I recently saw this navy melton wool harrington jacket by Grenfell for Ben Silver. Thoughts? What other options are available for a wool jacket of this sort?
http://www.bensilver.com/fs_storefront.asp?root=66&show=160&display=11114
I like the style very much.
I recall a Charcoal Grey Herringbone Tweed version in JS' window in the late 80's. No idea who made it.
A Loden Cloth G9 or G4 would be good.
Yes, a loden cloth harrington would be excellent indeed. I have a fern green corduroy jacket in this style that I've had for ages--by Brooks. It's one of my favorite jackets, so I thought I might expand. The navy melton seems a good choice. I've also seen tweed models, but I'm not quite sold on that look. Loden would be a different story, although I kind of doubt anyone is making them.
Baracuta did a lovely Suede G9 once - Orvis do them now very well too...
Tim has a great Fawn Cord Baracuta G9 production sample...
But a Loden G9/4 would be quite a thing, I agree -
^Picked up a Baracuta G9 about a year ago in a lovely chocolate brown cord. Quilted insulated lining too. Couldn't resist it for a tenner in good old TK Maxx. Tiny size though so Ebayed it. Went to a girl in Japan as far as I can remember.
Staceyboy
In the 80s J.Simons sold a harrington jacket made in the USA by Golden Bear available in a wonderful tobacco coloured suede or chocolate brown leather. The quality was amazing. Never seen anything like it since. Indestructible. Bought to last a lifetime. About £350 back then. Would be absurdly expensive today if Golden Bear still existed which, of course, it doesn't.
And Russell, on the subject of Ivy Shop punters in the 80s spending £115 on Timberland. Yes! Brilliantly recalled. Selling those bloody awful shoes to the fat arsed, over educated, really quite cold and rude shits kept the Ivy Shop in business when they often struggled to sell real Ivy stuff. And yes Ian just viewed this as a necessary evil. He was quite calculated about it as I guess you have to be in that situation. But I grew to hate that crowd. Often I'd be stuck on the overland train to Waterloo from Richmond and a bunch of those loud, beery, arrogant twats would be on from the rugby at Twickenham and I felt all of my old class hostilities rising to the fore. I had fantasies about gangs of Evertonians getting on and giving them a good kicking. I still do. Shame on me.
GG
As I have mentioned before here I owned a Golden Bear suede Harrington in the 80s. It was a wonderful garment but was Thinsulate lined and too warm to ever really wear in the UK.
Ian who ran the Ivy Shop was a huge Ivy enthusiast and connoisseur but a lousy businessman. The Timberlands put money in the till but it was never enough. Like a lot of small businesses there were cash flow issues. The lovely thing about Ian was that he always looked after the people who worked for him and he always got a buzz out of the right shirt, or the right shoe or the very occasional sussed customer.
GG
I thought the name rang a bell
Golden Bear is a brand of low end golf clubs.
http://www.americangolf.co.uk/golf-clubs/golf-irons/brand-goldenbear/
Never tried them myself.
Who said Golden Bear are no longer around? and it ain't golf clubs they sell either..
http://www.goldenbearsportswear.com/
Something similar to the suede and leather GB Harringtons John sold in the late 80's/early 90's can still be found on their site - 'the Ross' - described as a Barricuda!?
They still do a nice line in varsity jackets too - not Ivy, granted, but still nice subtle colours, some with raglan sleeves. Do a rather tasty pea jacket too, when ever I wear out my Spiewak.
La força de un sentiment......
'Nuff respect to Golden Bear. They may still exist, but it's only a virtual existence. They no longer make a mark on our lives. Note the presence of that dread work 'IMPORTED'.... says it all really. They slip it in so nonchalantly as if perhaps to Americans a non-US made item has the whiff of exoticism about it. But these are sweat shop jackets now and its shows. I find it particularly irritating how these old companies trade on notions of tradition - you know, all that bullshit from Clarks 'of Street, Somerset since 1128' and all that bollocks, and here Golden Bear say that have been 'located in the heart of San Francisco for over 85 years'. So they have a desk there? The clothes are products of third world labour. Not American at all.
GG
He, He, young Gibson,
Thought you'd bite....and you did.
FYI, I decided to order the Grenfell navy melton Harrington from Ben Silver. A very nice jacket indeed! Fits perfectly, cloth is excellent, and it appears to be very well constructed. I think the lining is a synthetic material, but it is on the Baracuta g9 as well.
apc has a melton bomber jacket this season. a bit complicated with the buttons on top of a zipper, but it's made in smaller sizes than the ben silver harrington. price is the same.
Brooks introduced a Loden Cloth G9 in '87 - $195, Green plaid cotton lining.
In '88 they added a Navy version.
So the Loden G9 is a part of The Tradition.
I recall FH buying a green wool Baracuta from J.Simons in the early 80's
^ Lord, that Cordo Chukka is a spack boot if ever I saw one!
Is it prescription only?
... Remember that model of that little lad in a yellow jersey & leg irons that used to stand outside Smiths with a slot in his head for shillings?
I'll swear he had those Aldens on.
Last edited by Russell_Street (2009-10-21 04:36:26)
And what tit would buy these?
http://www.aldenshop.com/DrawOneShoe.asp?CategoryID=109