Peter Graham
Well-Known Member
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.
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.