TRAD/IVY GRAIL! MADE IN ENGLAND Trenchcoat by J. Press, using Grenfell of England cloth--with a scar

[tweedydon]

MADE IN ENGLAND Trenchcoat by J. Press, with Grenfell of England cloth, and a liner by Chipp!

ABSOLUTE GRAIL ITEM!​

​

This is absolutely gorgeous! I would consider this a Grail item if it were just a J. Press trenchcoat cut from Grenfell cloth, but this is much more than that--it's a GRAIL, as it also comes complete with a scarlet woolen lining by none other than Chipp! J. Press, Grenfell, and Chipp, all in one beautiful, classic garment--it really doesn't get much more Ivy or desirable than that... and it also doesn't get much rarer, as given this combination this coat is something of a mystery.

The combination of J. Press and Grenfell is obvious; one of the best American Ivy clothiers would, naturally, source cloth for its trenchcoats from Grenfell, possibly the best maker of specialized cotton cloth in England. (And if you're not familiar with Grenfell, read on--this cloth is wonderful!) But, this coat also comes with a Chipp liner. That's off--it would be as though Brooks Brothers and O'Connell's had collaborated on something and both attached their names to it. Now, it might be that this is a genuine collaboration between Press and Chipp--although given the age of this coat this would be decades before the recent flurry of such collaborations, all of which mysteriously feature an "x" to stand in for "by". (Filson x Levis, for example.) Alternatively, it is possible that the original owner of this coat decided to have the lining custom made by his tailor, which just happened to be Chipp. Now, the coat clearly accepts a lining, and the tabs on the lining match perfectly to the original cloth (and so are likely Grenfell themselves, and from the original bolt the coat was cut from), so I'm inclined to favour the idea that this was an early collaboration... Or, perhaps, Chipp simply sourced the Grenfell cloth for the tabs from the original bolt, which given Chipp's dedication to quality and customer service is perfectly possible.

No matter what its origins, this is a spectacular coat--I've never seen anything like this combination in this vintage before, and so it is possible that this is one of a kind.

So, apart from its origins, what else is wonderful about this coat? Well, it's cut from 100% cotton cloth, which would place it into the most desirable categories of trenchcoats to begin. But, this cloth is by Grenfell, perhaps the best maker of specialized cotton in England. Created in 1923 by T. Haythornethwaite & Sons, of Burnley, Lancashire, to meet the challenges of the environments encountered by Sir Wilfred Grenfell, a medical missionary in Newfoundland. (Incidentally, I believe that Grenfell ceased trading, but might now be "under new management", as its website appears not to have been written by a native English speaker!) The cloth is a tightly woven (600 threads per inch!) Egyptian cotton twill, designed to be highly water-resistant and extremely durable, as well as breathable. This is absolutely superb cloth for outerwear, and this trench is cut from it.

Of course, cotton tends not to be very warm as outerwear, as anyone who's tried wearing a Barbour in snow will attest. Enter Chipp, with their lining. Although there is no fabric content listed, it's clearly all wool, apart from the Grenfell cotton tabs to attach it to the coat--a far more desirable feature than the zip-in liners that replaced it. (Shame on you, Burberry and Barbour both here!) It is double-stitched throughout at the edges for strength, beautifully cut, and, as you'd expect from Chipp, a wonderfully dashing shade of scarlet.

This trench also features all of the bells and whistles that you'd want. Gun flap, adjustable cuffs, cape, epaulettes, throat latch, D-rings on the belt, leather buckles at the cuffs and on the belt, single centre vent, deep slash pockets that reach through to deep internal pockets, and, of course, the traditional plaid lining--this time, J. Press' own. This also has reinforcing stitching on both arms at the elbows--an original feature, and something Burberry lacks. It has raglan sleeves, as is traditional.

THIS COAT WAS MADE IN ENGLAND

It does have a few flaws, all of which are shown in the pictures. First, there's a small brown blemish on the label, and more prominent brown marks by the top of the vent on the back. The leather buckles are all worn, but perfectly functional. The coat in general could use a dry clean and a press, especially the belt. The liner has a very small tear at the vent "v", although this might be intentional. If it isn't a feature, but is really a bug, it's a two minute fix by a good dry-cleaner tailor, or yourself. There is the start of some fraying to the cuffs, as shown--again, an easy fix. All of the buttons are present and intact.. As such, I would rank this coat (conservatively) currently as being on the lower end of Very Good, ready to ascend to the higher end of Very Good once it's been cleaned and pressed.

This is tagged as being a 42R, but this is a vintage size; I think this is closer to a modern 40 or possibly a 38, depending on how you layer.

SO, how much for what's possibly a one of a kind trench by J. Press, Grenfell, and Chipp? Well, I tend to price things that have no obvious comparables in the market by how much I (as an impoverished junior academic!) be delighted to pay for it, and then knock off a few dollars to ensure it's a bargain--so how about $175, boxed, shipped, and insured in CONUS--OR LOWER OFFER?

Measurements:

Chest: 22 1/4
Sleeve: c. 35 (measured like a shirt)
Shoulder: NA--raglan sleeves.
Length (BOC): 40 3/4.

 

[tweedydon]

SOLD