PRE-WAR IRVIN WITH DOT "DECO" ZIPS

[Roughwear]

This jacket dates from the mid 1930s, having close pile fleece, DOT Deco sleeve zips and other features typical of Irvins from this period. There are only two known pre-War makers of Irvins, Wareings and the more famous Irvin Air Chute. This one was almost certainly made by Irvin Air Chute having the typical narrower belt loops, square cornered collar, small collar fixing rings and top quality workmanship.

The main zip is an extremely rare single trunnion DOT, with a brass pull only seen on Irvins from around 1936-8. The stopper is marked "DOT BRITISH" rather than the more common "DOT MADE IN ENGLAND". This zip, is 100% original to the jacket and functions smoothly with no missing teeth. Both sleeve zips are also original to the jacket and are the ultra rare DOT Deco variety which were only used for a short time in the mid 1930s. All the leather pullers are original to the zips and they function smoothly.

 

[Baron Kurtz]

Those sleeve pullers are wonderful.

bk

 

[jonnyboy]

Fantastic jacket Andrew - looks to be in very nice condition too.

Do you know if most of the mid-thirties Irvins are quite dark like this? I really like the darker shade of brown and slightly lighter wool combination. I don't know if that's more typical of early examples though - there seems to be such a variety of shades of brown used, with the leather seam tapes, belt and back of the collar either being a good colour match, or being completely different shades of brown. I guess colours have changed over time too, from fading, etc.

The zip tapes in your photos look to be made from a weave of three different thread colours - almost a checkerboard pattern. Is that a typical feature of this type of Dot zip? I haven't seen that before.

Cheers,

Jon

 

[MikeyB-17]

Wow, what a cracker. Love those sleeve zips and that three colour weave on the zip tape. I'm a bit of an Irvin thicko, is that diversion of the stitching around the rivet at the bottom of the main zip normal?

 

[Roughwear]

Fantastic jacket Andrew - looks to be in very nice condition too.

Do you know if most of the mid-thirties Irvins are quite dark like this? I really like the darker shade of brown and slightly lighter wool combination. I don't know if that's more typical of early examples though - there seems to be such a variety of shades of brown used, with the leather seam tapes, belt and back of the collar either being a good colour match, or being completely different shades of brown. I guess colours have changed over time too, from fading, etc.

The zip tapes in your photos look to be made from a weave of three different thread colours - almost a checkerboard pattern. Is that a typical feature of this type of Dot zip? I haven't seen that before.

Cheers,

Jon

Jon, many of jackets from the mid 30s were a sightly darker shade of brown than the more "typical" wartime ones. Wareings
1935 contract Irvins were darker than this jacket. My 1933 Irvin is also a dark brown. The colour of the zip tapes varied from light brown through to red. These tri-weave DOT zips tapes are relatively rare and only found on a few pre-War Irvins.

 

[Roughwear]

Wow, what a cracker. Love those sleeve zips and that three colour weave on the zip tape. I'm a bit of an Irvin thicko, is that diversion of the stitching around the rivet at the bottom of the main zip normal?

Yes the diversion of stitching around the rivet is fairly normal because the machinist was not able to stitch through the zip's brass securing plate which the rivet helped to hold in place.

 

[1911A1US]

Roughwear,I must say you have some brilliant jackets!!!Brian

 

[Roughwear]

Thanks. This one sold recently as it was slightly too small for me in the sleeves. It did fetch a good price on Ebay.