"Windward by Montgomery Ward" horsehide jacket?

[CombatWombat]

Since I'm still fairly new to American leather manufacturers and anything that's not motorcycle related I thought I'd throw this hairy question to the brain's trust on here....
1: Is Montgomery Ward a trusted brand name?
2: it looks okay to my eyes and the seller claims it's pliable and has no dry rot......but to the owners of horsehide jackets.....does it look good to you?
3: the measurements add up to it fitting me quite well but does horsehide "fight you" (shrink slightly when cold?)
Thanks in advance for helping me navigate the path to "horsey heaven"

 

[robrinay]

Montgomery Ward was a retailer not a manufacturer of leather jackets. Their jackets were generally of high quality and were made by some of the ‘famous’ makers although it’s often hard to find out who made a particular style unless you can find an identically similar jacket sold by and labelled by the maker. Consequently the hide they are made from was also high quality and will last several lifetimes provided it has been looked after i.e. stored properly and occasionally treated with a good conditioner. Provided the jacket fits you it won’t ‘fight you’. When I buy a vintage jacket which is a bit stiff but not rotted, I treat it to a light coating of Pecard Antique Leather Dressing rubbed in sparingly with my fingertips and allow it to be absorbed overnight before wearing it. Others here may advise different dressings but that’s my preferred one. Wearing the jacket will mould it to your body shape over time and it will become really comfortable. When first wearing it don’t do any extreme stretching (eg shoulder stretches), hoping to mould it quickly to fit you or may break stitches tear a seam or even stretch and tear the leather or the lining. I’m speaking here from the personal experience of being impatient and tearing the shoulder linings of an Eastman whose sleeves were too short for me and a year later pulling down the back of a Korean era G1 whose lining had worn at the neck and had been neatly re-sewn before I got it an inch or so higher. I also had Windward half belt like this one that was too narrow over the shoulders for me which I stupidly stretched while flexing and pushing my arms forward riding a bike and tore the leather across one shoulder. The repair and re-lining cost me more than I’d paid for the jackets. Lastly if you buy it and it has any rot then return it for a full refund -not as described.

 

[CombatWombat]

Robrinay thanks for the information about it
I have bought off the seller before (mostly motorcycle gear but he did have a fantastic Taylor's Chicago police jacket) and the other items were in great condition so I trust that he's been honest about the pliability and condition of the leather, but I thought I'd use the collective knowledge of the "old hands" on here

 

[Harris_HTM]

Montgomery Ward (Windward) Motorcycle Jacket History 1947-1963

This will cover the Three Amigos of the Catalog World Post WWII was the Motorcycle jacket boom (The Golden Age). Young men coming out the service looking for some fun take to the open road. Riding Gear had been produced since the invent of the Motorcycle. Regional Shops all over the country...

www.thefedoralounge.com

Tons of photo's, mainly MC jackets.

 

[CombatWombat]

Montgomery Ward (Windward) Motorcycle Jacket History 1947-1963

This will cover the Three Amigos of the Catalog World Post WWII was the Motorcycle jacket boom (The Golden Age). Young men coming out the service looking for some fun take to the open road. Riding Gear had been produced since the invent of the Motorcycle. Regional Shops all over the country...

www.thefedoralounge.com

Tons of photo's, mainly MC jackets.

Thanks for that..... I've never heard of them before so I just wanted to make sure it's wasn't junky stuff (got a 80's Sears jacket that I regret)