1920's light grey belted back SB suit with peak/fishmouth lapels.

[GoldenEraFan]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/20s-30s-Vin...pt=Vintage_Men_s_Clothing&hash=item565db89180

 

[cpdv]

I just found it myself. Time to save my paycheck and not eat for a week!

 

[Two Types]

Very nice.

 

[Fastuni]

Nice, but NO way 1920's.

This looks mid-30's to me.

 

[Guttersnipe]

Nice, but NO way 1920's.

This looks mid-30's to me.

Care to explain further?

 

[Fastuni]

Well everything about it is typical of a US mid-30's suit.
The button height, the proportions, the silhouette, the pleated trousers... also the design of the labels.
This rarer kind of lapel (half-peak or "fishmouth") together with these flapped pockets can also be found on this 1937 Chicago Woolen Mills illustration (the two jackets to the left):

The suit also looks very similiar (silhouette, lapel length, button stance, pocket+flap treatment, trousers) to an American brown fleck suit I have... which was (IMO rightly) deemed to be around 1936 in this forum:

I see no hints that would point to the 1920's rather than into the 1930s.

 

[Nick D]

Those shoulder tucks on the back are a 30s detail, I believe, I can't remember seeing them in any 20s suits.

 

[Guttersnipe]

Interesting and informative analysis, Fastuni, and also Nick D. Repeat Performance Vintage is highly regarded as a dealer, and has been in business like 30 years, so I usually take their description/datings/etc. at face value.

Do you guys agree that the back vent is atypical for an American suit from the mid-30s?

 

[cpdv]

either way I lust after a belted back

 

[Fastuni]

Not frequently found, but certainly not atypical.

This 1937 Chicago Wool Chart has three single-vent back-styles (94, 90 and 55):

 

[Baron Kurtz]

My own analysis would say that this is probably a transitional suit, early 30s. It retains some features predominantly of the 20s, but as Fastuni says the lapel width and the cut of the jacket, along with the labels, are strongly indicative of the 30s. I would point out the rear-ward sloping shoulder seam - more slope = earlier, generally. This one has a distinct rearward slope, but not nearly so much as I would expect in a jacket from early-middle 20s. Much more slope than Fastuni's jacket, which would suggest to me that Fastuni's is later than the grey one under discussion here. There is a chance that this is from the very late 20s, but I would lean more towards the 30s. I'd like to see more of the lining style, and also a better look at the red label in the neck area which looks to me much earlier in styling and is probably a label showing what fabric is used.

I've seen several 1930s sports-styled jackets with the long central rear vent.

 

[Baron Kurtz]

That is, I've seen them in the flesh, and own a couple, along with the period catalogue scans. It was an option, but certainly not the most common.

Bartenders, edit function please.

 

[Baron Kurtz]

Shoulder seam rearward slope.

 

[herringbonekid]

i have a suit with identical lapels, shoulder pleats and rear vent which i'd always assumed was mid 30s, but i'd be happy if i found out it was a bit earlier.

 

[Fastuni]

Baron, the shoulder seams on my jacket are just as much angled to the back.
I'm pretty sure that both suits are from around the same time... mid-30's (1933-37) that is.

 

[herringbonekid]

if only the grey suit had a date inside the pocket. it would really help clear this up.

 

[Baron Kurtz]

I see that label now at the bottom of the listing. Hmmm, not so old as I thought. I'd still be plumping towards the early side of the middle 30s.

 

[Baron Kurtz]

Ah, thanks for the pic. Couldn't see it from the others.

Baron, the shoulder seams on my jacket are just as much angled to the back.
I'm pretty sure that both suits are from around the same time... mid-30's (1933-37) that is.

Re: the grey suit, I'm assuming forward facing pleats tell us nothing? (at least, I think they're forward facing.)

 

[Fastuni]

Yes, they are forward facing, but as you know these kind of "British/Euro manner" pleats can be found also on 1940's US suits. Probably just the taste of the costumer (maybe informed by his origin).
But I think until the early-mid 1930's US trousers in general were usually made the "conservative" way without pleats, no? The presence of pleats is IMO yet another hint (albeit not the strongest) towards the 1930's.

 

[Baron Kurtz]

i think you're right yes. I do frequently come across 1930s American suits with forward pleats, too.