Dr H
Well-Known Member
Here is my new Bill Kelso Type A-1 in seal 'Victory' capeskin.
For those members who are unaware of the history (MM... :roll: ), the team at Bill Kelso decided to produce a close copy of the familiar Type A-1 shown in Suit Up (two button collar knit, waist snaps, three piece sleeves with raw edges and triple lines of stitching). It's a well known pattern and has wide appeal (both John Chapman at Good Wear and The Few have based jacket on the same photo spread). Bill Kelso were keen to source the best materials that they could (hide, lining, buttons, labels) in order to produce a high quality replica production jacket that would stand up with the best of the Type A-1 offerings on the market. Platon contacted me beforehand to bounce some ideas around and, as the intention was to produce a high quality product, I was very happy to play a very small part in the project over several months during the jacket's development. No original examples were examined personally, but given the participants in the conversation, there would be little compromise in the design with close adherence to original examples and period photos. Having owned some 9 Type A-1 jackets from Eastman and Good Wear, and having handled/worn offerings from Aero and The Few, I've formed a number of strong opinions of what works and doesn't work (for me at least) in terms of sleeve and torso profile/collar depth, etc. This example differs a little from the standard Type A-1 offered (in terms of pocket flap profile, single buttoned collar, buttoned waistband).
As the Bill Kelso Type A-1 is a custom jacket (made to individual wearer's dimensions) consequently the fit is exceptionally good - I supplied a set of standard measurements (chest, sleeve length, shoulders, front and back length) and the result is the best fitting jacket that I own. It is labelled a 44 and wears as such.
I'll try to shoot some better images in better light (weather overcast with light rain at the moment as you'll see on the hide), but this is fair reflection of the colour - a rich chocolate. The closest match to the colour/weight/grain is the capeskin Doniger/McGregor A-2 (from 1942) that I owned for a while.
Similarly, when worn this feels really comfortable (the stereotypical leather sweater which I'm not aware of once it's on), but is a substantial windcheater nevertheless.
The hide is soft and pliable with a great smell and terrific grain - I opted for a slightly mismatched graining without too much figuring (much like the hide that I've seen in period photos and have not been disappointed. It got a little wet this morning during the photo session and had dried before it was put back on the hanger.
The pattern is first class and has been modelled very closely on the images in Suit Up for the standard Type A-1 from Bill Kelso. Notable exceptions to the other commercial offerings are the depth of the waistband - proportionately a little deeper than the A-2 (and best seen in the images of Gary Eastman's A-1).
The sleeve is inset and rotated and the positioning of the grommets under the arm differs from the Eastman and Good Wear Type A-1 jackets.
The collar knit is the one that you see rarely in some of the early images of Type A-1 jackets (with a single button/button loop, more pronounced turn down and a rebated stitched line).
The tailoring is exceptional (straight and regular) and this is something that really pleases me as the A-1 is not forgiving of sloppy stitching (particularly in this triple stitched sleeve).
You can really see this on the pocket with the double seams around the edges of pocket body and flap.
The knits are high quality - taut and with a close weave.
Attention to detail has been extremely high - all labels were newly produced for this project.
The button holes (keyhole) are very well executed and the stitching is tight and even with a well finished edge.
The jacket currently wears the lighter (honey) buttons, which look very fine, but I felt that a slightly lesser contrast would work better. It's a subtle difference - a honey (right) is shown alongside the slightly darker coconut (left) on this hide sample.
I requested a set of buttons for exchange and BK supplied this and plenty of thread to do the stitching promptly and with no complaints, which is excellent service for a finicky A-1 wearer.
I'm really delighted with the jacket, which has turned out exactly as Platon described in his first e-mails. For my jacket, I was (surprisingly
) a pretty demanding customer (particularly in terms of the lay down collar) and the team at Bill Kelso rose to the job admirably and met my requirements very well and without hassles. Customisation (in terms of pocket placement/pocket flap profile/colours is available of course) but despite toying with the idea of a one-off capeskin 37J1 with hidden pockets and a snapped varsity collar I'm very happy with the result.
For those members who are unaware of the history (MM... :roll: ), the team at Bill Kelso decided to produce a close copy of the familiar Type A-1 shown in Suit Up (two button collar knit, waist snaps, three piece sleeves with raw edges and triple lines of stitching). It's a well known pattern and has wide appeal (both John Chapman at Good Wear and The Few have based jacket on the same photo spread). Bill Kelso were keen to source the best materials that they could (hide, lining, buttons, labels) in order to produce a high quality replica production jacket that would stand up with the best of the Type A-1 offerings on the market. Platon contacted me beforehand to bounce some ideas around and, as the intention was to produce a high quality product, I was very happy to play a very small part in the project over several months during the jacket's development. No original examples were examined personally, but given the participants in the conversation, there would be little compromise in the design with close adherence to original examples and period photos. Having owned some 9 Type A-1 jackets from Eastman and Good Wear, and having handled/worn offerings from Aero and The Few, I've formed a number of strong opinions of what works and doesn't work (for me at least) in terms of sleeve and torso profile/collar depth, etc. This example differs a little from the standard Type A-1 offered (in terms of pocket flap profile, single buttoned collar, buttoned waistband).
As the Bill Kelso Type A-1 is a custom jacket (made to individual wearer's dimensions) consequently the fit is exceptionally good - I supplied a set of standard measurements (chest, sleeve length, shoulders, front and back length) and the result is the best fitting jacket that I own. It is labelled a 44 and wears as such.
I'll try to shoot some better images in better light (weather overcast with light rain at the moment as you'll see on the hide), but this is fair reflection of the colour - a rich chocolate. The closest match to the colour/weight/grain is the capeskin Doniger/McGregor A-2 (from 1942) that I owned for a while.
Similarly, when worn this feels really comfortable (the stereotypical leather sweater which I'm not aware of once it's on), but is a substantial windcheater nevertheless.
The hide is soft and pliable with a great smell and terrific grain - I opted for a slightly mismatched graining without too much figuring (much like the hide that I've seen in period photos and have not been disappointed. It got a little wet this morning during the photo session and had dried before it was put back on the hanger.
The pattern is first class and has been modelled very closely on the images in Suit Up for the standard Type A-1 from Bill Kelso. Notable exceptions to the other commercial offerings are the depth of the waistband - proportionately a little deeper than the A-2 (and best seen in the images of Gary Eastman's A-1).
The sleeve is inset and rotated and the positioning of the grommets under the arm differs from the Eastman and Good Wear Type A-1 jackets.
The collar knit is the one that you see rarely in some of the early images of Type A-1 jackets (with a single button/button loop, more pronounced turn down and a rebated stitched line).
The tailoring is exceptional (straight and regular) and this is something that really pleases me as the A-1 is not forgiving of sloppy stitching (particularly in this triple stitched sleeve).
You can really see this on the pocket with the double seams around the edges of pocket body and flap.
The knits are high quality - taut and with a close weave.
Attention to detail has been extremely high - all labels were newly produced for this project.
The button holes (keyhole) are very well executed and the stitching is tight and even with a well finished edge.
The jacket currently wears the lighter (honey) buttons, which look very fine, but I felt that a slightly lesser contrast would work better. It's a subtle difference - a honey (right) is shown alongside the slightly darker coconut (left) on this hide sample.
I requested a set of buttons for exchange and BK supplied this and plenty of thread to do the stitching promptly and with no complaints, which is excellent service for a finicky A-1 wearer.
I'm really delighted with the jacket, which has turned out exactly as Platon described in his first e-mails. For my jacket, I was (surprisingly
) a pretty demanding customer (particularly in terms of the lay down collar) and the team at Bill Kelso rose to the job admirably and met my requirements very well and without hassles. Customisation (in terms of pocket placement/pocket flap profile/colours is available of course) but despite toying with the idea of a one-off capeskin 37J1 with hidden pockets and a snapped varsity collar I'm very happy with the result.
