TONY NOWAK IS REPLICATING AN ORIGINAL RAIDERS JACKET!!

eazybox · Post by **eazybox** » Wed Sep 17, 2008 12:11 pm

Well, Fedora just spilled the beans in the "Nowak Jacket Owners" thread, and since Michaelson requested us to start a separate thread on this subject once the cat was let out of the bag, here it is.

It's the most exciting news I've heard in a long time, and I hope we'll learn more details soon.

Jack

indyrocks · Post by **indyrocks** » Wed Sep 17, 2008 12:17 pm

I agree! This is going to be amazing! I'm excited to see some details of the jacket.

Does anyone know how TN got his hands on it?

Baldwyn · Post by **Baldwyn** » Wed Sep 17, 2008 12:29 pm

"George, hey, Big Tony here. Hey, I was wondering if I could borrow something from your office..."

If he had THAT jacket to base his replica off of instead of the ol' Terry Leonard....wow.

Raiders Jacket by Nowak
Temple Jacket by Peter

Hopefully, two very accurate replicas made by original makers of Indy jackets, but neither the original maker of that particular jacket

knibs7 · Post by **knibs7** » Wed Sep 17, 2008 1:15 pm

Mother of Pearl that's awesome! I'll DEFINITELY be getting one of them!!!

NIBS

nicktheguy · Post by **nicktheguy** » Wed Sep 17, 2008 1:21 pm

My wallet is officially filing for divorce

Can't wait.

slydini · Post by **slydini** » Wed Sep 17, 2008 1:22 pm

Already ordered 001/888. The jacket is [edited (for now) by admin].

whiskyman · Post by **whiskyman** » Wed Sep 17, 2008 1:24 pm

Why is he doing it though?

slydini · Post by **slydini** » Wed Sep 17, 2008 1:26 pm

whiskyman wrote:Why is he doing though?

Why not? Wested did a KOTCS jacket.

whiskyman · Post by **whiskyman** » Wed Sep 17, 2008 1:39 pm

slydini wrote:
whiskyman wrote:Why is he doing though?
Why not? Wested did a KOTCS jacket.

I guess so. It just seems odd to me as the Raiders jacket has been a sort of elusive holy grail of Indy jackets - nobody has even seen it have they? (Apart from a stunt jacket). Mr Novak has been connected to our hobby for 5 minutes and has managed to get his hands on the original?. I guess Lucas and co must have been very pleased with him.

Piers · Post by **Piers** » Wed Sep 17, 2008 1:50 pm

He may be a recent addition to this little group, but I'm sure he's been around longer than that

Cassidy · Post by **Cassidy** » Wed Sep 17, 2008 2:15 pm

So is it the ultimate, accurate Raiders jacket produced with identical materials to the screen worn jacket, or Tony's version updated with modern materials and the durability that the KotCS jacket is known for?

If it's an updated version, what's the point?

Not to be too pessimistic or anything, but...well, we've all heard this bedtime story before - "Screen accurate jacket from the original patterns..."

indyrocks · Post by **indyrocks** » Wed Sep 17, 2008 2:17 pm

Cassidy wrote:So is it the ultimate, accurate Raiders jacket produced with identical materials to the screen worn jacket, or Tony's version updated with modern materials and the durability that the KotCS jacket is known for?

If it's an updated version, what's the point?

Not to be too pessimistic or anything, but...well, we've all heard this bedtime story before - "Screen accurate jacket from the original patterns..."

Great questions. Clarification will be necessary of course.

So just to confirm, (all jokes aside for a moment please) we don't actually know any prices or anything yet?

Indiana Strones · Post by **Indiana Strones** » Wed Sep 17, 2008 2:27 pm

Cassidy wrote: "Screen accurate jacket from the original patterns..."

Yes: every vendor owns an "original Raiders screen used jacket"... but I never seen ONE in my life...

Post by **Michaelson** » Wed Sep 17, 2008 2:30 pm

Indiana Strones wrote:
Cassidy wrote: "Screen accurate jacket from the original patterns..."
Yes: every vendor owns an "original Raiders screen used jacket"... but I never seen ONE in my life...

Then again, maybe you have but didn't believe it at the time.

Regard! Michaelson

Piers · Post by **Piers** » Wed Sep 17, 2008 2:42 pm

indeed, if your budget allows, then by all means, enjoy the jacket. Personally, I'm budgeting for a ToD, and with it if I can, a washed goat Raiders. (because of the beauty of the WG Raiders, I'm thinking SA lamb for the ToD, but that's for another topic)

That'll leave me with approx $400+ for something else, probably something nice for my wife to delay the castration

Post by **Michaelson** » Wed Sep 17, 2008 2:46 pm

Piers wrote: That'll leave me with approx $400+ for something else, probably something nice for my wife to delay the castration

You best take care of that now. It will soften the blow when those items arrive at your door.

Regard! Michaelson

Rundquist · Post by **Rundquist** » Wed Sep 17, 2008 2:48 pm

Actually, are we even sure that he's replicating the hero jacket. There's a good chance that he is, since most of the OG jackets were destroyed, but there's also a chance that he's not.

SpeedRcrX · Post by **SpeedRcrX** » Wed Sep 17, 2008 2:57 pm

Another jacket that I won't have the pleasure to own

Cassidy · Post by **Cassidy** » Wed Sep 17, 2008 3:15 pm

If you're following this thread, Tony, now would be a good time to make your first post.

Cassidy · Post by **Cassidy** » Wed Sep 17, 2008 3:20 pm

I'm also not surprised. When I read the original post that Nowak was working on something special from (sic) 1982 it didn't take much to figure it out.

So what's the deal, Tony? What is the source of this jacket and what are the specs going to be?

Piers · Post by **Piers** » Wed Sep 17, 2008 3:22 pm

Not that this topic is going to fall from the top anytime soon, but shouldn't it be stickied alongside the ToD jacket thread?

Kentucky Blues · Post by **Kentucky Blues** » Wed Sep 17, 2008 3:23 pm

If I'm not mistaken, weren't the Crystal Skull jackets officially licensed? I could've sworn I read somewhere that Lucasfilm was also making money off of his Crystal Skull jackets. If that's the case, isn't it possible that the same deal is happening here, and that that is having a hand in running the price up?

-KB

Post by **Michaelson** » Wed Sep 17, 2008 3:25 pm

Piers wrote:Not that this topic is going to fall from the top anytime soon, but shouldn't it be stickied alongside the ToD jacket thread?

Not until Tony requests it. It's his project.

Regard! Michaelson

Piers · Post by **Piers** » Wed Sep 17, 2008 3:26 pm

ahhhh.. I thought that was at the moderators discretion

Piers · Post by **Piers** » Wed Sep 17, 2008 3:28 pm

This just popped into my head.. I'm eager to find out the sizing of this Raiders jacket, to see the comparison to the ToD jacket (said to be size 40)

coronado3 · Post by **coronado3** » Wed Sep 17, 2008 3:29 pm

Come on, Tony... Make a replica for each of the films!

Cassidy · Post by **Cassidy** » Wed Sep 17, 2008 6:00 pm

Prestige is what got many of us in the early days to buy Herbert Johnson's and the first versions of Wested Raiders.

That worked out well, didn't it?

Rundquist · Post by **Rundquist** » Wed Sep 17, 2008 6:02 pm

Cassidy wrote:Prestige is what got many of us in the early days to buy Herbert Johnson's and the first versions of Wested Raiders.

That worked out well, didn't it?

All kidding aside, for some it did. Niether of those have particularly suited me though.

There is a tendency on this board to go with whatever is flavor of the month, regardless of whether a product is right for you are not. I have a friend that never really liked his G&B Expedition. He got it because all his friends were buying them at the time. Obviously he’s crazy (the Expedition is awesome

), but it illustrates my point. I know somebody else that just got his Adventurebuilt and was underwhelmed with it. He liked his Optimo better, a hat that some think is overpriced (I'm not denying that it might be priced a bit high). Cheers

PS- I'm going to take my G&B Expeditions to the ship (Queen Mary) this year and I'll put them up against any other Indiana Jones jacket for quality comparisons. They top out at $500.

DVD Connoisseur · Post by **DVD Connoisseur** » Wed Sep 17, 2008 7:34 pm

On a side note, do you think we'll eventually see a jacket from each movie from Tony?

Bullitt · Post by **Bullitt** » Wed Sep 17, 2008 7:51 pm

DVD Connoisseur wrote:On a side note, do you think we'll eventually see a jacket from each movie from Tony?

It's possible, but I think it would be a bit too much. Especially when it has been said that Gearheads are probably not his primary market. Who would see the differences?
Also an original Raiders jacket is near impossible to find, creating a niche market. Much the same as Wested is already doing with the NH TOD jacket. Just my two Euro cents, though

crismans · Post by **crismans** » Wed Sep 17, 2008 9:24 pm

This is probably too simplistic (and I'm sorry beforehand if it is) but why doesn't one of us (maybe one whose dealt with him several times?) call him and get a report on this. Or at least verify when he'll be giving us details on price and what all the jacket entails.

eazybox · Post by **eazybox** » Wed Sep 17, 2008 9:49 pm

I think we may have jumped the gun a little. Tony has said he isn't ready yet, and we should probably allow him the space to reveal the details in his own time. That is my opinion anyway, but the genie has been let out of the bottle now and it's fun to speculate in the meantime..

Jack

St. Dumas · Post by **St. Dumas** » Wed Sep 17, 2008 11:22 pm

eazybox wrote:Some members on the other thread have reported that they actually saw and touched the original jacket when visiting Tony.

Why would LFL send him the Raiders jacket when Ford and Pollack already decided on the archive "LC-type" jacket from the various jackets in the archive? If that design was decided upon well before Tony was even in the picture, why would they send him the legendary Raiders hero jacket? Clearly he had access to the LC archive jacket, but why the Raiders? If these Nowak Raiders jacket rumours are true, then I'll bet he had access to the Raiders' hero jacket well after his production of the CS jacket.

SD

eazybox · Post by **eazybox** » Wed Sep 17, 2008 11:29 pm

St. Dumas wrote:[quote= If these Nowak Raiders jacket rumours are true, then I'll bet he had access to the Raiders' hero jacket well after his production of the CS jacket.
SD

Well, that's what I understood. It was only a week ago last Saturday that I learned about it, and the posts alluding to the Raiders jacket only started appearing a little over a week ago, in the other thread.

Jack

Chewie Louie · Post by **Chewie Louie** » Wed Sep 17, 2008 11:49 pm

Well, if the rumors are indeed true, I won't be interested in one. I love Tony and I love my CS jacket, so much so that I bought two. However, part of the appeal to me was not only that it was a quality jacket, but that it was just like the one used in the movie and made by the same guy who made them for the movie. I have no doubt Tony will make a great Raiders jacket, but I am content with my Wested Raiders.

ANZAC_1915 · Post by **ANZAC_1915** » Thu Sep 18, 2008 12:33 am

The big question I have is will he get the "right" leather?

Peter's authentic seal brown lamb really does drape exactly like the jacket in the film.

I hope Tony finds a leather that is really a good match for the hero jacket.

eazybox · Post by **eazybox** » Thu Sep 18, 2008 2:10 am

I'd take a TN Raiders with or without the fairy dust!

You really have to see one of Ton'ys jackets in person to appreciate the quality of his work. Here is what _ had to say about his CS:

viewtopic.php?t=33123&sid=d372096045

As Mike said "High praise indeed. And well deserved."

Jack

Rob · Post by **Rob** » Thu Sep 18, 2008 2:20 am

Oh, I know! Like I said, I would buy a CS jacket by TN if I had the funds, right now. I totally believe the reviews.

My sticking point is when an already expensive jacket rises by several hundred more dollars, and there's no fairy dust, either!

Satipo · Post by **Satipo** » Thu Sep 18, 2008 3:05 am

Maybe Peter hasn't gone to Mexico at all, but is working for Tony adding the "fairy dust" to these jackets.

PLATON · Post by **PLATON** » Thu Sep 18, 2008 3:22 am

I'll have to agree with Chris King.
First we gotta see some really clear photos of the real hero jacket where the patterns came from.

JC1972 · Post by **JC1972** » Thu Sep 18, 2008 8:57 am

eazybox wrote:I'd take a TN Raiders with or without the fairy dust! You really have to see one of Ton'ys jackets in person to appreciate the quality of his work. Here is what _ had to say about his CS:

viewtopic.php?t=33123&sid=d372096045

As Mike said "High praise indeed. And well deserved."

Jack

What's this talk about fairy dust? Are you sure its not Fuller's Earth?

Post by **Mike** » Thu Sep 18, 2008 10:25 am

Raider S wrote:…Not enough is known about this supposed Raiders project and what exactly he's doing…Best to wait and see what Tony is really planning but there's nothing wrong with people talking about what they think things are worth.

BINGO.

A lot of what's being said is based on supposition and hearsay as nothing official has been stated from Tony himself. We're all arguing over a supposed price. Pointless, IMO.

Some of the flak, IMO, is based from those who are loyal to one brand, or one maker, and are fighting the fact that there may soon be another jacket possibility on the horizon.

Lets stop the inferences and skirting around the name calling issue and wait and see what comes out of this.

I for one can't wait to see and am excited that we may soon have another choice on the market. Like others have said, if you don't like the price (when its finally revealed) you have the right to speak with/for your wallets and go to another vendor. In the meantime, lets keep it cool.

Satipo · Post by **Satipo** » Thu Sep 18, 2008 10:45 am

Fedora wrote:Tony more than likely bought that Raiders jacket for 80 grand. With the intent of replicating it as exact as he could, in pattern and leather.

If it is a fact, that one of the few remaining original Raiders jackets now belongs to a very skillful Indy jacket vendor who plans to make exact copies to sell to us, then we should count ourselves as incredibly lucky that this circumstance has come about at all. I mean, what were the chances of this happening?

Fedora · Post by **Fedora** » Thu Sep 18, 2008 10:48 am

Tony more than likely bought that Raiders jacket for 80 grand. With the intent of replicating it as exact as he could, in pattern and leather.

Bought? Really? So it wasn't lent out? He actually purchased it? Which one of the three jackets still alive is it? The hero? Stunt copy? Who did he buy it from?

Don't take what I said as factual. Nothing more than a supposition. But how many collectors would lend their Raiders HJ to a hatter, to replicate?

Heck, non of these collectors will even let us see inside of the hat, in fear, some hatter will replicate it, thus perhaps devaluing the market for collectibles.

I would just bet that Tony's Raiders jacket is now his. Not a loaner. But, I certainly have no inside info. I just know he told me on the phone last week, in an excited tone, he now had a real Raiders jacket.

On the 3 Raider jackets being in existence, where do you get that info? I bet there are more than that out there. Who would throw away a Raiders jacket? Remember, more than 3 were made, and those others are SOMEWHERE. Just because we only know of 3, does not mean there are not more in the hands of certain folks. Same goes for the Raider fedoras. We know of only where a few are. Let's not confuse out limited knowledge with facts. Fedora

agent5 · Post by **agent5** » Thu Sep 18, 2008 11:20 am

Is it possible that he would call the jacket from all 3 of the earlier films, "Raiders jackets"? Many people lump all 3 films together and pay no attention to all the details of each film as we do here. We simply take it all for granted.

I'm not at all implying that Tony is an idiot, but that many, many people call them the "Raiders" movies and don't differentiate between them. Could Tony be doing this and actually have been given or purchased a screen used Crystal Skull or Last Crusade jacket and just be calling it a Raiders jacket?

I wish someone would find out.

Cassidy · Post by **Cassidy** » Thu Sep 18, 2008 11:21 am

Fedora wrote:On the 3 Raider jackets being in existence, where do you get that info?

I'd defer to _ who did the research of record. If I'm mistaken in that number I'm going by my memory of what he's said in the past so I could be wrong.

I seem to remember _ saying there were only three original Raiders jackets in existence and he'd done more work on this then everyone on this board combined, but I'd be delighted to know more were out there!

Post by **Michaelson** » Thu Sep 18, 2008 11:26 am

It's in the jacket write ups on the main page.

Regards! Michaelson

Cassidy · Post by **Cassidy** » Thu Sep 18, 2008 11:32 am

Michaelson wrote:It's in the jacket write ups on the main page.

Regards! Michaelson

Right! Once again this seeming telepathic link is scaring me, but I was just reading the Temple of Doom write up and I guess _ discovered there were 5, not 3, Raiders jackets left.

The hero jacket, Armstrong's, Leonard's, Grace's and the one pulled aside for Wilson's. Leonard's jacket is the one that was used as the template for the Flightsuit's jacket, right?

Once again, thanks _.

So which one passed through, or stayed, in Tony's hands?

Post by **Michaelson** » Thu Sep 18, 2008 11:37 am

Cassidy wrote:
Michaelson wrote:It's in the jacket write ups on the main page.

Regards! Michaelson
Right! Once again this seeming telepathic link is scaring me.....

Post by **Mike** » Thu Sep 18, 2008 11:43 am

Cassidy wrote:Right! Once again this seeming telepathic link is scaring me

He's laughing cause he knew you'd say that.

I've got a call into Tony. I'm hoping to talk to him shortly.