Where in London?

[berserker3]

Hi guys! I don´t know if I´m posting this in the right thread, but I´m new to this forum so I hope you´ll excuse me! Anyway, I´m probably going to London this summer and I was wondering if anyone could tell me where I could find a nice looking B3 (Irvin?) jacket? Are there any good stores? I would be most grateful for any directions I could get!
Regards
Mike

 

[better duck]

A couple of miles up North (some 80 or so): visit Duxford, Flying Legends Airshow, ELC stand, 11th, 12th of July this year. Lots of vintage WW2 aircraft on the ground and in the air too, with a French speaker (speaking English with a charming accent) audible all over the airfield to boot

 

[rich]

Hi Mike, I'm afraid you'll be very hard pushed to find this kind of jacket from shopping around in London - maybe an Avirex sheepskin, sold as more as a fashion item but nothing with a ring of authenticity. You might be better off ordering from a company such as Aero or ELC, but from what I gather on other posts, you could be in for a bit of a wait. They are probably worth the wait though. There are nearly always Irvins, original and repro on ebay of course which you could buy now.

Betterduck's suggestion is inspired - you'll get a flying display, a world class aircraft collection plus the opportunity to try and buy
quality flying jackets. Good luck whatever you decide.

 

[berserker3]

Hi guys! A very big thank you! I was afraid you´d say something like that, though! I looked at some Aero-jackets, but they are kind of expensive! Maybe Ebay is the only way to go!
Big thanks!
Kind regards
Mike

 

[havocpaul]

Time your visit for the week from 18th July and easily visitable by train from London will be the War and Peace Show at the Hop Farm, Kent where there are usually quite a few original jackets on the market, prices do vary but not too different to eBay and with the UK hit hard by the recession dealers will be sure to want to do a good price for 'hard cash'. As for London itself the days of good militaria/thrift shops are long gone, I found this place in Covent Garden who have a couple of Irvins on their list but the prices are way too high.....
http://www.rokit.co.uk/product.php?product_id=MC250112
As stated above, ELC stand at Duxford is a must-visit for their range and they do often bring a few originals along to sell too. keep we Londoners in mind when you visit, always happy to show a guy around town!

 

[Roughwear]

Time your visit for the week from 18th July and easily visitable by train from London will be the War and Peace Show at the Hop Farm, Kent where there are usually quite a few original jackets on the market, prices do vary but not too different to eBay and with the UK hit hard by the recession dealers will be sure to want to do a good price for 'hard cash'. As for London itself the days of good militaria/thrift shops are long gone, I found this place in Covent Garden who have a couple of Irvins on their list but the prices are way too high.....
http://www.rokit.co.uk/product.php?product_id=MC250112
As stated above, ELC stand at Duxford is a must-visit for their range and they do often bring a few originals along to sell too. keep we Londoners in mind when you visit, always happy to show a guy around town!

Definitely don't buy from Rokit. £1576 for a very worn Links Irvin with a later pocket is a total rip-off. The other Irvin for £1200 is way over the top. Ebay or this forum is your best source of an original Irvin.

 

[Anonymous]

Hi are there still Eastmans being sold at the Imperial war museum,Lambeth London .

All the best Jeff

 

[deeb7]

Hi are there still Eastmans being sold at the Imperial war museum,Lambeth London .

They look to be from Aviation Leathercraft ....

http://www.iwmshop.org.uk/product/18893 ... ing_Jacket

 

[John Lever]

Hi guys! I don´t know if I´m posting this in the right thread, but I´m new to this forum so I hope you´ll excuse me! Anyway, I´m probably going to London this summer and I was wondering if anyone could tell me where I could find a nice looking B3 (Irvin?) jacket? Are there any good stores? I would be most grateful for any directions I could get!
Regards
Mike

There's a shop called Blunderbuss on Marylebone High St.London W1,[ 15 years since I've been] that used to sell original Irvins and B-3's. They may also get the occasional repro if that's what you want.
Tel. 0171 486 2444
I believe that Aero also sell through some shops in Covent Garden, call them and ask.

 

[deeb7]

I believe that Aero also sell through some shops in Covent Garden ...

Sam Walker. 65 Endell Street, Covent Garden London, WC2H 9AJ. Telephone 020 7240 9975.

 

[Anonymous]

As this is in the Vintage section but you are not too sure if you are talking about new or original or a B-3 OR an Irvin, I would recommend you do not rush into anything but instead do some research on here for a while and get to know your onions better. It's a big investment to only find out that you wish you'd bought something else !! You will get what you pay for so decide how authentic you want it.

I'd also not get fixated on buying in London in person. Mail order is just as good and the postage will be less than the cost of an all day roamer ticket on the Tube.

Personally I'd recommend Eastman if you are UK based as all the overseas makers are WAY more expensive now that our pound is in the gutter (30%+ than last summer ).

(Also have a look at the for sale section where you will find a LOVELY B-3 for sale - mine :lol:. There are also lots of other jackets for sale and one will doubtless be in your size ).

Good luck !

Dave

 

[havocpaul]

Blunderbuss as of the end of this month will be closing down their shop and going on-line only, another long-established miltary store no more....oh for the glory days of Ken's Thrift Shop and all those Islington based shops like Quartermasters, Regimentals, Chris Farlowe's etc etc. Forgot to mention I think the Saturday Islington miltaria market still runs.

 

[berserker3]

Thanks for all the helpful comments! Now i realy have something to work with !
Kindest regards
Mike

 

[rich]

Blunderbuss as of the end of this month will be closing down their shop and going on-line only, another long-established miltary store no more....oh for the glory days of Ken's Thrift Shop and all those Islington based shops like Quartermasters, Regimentals, Chris Farlowe's etc etc. Forgot to mention I think the Saturday Islington miltaria market still runs.

Shame about Blunderbuss, always an interesting shop, I remember buying some silk escape maps from there once. There are still a couple of good dealers with military kit in the downstairs part of Grey's indoor market (bottom of South Molton Street) but they carry mostly Wehrmacht kit, various medals and badges although I have seen odd bits of uniform there - but never sheepskin.

I haven't been to the Islington Market for 10 years or more, so I don't know if it still exists! But a guy there often had an Irvin or two for sale. I used to buy my aircrew trade badges from Boseley's there, that was one busy, bustling way to spend a few hours on Saturday morning ........

The sheepskin jackets at IWM Duxford are from Aviation Leathercraft - well made but not particularly authentic IMO.

 

[Baron Kurtz]

Don't know if London's the best place. Very inflated prices.

The only shops that i know have many, many sheepskins (maybe 15 in each branch) are the two branches of Worn Out West. One on Mercer Street, WC2 and the other just up the road on Drury Lane. They don't have any really old ones, though.

The branch of Beyond Retro on Cheshire Street had a complete WWII USAAF sheepskin suit for sale for the longest time. I think they wanted £250 for the whole thing. But it had several tears and all the zippers were cheap-o YKK replacements. I believe they've now consigned that suit to their museum/permanent collection.

If you're here on a Friday or Saturday you might want to get up early in the morning and head over to Portobello Market. There's a dealer turns up there with some nice WWII gear.

good luck


bk

 

[MikeyB-17]

The IWM at Duxford used to sell ELC jackets-I was there a few years ago when they were selling their remaining stock off cheap. I looked at a redskin B-6 (yes I know they didn't exist-still a nice jacket) which I was a pillock not to buy. I think they wanted £200.

 

[Steve27752]

Hi guys! I don´t know if I´m posting this in the right thread, but I´m new to this forum so I hope you´ll excuse me! Anyway, I´m probably going to London this summer and I was wondering if anyone could tell me where I could find a nice looking B3 (Irvin?) jacket? Are there any good stores? I would be most grateful for any directions I could get!
Regards
Mike

There's a shop called Blunderbuss on Marylebone High St.London W1,[ 15 years since I've been] that used to sell original Irvins and B-3's. They may also get the occasional repro if that's what you want.
Tel. 0171 486 2444
I believe that Aero also sell through some shops in Covent Garden, call them and ask.

John,
Blunderbuss has closed their shop and they are not internet only.

 

[asiamiles]

I haven't visited Camden since the fire so I don't know what's still there and what isn't but the market there used to have a few shops selling vintage leather jackets...there was an Irvin there last time I was there.

 

[joeson]

I haven't visited Camden since the fire so I don't know what's still there and what isn't but the market there used to have a few shops selling vintage leather jackets...there was an Irvin there last time I was there.

The fire only affected a small part of the market,not the vintage side.Most of the vintage shops have now moved to a new area called the Horse Tunnels,which is in the stables market on Chalk farm road .Definitely worth a look if you are in town.

 

[berserker3]

Thanks guys! Last time I was in London, some four years ago, I went to Camden, but couldn´t find any good vintage leather shops. Maybe I was looking in the wrong places! :?
Kind regards
Mike