Vintage WWII B15? Please help authenticate!

[Jorgeenriqueaguilera]

Finally and most problematic is the pencil pocket- all of the genuine AAF jackets have a one pencil slot with 2 rows of stitching around it:


View attachment 98737
The jacket in question here has 2 slots and is much looser in stitching:
View attachment 98739

That is not necessarily correct @ZuZu. B-15's have one pencil slot and B-15A's have 2 pencil slots. This jacket is a mix between B-15 and B-15A. No triangular shaped leather pieces on chest, neither earphone wires tabs near underarm like a B-15 and pencil pocket of the B-15A.

B-15

B-15A

I won't mention anything about the stitching count cause that is very relative from maker to maker but one thing you mentioned above and I find it's the giveaway here is: the lack of darts in the back. Every B-15 (A, B, C, D) have those darts in the back and this doesn't. For me, that is the confirmation of this being a commercial copy a.k.a "private purchase".

But again, it is a very nice one.

 

[A2 B3au]

Ok, first; the contract label missing is a very common thing, the lack of it doesn't indicate that is a civilian necessarily. Sometimes they were removed on purpose by veterans after war.
The little white tag is common on original jackets, but not all jackets come with it though. I have a nos example without that white tag and I have a mint example with it. (Attached pic). But that could be found on a private purchase as well, so it is not really a indicator of authenticity.
View attachment 97843
On the other side, those knits are something you don't see on originals, the material doesn't seem correct unless they were period replaced.
View attachment 97847
The lining is probably the main indicator that this jacket is a private purchase. Originals have a gray shade alpaca fur that includes the sleeves. Unless this liner was a period replacement, which shows no evidence, I would assume this was a private purchase. A very nice one indeed.
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Another small detail is the loop on the collar, originals have a different made with the same outer shell material. View attachment 97863View attachment 97855View attachment 97857

That is something else… what an example…. Those cuffs are a thing of beauty

 

[ZuZu]

That is not necessarily correct @ZuZu. B-15's have one pencil slot and B-15A's have 2 pencil slots. This jacket is a mix between B-15 and B-15A. No triangular shaped leather pieces on chest, neither earphone wires tabs near underarm like a B-15 and pencil pocket of the B-15A.

B-15
View attachment 98755View attachment 98757

B-15A
View attachment 98759View attachment 98761

I won't mention anything about the stitching count cause that is very relative from maker to maker but one thing that you mentioned and I find it's the giveaway here is the lack of darts in the back. Every B-15 (A, B, C, D) have those darts in the back and this doesn't. For me, that is the confirmation of this being a commercial copy a.k.a "private purchase".

But again, it is a very nice one.

The "repro" in question has 2 slots like a B-15A. So you're right- it's like a hybrid...

 

[warguy]

I absolutely agree with everything Jorge said, and most of what ZuZu said. here is the pencil pocket on my recently acquired B-15A, the two pocket design like that Jorge photographed. Everything else has been said, lack of darts, weird knits, problem with hanger, zip type……all lead to a high quality commercial example.

 

[warguy]

Posted at the same time as Zuzu’s last post….the hybrid theory makes sense.

 

[Jorgeenriqueaguilera]

That is something else… what an example…. Those cuffs are a thing of beauty

Yes, they are as new as they were 78 years ago, that jacket is in my Top 10.