Good Wear Leather Coat Company — Sale Willis & Geiger M-422 Jacket

This item has been sold.
L.W. Foster G-1 Navy Flight Jacket
Price: $775.00 (used condition) — note shipping costs below
Fit: this pattern is comfortable in the correct size
Leather: seal goatskin
Lining: burgundy/brown rayon
Waistband:: original seal rib-rack wool
Cuffs:: new matching wool, replaced by Good Wear
Zipper: the jacket's original Conmar, in great condition
Mouton: still holding solid with no weak areas
Size: 46

This is a great, wearable example of a 1958-contract G-1 jacket. L.W. Foster was one of the largest manufacturers of Navy jackets, starting in WWII with their AN-J-3A contract, through this last 1958-dated contract for 54,000 jackets. We spoke with Lou's grandson, who told us that Lou stopped making government contract clothing after that contract and focused on leisurewear for the rest of their operations. His brother Irvin, also a clothing company owner since WWII, took up Navy jacket production after Lou's last contract.

This jacket is in great condition, and is very wearable. The leather is solid, with no issues or areas of concern. There were two small patches which are gone, and the needlework was small, which is good—hard to see. The lining is great, only having the typical separation near the label, which we closed. The collar image shows before we closed, and the label images after. Foster often applied the label too high, so that the hanger bar sat over the label.

The leather does show surface wear on some of the high points that get friction, like pocket edges and elbow seams, but all that adds to the look of a used but rock-solid jacket.

The waistband is still tight and solid, with no holes. The cuffs were replaced by us, and have a matching shade of wool. The zipper works like a charm. The mouton is matted from use, but absolultey should stay, as it looks great, and has good flex.

Though this contract was massive, finding larger sized G-1s from this and other contracts of the period is not easy, esepcially in wearable condition. This one is a great example and can be worn with confidence, and it looks great. This Foster contract had very wide shoulders, so it has an athletic essence that some other Navy jackets just don't have.

The jacket has the name "J Flavell" written in the inner pocket. We aren't sure who the person is. We did find an obituary for one James Flavell who served in the Navy from 1967 to 1995 (was in the Navy concurrently while John was in the Navy for 7 years). It wouldn't be unheard of for a jacket made in 1958 to have been issued as late as Vietnam. Another possibility is that it was issued to more than one person.

The jacket would ideally fit someone in the range of 5'10" to 6'1", with a chest of 42" to 44", and a weight of about 175-200 pounds. John, in the photos, is 195 pounds, 6'1", has a 42" chest, and arm length of 24" from t-shirt seam to end of arm bones.