Original WW2 British Army Leather Jerkin

An original British Army Leather Jerkin dating from the Second World War and in good condition.

This leather jerkin came into issue with the British Army during the Great War and stayed in service throughout the Second World War and well into the post-war years. This particular example most likely dates from WW2 based on its construction. It is made from numerous pieces of smaller leather sections which are cut and stitched together rather than large single panels as this reduced on waste. It is a typical wartime austerity measures.

The original label is no longer present inside the jerkin although a clear outline of stitching is visible where it was originally attached and confirms this as a British Army example.

The jerkin is a large size and would most likely have been labelled as a size 3. This size is hard to find today with most surviving examples being either size 1 or size 2. When laid flat it measures -

Chest - 23 1/2"
Shoulders - 21"
Length - 31"

The jerkin is in reasonable condition for it's age with moderate signs of wear and use. It displays well and still appears to be strong and wearable. The serge blanket lining is good on the whole and the leather exterior displays reasonably well but has large areas where the chromed finish is distressed. This is evident in the pictures and reflected in the price. Please take time to study the pictures and bear in mind that this is a vintage, pre-owned item which may have very small flaws commensurate with age. 

Altogether a reasonable example of a larger size wartime jerkin.