THE N.& W. MANUFACTURING CO. Manufacturers of Union Made Overalls, Coats, Dungarees, Etc.

Early 20th Century N & W invoice for goods and NOS Dungarees as seen in LIGHTNING MAGAZINE February 2013. From the vintageworkwear.com collection.

Photo credit: Tadashi Tawarayama

Antique FINCK'S "DETROIT-SPECIAL" OVERALLS "Wear Like A Pigs Nose" Advertising Whistle... For Mike

Today we share this FINCK'S UNION MADE "DETROIT-SPECIAL" OVERALLS advertising whistle in fond memory of Mike Hersh. His wonderful blog UNION-MADE set the bar high for vintage workwear advertising, promotional and print material. While we were proud of the fact that many of the pieces Mike so graciously shared were also in our collection, his knowledge, insight and obvious passion for the art and history set him (and UNION-MADE) apart and reminded us on so many occasions as to just why we love this stuff. Mike's frequent positive comments on this blog were always appreciated and provided food for the soul and fuel for the fire in the quest to find time and motivation in the busy schedule to post and share. I never got the chance to meet Mike up close and in person but truly considered him to be a friend, brother-in-arms and much valued member of our little blogging community. News this past weekend of Mike's passing hits hard and reminds us of just how precious life is and to appreciate the time and interaction we have with those whose light burns bright... we never know when that light will dim and no longer be with us. 
R.I.P Mike and Godspeed.

Antique FINCK'S "LOUD AD" advertising whistle manufactured by F.G. Fawkes & Co. Chicago U.S.A.  Patent in U.S. and Canada 1909 & 1910.

"A tune can be played, a Parrot or Rooster imitated, etc". After one hundred years give or take it still works!

THANKSGIVING 2012

A couple of vintage Thanksgiving post cards featuring workwear and patriotic themes along with the prerequisite tom turkey including Anvils, Airships, Labor, Overalls, Trains and Stars & Bars Shield.
Wishing everyone a Happy Thanksgiving.

THE DUST BOWL...A Film by Ken Burns

A young boy in dust storm, Oklahoma, 1936. Photo Arthur Rothstein

Last night while program guide surfing I was fortunate to come across part 2 of the THE DUST BOWL the fantastic new film by Academy Award nominated producer /director Ken Burns. Having already been a fan of previous Burns' work including 1994's Baseball and 2001's Jazz, I figured his treatment of this subject would be top notch. The film far surpassed my expectations and put into perspective the plight of the mid west farmers of the Depression Era 1930's, the man-made destruction and restoration of the southern Plains along with the migration west to California in search of a fresh start and new life. 

The FSA photography of Walker Evans, Dorothea Lange along with the film The Grapes of Wrath have long been a source of enjoyment and inspiration and Burn's Dust Bowl documentary helps to share some of the history behind those iconic images and story.

Migrant man working on a headlight. Oklahoma, 1939. Photo Russell Lee

Migrant boys in auto. Oklahoma 1939. Photo Russell Lee

Migrant man looking up at billboard. Iowa, 1940. Photo John Vachon

We highly recommend you check your local listings or hit the link for the PBS rebroadcast schedule of THE DUST BOWL including The Great Plow Up (part 1) and Reaping the Whirlwind (part 2).

Browse the Library of Congress Farm Security Administration photos here.

Also check out our friend Matt Strickland's informative blog RivetHEAD for his photo of the day, many featuring Depression Era thru 1950's American workers.

VINTAGE HEADLIGHT OVERALLS PATENTED BIB POCKET

Vintage HEADLIGHT Overalls with patented bib pocket design

Talon brand brass heavy duty zipper opens to reveal large pocket located behind conventional bib patch type pockets

Close up of the right side patch pocket watch pocket opening shows denim red line selvedge edging

Proprietary bib pocket found on vintage HEADLIGHT Union Made Overalls. Pocket design, Talon zipper and HEADLIGHT loomed label most likely date this pair of overalls to the 1940's era, possibly as late as the 1950's. This particular pocket design was filed by inventor Oscar Berman on November 24th 1936 and was patented on April 18th 1939. The design provided four different pockets located on the front bib portion of the overalls including right and left side patch pockets, watch pocket (separated from the right patch pocket by sail cloth not seen in photo) and the patented larger pocket located behind the patch pockets and accessed via the zippered opening. Patent information is seen below.

THE AMERICAN WORKER... LABOR DAY 2012

In celebration of the contributions and achievements of the American blue collar worker.

1930s CARHARTT OVERALLS Advertising Bandana

Fantastic CARHARTT OVERALLS advertising bandana likely dating to the 1930's possibly earlier. Mega rare joint effort featuring both the manufacturer (Carhartt) and retail store (William Glick of Willard, Ohio). Some of the nicest graphics and color combination seen on a promotional workwear bandana, fitting of one of the best brands ever. This bandanna even has the prerequisite paisley pattern.
Like the use of the arrow directing BEST FOR WEAR to the heart mark trolly car logo.
The seller of this rare piece must have hit the floor as it topped the $1,000 mark.

H.D. Lee JELT DENIM OVERALLS & Lee RIDERS JEANS Promotional Denim Stand Up Figures

Miniature Lee promotional die-cut cardboard stand up figures. These figures stand approx. 8" tall and likely date to the 1950's. All three feature Lee Jelt Denim Overalls and Lee Riders Jeans made of actual denim fabric. Part of the VintageWorkwear.com collection.

Those who follow this blog likely know that we are fans of many vintage UNION MADE labels and these pieces fit into that category. All 3 cardboard stand-ups along with their denim overalls and jeans were printed by shops belonging to either the Allied Printing Trades Council Union or Amalgamated Lithographers of America Union and proudly feature the UNION LABEL, sometimes referred to as a "bug" label or stamp and seen in the photos below.

SWEET-ORR & CO. UNION MADE "Ace of Spades"

More than a decade before SANFORIZED would become synonymous with pre-shrunk garments (not to mention the most excellent Work and Rugged Wear blog), Sweet-Orr & Co. had their own version with the "Ace of Spades" Shrunk overalls, "The Overalls that Don't Shrink".

The Sweet-Orr print ad from 1914 below states "All the shrink has been taken out by a special SWEET ORR process. No matter how often you wash them, SWEET -ORR "Ace of Spades" will never shorten up... not even one-sixteenth of an inch"!

 1914 Sweet Orr "Ace of Spades" print ad

Deadstock salt & pepper whipcord breeches with Sweet Orr "Ace of Spades" button

Deadstock indigo dyed cotton overalls with Sweet Orr "Ace of Spades" SHRUNK label

Deadstock indigo dyed cotton dungarees with Sweet Orr "Ace of Spades" button

Deadstock white cotton drill overalls with Sweet Orr "Ace of Spades" button

Deadstock dark brown duck overalls with Sweet Orr "Ace of Spades" button

Vintage hickory stripe overalls with Sweet Orr "Ace of Spades" button 

All garments and advertising pictured above are either part of the vintage workwear.com archive or have been sourced and proudly sold via The San Fernando Valley Mercantile Co.

BOSS OF THE ROAD UNION MADE Vintage Workwear Poster Stamps

Neustadter Bros. BOSS of the ROAD Union Made Engineers' Coats poster stamp

Neustadter Bros. BOSS of the ROAD Union Made Carpenters Overalls poster stamp

Neustadter Bros. BOSS of the ROAD Union Made Overalls poster stamp

Neustadter Bros. BOSS of the ROAD Union Made Playsuits poster stamp

Neustadter Bros. BOSS of the ROAD Union Made Mackinaws poster stamp

Neustadter Bros. BOSS of the ROAD Union Made Boys' Bib Overalls poster stamp

Neustadter Bros. BOSS of the ROAD Union Made Khaki Pants poster stamp

Neustadter Bros. BOSS of the ROAD Union Made Playsuits poster stamp

The poster stamp was an advertising label, a little larger than most postage stamps, that originated in the mid-19th century and became a popular collectable up until WW1 and then declining by WW2. Poster stamps also fall under the category of Cinderella stamps, defined as virtually anything resembling a postage stamp, but not issued for postal purposes by a government postal administration. All poster stamps seen above measure no larger than 2"x 3". Poster stamp photos courtesy of bobrph.

1917 Print Ad for J.L. STIFEL & SONS Indigo Dyers and Printers: Stifel's Indigo Cloth and Miss Stifel Indigo

1917 Stifel print ad. Love the over-sized Stifel boot stamps see on the gentleman's overall cuffs. Likely not found on the actual overalls. Nice example of early branding.

Early 20th Century Stifel's Indigo Cloth tag courtesy of Everyone Eats Cookies

Antique HEADLIGHT OVERALLS Engraved Metal Key Fob

HEADLIGHT SHRUNK OVERALLS - A NEW PAIR FREE IF THEY SHRINK - UNION MADE

Early 20th Century Neustadter Brothers BOSS OF THE ROAD Overalls Lot 777

Neustadter Brothers BOSS OF THE ROAD Union Made Lot 777 Overalls, dating to the early 1900's. Recently sold for just north of the $1300 mark. Photos via of nblman 2011
 

N.B Products BOSS OF THE ROAD Union Made Overalls & Workshirts ghost sign seen in a earlier Vintage Workwear post here

Those interested in this type of turn of the century denim and workwear manufactured on the west coast including the brands Neustadter Brothers, A.B. Elfelt & Co., Greenebaum Brothers and Eloesser-Heynemann & Co. are encouraged to check out the most excellent book Jeans of the Old West: A History by Michael Harris. Michael is one of, if not the authority on the subject and along with the support of partners in crime Charla & Russ, is currently wrapping up a new book that will focus on workwear from the turn of the century. In addition to being honored to provide a small piece for the project, we here at vintage workwear look forward to this exciting new book and will be sharing more details as they become available.

Michael Harris and one of his crime partners Russ.

Talented photographer and denim aficionado Farhad Samari aptly captured Michael's book signing for Jeans of the Old West, held at the Levis Store in Malibu CA last year. Check out the awesome photos and coverage of the event here.