Security Aviation Togs

[Chandler]

I did find a couple articles that touch on the Iron Mountain factory and its origins. The first one suggests that an "Iron Mountain Industrial Committee" was involved and that there was an "Iron Mountain industrial fund" that was helping with finances. So maybe it was a case of the area needing employment for its residents? The second one talks mainly about the early setup of the factory, but the last paragraph says that Louis Horwich visited the city on "routine business," "during which he mentioned that his company might be interested in locating here if a site could be obtained."

Also, I haven't got an exact address yet, but it was in the former Branz building on East Grand Boulevard Circle.

Just looked up the street on Google maps and I know the approximate area.

It's worth checking out the street view to see how remote the area still is. Not sure just where the Branz building was, but the road is so small that it's not even striped.

Looks like there's a Branz Mechanical Contractors in IM -- not on the same road, but I wouldn't be surprised if it was the same family.

 

[mulceber]

Just looked up the street on Google maps and I know the approximate area.

It's worth checking out the street view to see how remote the area still is. Not sure just where the Branz building was, but the road is so small that it's not even striped.

Looks like there's a Branz Mechanical Contractors in IM -- not on the same road, but I wouldn't be surprised if it was the same family.

Yeah, I did the same. Kinda reminds me of some streets I lived on growing up.

I wonder if the Branz building was the former site of that business and they vacated it because their business had outgrown it.

 

[Spitfireace]

Yup, another good example of a company that chose to embrace its Jewish heritage. They definitely did exist. Levi Strauss is an interesting example though, because middle class people didn't start wearing blue jeans in any real numbers until the company had been around for over a hundred years. Miners needed the jeans, and they couldn't afford to turn their nose up at really durable clothing. Plus, from my (layman's) knowledge, mid-19th century San Francisco was a melting pot of people from all over the place. A name like Levi Strauss wouldn't have stood out as much.

Yes, it was work wear until the fifties. Sixties I guess they started saying "I'm a part of the eschewing the suit class people". The trucker jacket is just so iconic.

 

[Spitfireace]

If you don't have a Levi trucker jacket you need one believe me.

 

[ausreenactor]

A lot of my original US WWII wools are clearly Jewish named makers. Sigmund Eisner is very common among them. Made a killing out of the killing!

 

[Xopher]

This flight suit dates to rough October 1932. All the Talon zips are stamped K2 on the stoppers indicating K=October and 2=1932

This is an all wool one piece flight suit in the collection of the museum I volunteer at.

I believe this to be an early civilian variant of an A-4 maybe even predecessor? Im not sure

I wish I had better photos.

There are two chest pockets
Two knee pockets
Sleeves and legs both have zippers, all stamped K2
And side pants pocket access openings

 

[2BM2K]

That looks very similar to the suits in this photo. (photo source, https://thejivebombers.com/2022/12/21/94th-pursuit-squadron)

 

[B-Man2]

Great photos of the flight suit and also the Security Togs Label .
Thanks for posting it .

 

[Lord Flashheart]

I must've missed this thread before but there's some great research here and a fascinating read.

 

[entertainment]

I found this thread as a result of the incredible new A-2 thread. In the description of the SAT A-2, it states "Date of Completion: After 2 December 1931, since the jackets bore the “Security Aviation Togs” label, and it was copyrighted on that date."

What I find curious is that the label says "REG. U.S. PAT. OFF." while the document cited is for the Copyright Office. The US copyright office and the patent office are two different entities. If you read the text of the copyright, it seems to be for a catalog or insert called "New aviation togs by Security". It seems like it might have been a supplement to a publication called "Flying comfort." Furthermore, the title page of the copyright document says it covers: "Pamphlets, Leaflets, Contributions to Newspapers or Periodicals, etc."

In Google books, I then found this copyright entry from 1930 for something called "Flying comfort." My guess is that "Flying comfort" was a catalog issued by Security Sportswear in 1930 and that "New aviation togs by Security" was simply an update to that catalog issued a year later.

Catalog of Copyright Entries

www.google.com

I did a search of Google patents and did not find anything credited to Security Sportswear, but patent searches are tricky.
I would suggest that "Aviation Togs" might just be descriptive just as the "Golf" part of "Nike Golf" and doesn't indicate a separate company but simply one focused part of the business.

 

[mulceber]

Ah, so would that suggest the jackets could have been made before December 1931 then?

 

[entertainment]

Ah, so would that suggest the jackets could have been made before December 1931 then?

That is what I am thinking.
I wonder if the "REG. U.S. PAT. OFF." has to do with a trademark registration which is governed by the patent office. I tried doing a trademark search, but "security" is a rather common word! And the trademark may just apply to "Security" in relationship to clothing rather than "Security Aviation Togs." I have just learned that there are also labels that say "Security Golf Togs."

 

[mulceber]

Thanks for your insights on this - I’ll make the change.

 

[entertainment]

Here is the Security Golf Togs label: