Which logo most likely used in the late 60’s?

[Slowlycatchymonkey]

Bit of a long shot but you never know one of you sage ol’ duffers might have the gen

My Pa’s white silk scarf is now many shades of yellow so I thought I’d surprise him with a new one. Both the Lewis Leather logo and the D Lewis label look very familiar but I don’t know which one was most likely to be hanging in his wardrobe- when I was around 6/7 I used to get in his wardrobe and shut the door becasue the leather smelt amazing! His bike clothing then would have been from the late 60’s/early 70’s and I’d like it to get the nostalgia right. Any ideas?

https://www.lewisleathers.com/productinfo.html?code=SilkWhite

https://www.lewisleathers.com/productinfo.html?code=DLWhiteSilk

Edit- Why did they have to change the tanning process, it just doesn’t smell the same anymore?!

[fastbob]

Bit of a long shot but you never know one of you sage ol’ duffers might have the gen

My Pa’s white silk scarf is now many shades of yellow so I thought I’d surprise him with a new one. Both the Lewis Leather logo and the D Lewis label look very familiar but I don’t know which one was most likely to be hanging in his wardrobe- when I was around 6/7 I used to get in his wardrobe and shut the door becasue the leather smelt amazing! His bike clothing then would have been from the late 60’s/early 70’s and I’d like it to get the nostalgia right. Any ideas?

https://www.lewisleathers.com/productinfo.html?code=SilkWhite

https://www.lewisleathers.com/productinfo.html?code=DLWhiteSilk

Edit- Why did they have to change the tanning process, it just doesn’t smell the same anymore?!

I'm not sure if this really helps, it's from 1961 .

[JRH]

Edit- Why did they have to change the tanning process, it just doesn’t smell the same anymore?!

 

Because no one would do this any more.

“Then they would pound and scour the skin to remove any remaining flesh and fat. Next, the tanner needed to remove the hair fibers from the skin. This was done by either soaking the skin in urine, painting it with an alkaline lime mixture, or simply letting the skin putrefy for several months then dipping it in a salt solution. After the hair fibers were loosened, the tanners scraped them off with a knife.

Once the hair was removed, the tanners would bate the material by pounding dung into the skin or soaking the skin in a solution of animal brains. Among the kinds of dung commonly used were that of dogs or pigeons. Sometimes the dung was mixed with water in a large vat, and the prepared skins were kneaded in the dung water until they became supple, but not too soft. The ancient tanner might use his bare feet to knead the skins in the dung water, and the kneading could last two or three hours.

It was this combination of urine, animal feces and decaying flesh that made ancient tanneries so odiferous.”

I’m quite happy with the way leather smells now.

[Guest]

The D. Lewis label is the older one, as Lewis Leathers is a later incarnation. The "Aviakit" branding was applied to the gear that they flogged. I started using LL in 1975, and the D. Lewis branding was a thing of the past by then. I would suspect that it changed when they expanded their chain of shops.... The only way to find out is to get hold of a genuine Ace Cafe Rocker to confirm.....(not one of the modern day lurkers) or get yourself to the British Library to go through the archives....... have you thought about contacting "Classic Bike" or "The Motor Cycle" to see if they can cast any light?

Edited to add: written before fastbob's contribution.

Edited February 24, 2019 by Anonymous

[Guest]

Bit of a long shot but you never know one of you sage ol’ duffers might have the gen

My Pa’s white silk scarf is now many shades of yellow so I thought I’d surprise him with a new one. Both the Lewis Leather logo and the D Lewis label look very familiar but I don’t know which one was most likely to be hanging in his wardrobe- when I was around 6/7 I used to get in his wardrobe and shut the door becasue the leather smelt amazing! His bike clothing then would have been from the late 60’s/early 70’s and I’d like it to get the nostalgia right. Any ideas?

https://www.lewisleathers.com/productinfo.html?code=SilkWhite

https://www.lewisleathers.com/productinfo.html?code=DLWhiteSilk

Edit- Why did they have to change the tanning process, it just doesn’t smell the same anymore?!

I'm not sure if this really helps, it's from 1961 .

Nice one fastbob, where did you get it?

[fastbob]

Bit of a long shot but you never know one of you sage ol’ duffers might have the gen

My Pa’s white silk scarf is now many shades of yellow so I thought I’d surprise him with a new one. Both the Lewis Leather logo and the D Lewis label look very familiar but I don’t know which one was most likely to be hanging in his wardrobe- when I was around 6/7 I used to get in his wardrobe and shut the door becasue the leather smelt amazing! His bike clothing then would have been from the late 60’s/early 70’s and I’d like it to get the nostalgia right. Any ideas?

https://www.lewisleathers.com/productinfo.html?code=SilkWhite

https://www.lewisleathers.com/productinfo.html?code=DLWhiteSilk

Edit- Why did they have to change the tanning process, it just doesn’t smell the same anymore?!

I'm not sure if this really helps, it's from 1961 .

Nice one fastbob, where did you get it?

Off t'internet.

[Guest]

Just thought you might have scanned one of your vast archive of motorbike magazines.......

[Guest]

All is explained........

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lewis_Leathers

As per usual....

[Slowlycatchymonkey]

Well Thankyou very much.

Suddenly dawned on me I don’t know if he had anything to do with the ace cafe. He definitely used to race between cafes, transport cafes rings a bell. I do remember him saying at the time they were the only leathers thick enough but I can’t believe the prices were that high then because he wouldn’t of payed it!

Tanning- I’m aware of the old process and the marvellous saying for being broke “haven’t got a pot to piss in” - the payment for your valuable ‘waters’ ability to break wool etc down. I bought some leather slippers in Spain a couple of years ago (they’re probably from Morocco) and they’re still stinky unwearable now!

As some of the most successful perfumes of all time are made using animals anal secretions ( ) I can live with a bit of urea trampling

Thanks for the ad [mention]fastbob[/mention] I’ll go with D Lewis.

[Guest]

Well Thankyou very much.

Suddenly dawned on me I don’t know if he had anything to do with the ace cafe. He definitely used to race between cafes, transport cafes rings a bell. I do remember him saying at the time they were the only leathers thick enough but I can’t believe the prices were that high then because he wouldn’t of payed it!

Tanning- I’m aware of the old process and the marvellous saying for being broke “haven’t got a pot to piss in” - the payment for your valuable ‘waters’ ability to break wool etc down. I bought some leather slippers in Spain a couple of years ago (they’re probably from Morocco) and they’re still stinky unwearable now!

As some of the most successful perfumes of all time are made using animals anal secretions ( ) I can live with a bit of urea trampling

Thanks for the ad @fastbob I’ll go with D Lewis.

 

I did a course tanning deer hide with the brains of the deer. Was three days scraping stretching and soaking dead animal skin covered in its brains and at the end I had a piece of unpleasant animal cardboard. It's incredibly hard physical work to do. The guy running the course wore native American style clothing he had all made himself from roadkill animals, they were beautifully made. He was going to go live in the woods in a tipi all furnished with home tanned animal hides. Last I heard he was a flight attendant.

[Slowlycatchymonkey]

[mention]goat[/mention] Lol there’s living the good life and then there’s living the good life!

I cure pork for our breakfasts (no nasty nitrates for my boys oh no) there it is bobbing about it a brining solution in the fridge for days n days before being cooked (and gobbled up) but I just experimented with poaching a joint with nothing done to it, then sliced n sprayed it with a salt and maple syrup solution “oh my god this is amazing”

I’ll be going with the modern method!

[fastbob]

I found this as well, a " Real crackerjack " lovely.

[Slowlycatchymonkey]

That looks like the one that was in the wardrobe! Although I don’t remember the bottom strap/buckle bit

Its making me want one but my goodness they’re not messing about on price!

edit- I do remember the fantastic lining material though

[TimR]

https://www.acecafeshop.com/product/ace-cafe-london-pure-silk-scarf

check out ace shop

https://www.acecafeshop.com/product-category/featured-brands/lewis-leathers/

[mikestrivens]

label history on their website, scroll down to bottom :

https://www.lewisleathers.com/About-Our-Jackets.html

[Slowlycatchymonkey]

Maybe it was the Aviakit label then

Thanks Mike, I obviously hadn’t looked into the website deeply enough. Wish I hadn’t seen all those different coloured leathers!!

[Guest]

If it's that sort of leathers you like, try looking at Goldtop. Nice retro styles (made from the old patterns) and reasonable prices. The new Lewis stuff is just grossly overpriced.... they cater for Hackney Hipsters and Japanese Rockers to whom money is no object. Back in the day, Lewis's were quite reasonably priced - I paid £180 for my Bronx jacket back in 1985 ISTR.

[Slowlycatchymonkey]

That sounds more like the right price. There’s definitely some cashing in going on. They’re asking waaay over the odds.

I do like them but I’m not sure I could ever imagine wearing them!

[skyrider]

Has anyone gone on fleabay recently and looked at the price of lewis leather jackets frightening

[Slowlycatchymonkey]

Has anyone gone on fleabay recently and looked at the price of lewis leather jackets frightening

 

Nope I’m guessing they’re ridiculous!