 

 

Many thanks T, your vest is without a doubt made by Avery. The "AVERY" stamp is easily seen in both photos. The 1944 part of the stamp is somewhat distorted but the numbers are there for sure, especially in the second photo.

 

Bryan

To me that is AVERY 19??

medium

 

Dave.

Thank you Bryan

 

Lets wait for the "AVERY infos requested by Jon...but I can assure you... when I went out of this shop 25+ years ago...with the jacket in my arms ; I feeled like swimming on a cloud.

Well, thats is somewhat FRENCHGLISH, but I know you understand what I mean.

 

Teufelhund

All of this Assault Vest discussion made me dig mine out. I was hoping it was an Avery, but it's a Harrian 1944.

I am not at all meaning to come accross as a jerk, I am just astounded at this, as if neither Brian or I or anyone I know have ever even heard of an Avery- and there is no record of them making them, then it's both an amzing discovery and sadly raises more questions.

 

The list of companies I have comes from a letter written to them thanking them for cranking out the jackets really fast- fast in time enough for D-day. It makes me wonder if then if Avery did make them, did they miss the deadline and thus not get thanked- and if so I wonder how it could get to France if it missed the deadline.

 

Questions upon questions.

 

We were always joking about a 10th anniversary edition of SDD.

 

ah well

 

I checked on Avery production using this as my source of info. This source has to be used carefully however as it only lists contracts over $50,000. For example the 1943 dated Avery Magazine Pocket is not shown on the contract list as well as nothing is shown that could possibly indicate rifle slings.

 

There were four companies with Avery in their name that handled contracts during the war.

 

Avery Adhesives

Los Angeles, CA

Adhesive labels

(Not them)

 

B F Avery & Sons, Co

Louisville, KY

Gun parts, harrows and plows

(Not them)

 

Avery Manufacturing Co

New York, NY

All sorts of cloth items

(99.9% sure it is them)

 

W G Avery Body Co

Jackson, MISS

Ammo crates, bows and ridge poles

(Not them)

 

The most likely Avery had 11 contracts for more than $50,000 during the time period of the records. There is only one contract that fits the time period and has a possible matching description to the Assault Vest.

 

There was a contract issued in March, 1944 for Cotton Duck Suits (deceptive name perhaps?). The contract was for $109,000 and was not completed until July, 1944. This could explain Jon's guess as to why they were not on the Thank You letter. They may have missed the dead line. Then the question is did part of the order make it in time?

I thought it would be worthwhile to research the four known makers to see if I could determine any other useful info.

 

FROELIGH

Nothing close on the contract list.

 

HARIAN

One item matches the required dates.

 

Cartridge Belts

$66,000

Award date: 11/43

Complete date: 4/44

 

J A Shoe

While this is a well know maker I could not find them listed under S or J. This means none of their contracts exceeded $50,000, they were missed on the spreadsheet or they are listed under another parent company. Does anyone have any idea of other possible names?

 

FROELICH

Nothing close on the contract list.

 

Since there is very little chance that all of these were missed is it possible that none of the four contracts exceeded $50,000? Does anyone have a government cost per vest and approximately how many vests were purchased?

I think the contract would be too small. In terms of numbers one record said 10,000 were asked for, and they could only provide 7,000. SO break 10,000 up between 4 or 5 cvompanies, and they could be pretty expensive and still not make 50 grand.

 

J.A. SHoe I am very sure was not owned by anyone esle. It was a very big firm at the ftime.

 

Two of the companies are (or were) actually close to me. I tried going to the historical society in town (no luck) and one June even tried to get the town paper to run an article on their contribution to D-day asking if by any means anyone was still around that had worked on them.

Let's just say the newspaper was pretty clueless and did not care at all - even though I still think it would have been a good story for their early June edition.....

 

The Avery contract name is quite odd. But what else can you wear that is Duck Canvas? I cannot think of anything else. Of course if they also supplied the metal fittings for the others it might drive up the contract price for them.

 

Always more questions and never any good answers.

Yesterday I saw an assault vest on eBay just a few hours before it ended. The mfg. is VARIOE.

I never heard of that manufacturer before so I think it is a reproduction, right? Or has someone ever heard of VARIEO?

 

http://www.ebay.de/itm/120837752015?ssPage...984.m1423.l2649

perhaps the stamp is VARIEO but VARIED MANUFACTURING INC. 1944, which actually existed.

500 euros is very low

for the record:

 

 

500 euros is very low

 

Actually I find it very high for what it is... IMO a repro and not a good one either...

Hello,

 

not good for me neither.

 

Has anyone already heard about d-day assault vest made by BOYT ?

 

Some assault vest were sold in the 80s in a show not so far from Paris (CNIT show) and I have heard that at least some of these were manufactured by Boyt. However, I don't have any picture of an example. These were sold at a very low price because no one knew this item (it was before the article from J. Gawne).

 

Max

Besides the 4 known makers, it seems that AVERY might have made some too...

We have a member here who owns one of those and there seems to be little doubt to its originality...

 

We had a topic about it a couple of years ago...

 

Never heard of Boyt making any though..

Here's the topic about them

http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/ind...?showtopic=9246

Hi Johan,

 

thanks for the input. Yes, I have read this topic a couple of times already.

 

Maybe I should ask my question in the topic instead of this current one (or maybe here it is ok), could you please advise ?

 

Thanks,

 

Max

I've merged your question with the old topic so wan discuss it further here...

 

Will delete this post in a couple of days...