Vintage 1940's-1950's BELL SYSTEM Canvas & Leather Tool Bags

1940's BELL SYSTEM lineman's tool bag #1 in faded canvas duck w/ stencil

 Bag #1 features roller buckles for closure straps

Bag #2 also with stencil but having more original green color remaining

Black hardware including rivets and faux roller buckles for straps provide a nice detail on this 2nd 1940's version

BELL SYSTEM canvas & leather bag #3, manufactured by Klein-Buhrke. This model replaced the stenciled logo with the same screened logo later used on the Naugahyde & leather bags. I believe this bag to date from the early 1950's

Taking into account that these bags are anywhere from 50 to 70 years old and were used for work, examples as clean and nice as this 3rd version are few and far between. While this bag does have some nice sun fade, the canvas retains much of its original green color. Except for some minor damage to the leather bottom, all leather is in excellent shape with wonderful aged patina and the inside of this bag looks to have seen little to no use

Faded Blues...1940's J.C. PENNEY CO. PAY DAY Union Made Sanforized Chore Jacket

Vintage 1940's era J.C. Penney Co. PAY DAY raglan sleeve chore jacket. Made with narrow loom indigo selvedge denim

Nice armpit fade

J.C. Penney Co. Inc. PAY DAY UNION MADE SANFORIZED SHRUNK printed label

Lower front pockets lined with selvedge denim

Faded United Garment Workers of America union label

1920's N.B. Products BOSS OF THE ROAD Ghost Sign Uncovered in San Francisco

Ghost sign for BOSS OF THE ROAD Union Made OVERALLS & WORKSHIRTS recently exposed on 3rd Street in San Francisco's Bayview District during demolition for an expanded neighborhood library. "The sign dates from before 1921, based on San Francisco Assessor's records for the demolished building," reports photographer David Gallagher.

"Here's a 1928 shot of the street from the Jesse Brown Cook Collection at UC Berkeley's Bancroft Library." This billboard would be underneath the "Ed's Shop" sign on the right.

Note the N.B. PRODUCTS flag located on the left, above the bull dog. Original owners Neustadter Brothers would sell the brand to Eloesser-Heynemann who in turn sold the brand to Lee.

Big thanks to Shane for reaching out with a heads up on this wonderful ghost sign, photographer David Gallagher for capturing it in all its full color glory, and sfist.com for running the story in their arts & entertainment section.

HEADLIGHT OVERALLS - Larned, Carter & Co. 1915 Print Ad

"A Smile of Satisfaction with Every Pair"
HEADLIGHT Union Made OVERALLS 1915 Print Ad.

From the vintage workwear.com archive.

1960's Era Carhartt Pants Incorrectly Listed on ebay as 1920's

Not sure if ebay seller natenkristy is either someone who likes to stretch the truth, is misinformed or a combination of both. Either way people need to know that unscrupulous sellers continue to describe vintage items as much older than they are with little or no regard to the facts. 

The real kicker is their brazen statement which reads " I had a close friend who is as knowledgeable as they come in dating vintage US workwear / denim date these for me". The seller then proceeds to rattle off many inaccurate references that do nothing to support their claim that these pants are from the 1920's. If you are gonna state a bunch of facts, at least try and get 'em right.

These pants are likely from the 1960's and are without a doubt no earlier than the 1950's.

Sad to see this great pair of duck pants tarnished by a description filled with false facts and wishful thinking.

A classic case of CAVEAT EMPTOR or "Let the buyer beware".

1960's Era Carhartt Union Made Brown Duck Work Pants with Blanket Lining

Machine loomed UNION MADE SANFORIZED label with circle R registered trademark dating these pants to the 1960's

Carhartt's train car / heart mark suspender buttons and copper rivet pocket reinforcement

Carhartt script waist snap

Talon zipper

Close up of copper crotch rivet and V stitch detail

United Garment Workers Union Label located inside back pocket

Sold via The San Fernando Valley Mercantile Co.

1950's Gross Rail Chief Vintage Work Jacket

1950's era Rail Chief union made sanforized cotton twill work jacket manufactured by the Gross Galesburg Co. From the vintage workwear collection, seen in Lightning Magazine's American Heritage issue Vol. 101, page 027.

GROSS Rail Chief UNION MADE • SANFORIZED • printed label

Angled chest pocket features classic Talon zipper with diamond pull

Amalgamated Clothing Workers Union Label

Close up of backside waist adjustors with convex buttons