IRVINS WITH LESS SHEEN

[Roughwear]

I know some members here like shiny Irvins. This is fine but originals varied from almost matt to varying degrees of sheen. Of course very worn Irvins which have lost their protective polyacrilic surface coating are quite matt today.Here are some pics of three originals in my collection with varying degrees of sheen. The pictures were taken in the sun and they have in reality less sheen.

1. Pre-War Wareings' Irvin. I have taken close-up shots of the leather.

2. 1940 DGL Irvin.

3. 1941-2 DG.Ltd Irvin. This one has the most sheen, but is still not as shiny as many repros, and this includes the sections not exposed to the light.

I have yet to see a repro Irvin that completely replicates the finish of wartime sheepskin, although the new ELC 1944 jacket is very close. Uusally on repros the skins are too thin.

 

[Andrew]

It hardly needs to be said but these are old worn jackets, however they really are nothing like the patina being offered as time worn and representative of originals in ELC's weathered Irvins from the last couple of years.

An unfortunate consequence is that as they aparently sell so well that the ignorant purchasers conscious of ELC's reputation believe that this is an accurate representation of the real thing.
This variation is all from one jacket

 

[Roughwear]

All this is true Andrew. The jacket below is not a well worn one, but as near mint as one will get today and it does have a sheen but not the extreme shine as some repros.

This is a pristine example of Irvin Air Chute's 1939 contract electrically wired Irvin in a decent size 5. There is almost no wear to the fleece and it has seen little service if any. The zips are brass single trunnion Dot made in Englands and the tan pulls are original to the jacket. It has had no re-stitching to the seam tapes or belt and the fleece is extremely supple and strong with no issues whatsoever.

[/QUOTE]

 

[Andrew]

Beautiful fleece there, like new.

You wouldn't think it would be so hard to make something more convincing than the latest offering, especially since they were getting close to it years ago.

One has to wonder why. What's the major difference between how sheepskin was tanned then to now? Were they chromed perhaps? That was the finish on the flying helmets of the time. I'm sure there's a good reason.

 

[Roughwear]

I understand sheepskin was usually chrome tanned in the war, but some of the earlier jackets were made from veg tanned fleece. It is the thickness of the skins which is also an issue for repro makers, who invariably use skins which are thinner than most wartime ones.

Repro Irvins are getting so expensive that it is usually cheaper to buy an original these days.

 

[Roughwear]

Andrew, the 1940 DGL jacket is one of my favourites. I have never seen a similar DGL jacket so I guess it was a very small contract. Here is a picture of Air Vice Marshal Hugh Lloyd, the AOC of Mediterranean Allied Coastal Air Forces wearing a 1940 DGL Irvin in 1944. His Beaufighter is behind him. Mine could even be the same jacket! BTW I changed the main zip pull as the original cast Dot broke. The one Lloyd is wearing has cast Dot zip pulls, the typical long narrow belt loops, over large zip securing rivets, identical collar shape and colour. It is definitely not an IAC jacket. Even in this picture the four-year-old jacket does not have a great deal of sheen.

 

[John Lever]

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/WW2-Original-Irvi ... 335dd628ac

 

[Roughwear]

Yes, a mid War Links Irvin, with sheen. Shame the seller has not given the size, but I would guess a size 4. Have you noticed that right hand main zip tape has been sewn away from the zip tape at some stage? Perhaps it was done to cover up a repair, but it looks really odd. :roll:

 

[John Lever]

Shiny

 

[Roughwear]

Shiny

Yes it has a sheen to it, which is true of originals, but by no means all and they always look shinier in photos than in the flesh. Few have the high level of shine and plastic finish characteristic of your holygrail.

 

[John Lever]

Shiny

Yes it has a sheen to it, which is true of originals, but by no means all and they always look shinier in photos than in the flesh. Few have the high level of shine and plastic finish characteristic of your holygrail.

 

[Roughwear]

A recent application of Pecards has increased the shine on this one.

 

[Roughwear]

This is more typical of the finish.

as compared with this repro.

 

[Silver Dollar]

Wow, I would still love to have that repro. It's first rate.

 

[rich]

Shiny

IMO not possible to call it when photos are taken using flash - but I bet it would not look like this in natural daylight. Unless of course he's slathered the Pecards on.............

 

[rich]

Even in this picture the four-year-old jacket does not have a great deal mof sheen.

Look at the cast shadows on his face and the narrowing of his eyes - that picture was taken in strong direct sunlight.

 

[John Lever]

 

[Roughwear]

It's good to see this picture John, especially as its of a newly issued IAC jacket from c. 1939-40. You can still pick up decent examples on Ebay.

 

[rich]

Nice shot John, don't remember seeing it before - what's going on with the belt do you think?

 

[John Lever]

Not sure about he belt, but the leather looks lacquered and definitely has more than just sheen.
My point is that contemporary photos do not accurately represent the state of a newly produced item.
Remember all the fuss about the Sistine Chapel ?