Last Crusade jacket quest

theman · Post by **theman** » Thu May 12, 2016 10:20 pm

Hey Gang, sorry it's been so long since my last visit.

As Stefan had announced, he made an amazing life experience happen for any true Indy diehard... we had an unfettered viewing and fondling of the Last Crusade jacket! Stefan deserves the largest of thanks for making this possible. As we can now help fill in the community on some major details concerning this icon. Stefan and I are collaborating on a full workup to present on the forums to catalog our findings... but this particular thread is on a related vein closer to us obtaining our own equivalent of that icon.

I had already completed much of my own Last Crusade LC patterning a couple years ago when Stefan first gave me some wonderful pics and detail from an earlier viewing of this iconic jacket. I had to shelve the project for a bit unfortunately because I really wanted to bring an exact jacket to life as the best Last Crusade has definitely eluded us jacket fans for quite some time, but I hadn't yet quite matched up a leather and wasn't sure if Vanson's plate had any space for another new model.
LastCrusade still needs a last crusade, as I have not found a definitive version by the makers out there as I had for the other movies' versions. I have shown and even compared my favorites out here from Tony, Wested, Todds, and even a surprisingly excellent Belstaff licensed replica... but all of those did not take on the LastCrusade. So I might as well just build it finally, now that I've had the actual jacket in hand, and there seems to be that void to fill.

I was excited during our measuring session with the jacket, by just how close my pattern was already, only being off a 1/4 inch here and there was some fulfilling confirmation of what I had put together.

As Stefan has mentioned the sizing works out to a true 41R, and I will be basing my grading exactly on the original.

With the leather confirmed in hand I am now courting a serious amount of leather samples to get us the right hide...hardware as well is already being sourced.

Stefan and I have discussed this prospect, and I will move forward with putting together a run of these... the more folks we have on board the better our chances are for a higher priority and shorter build time. I would like to keep the price between $650-800 for a made in the USA jacket with all correct details. If folks would like to get on board please let us know here, only real buy-in will get this to come to fruition, and I am here to make sure it's the best LastCrusade seen yet.

You guys know by now how picky I am when it comes to the details, now I think it's time for me to put that pickiness to work on my own version of this one.

Rikimaru · Post by **Rikimaru** » Thu May 12, 2016 11:53 pm

Count me in Dan. This has been a long time coming and I've wanted something to replace my Nowak.

Stefan Hills · Post by **Stefan Hills** » Fri May 13, 2016 7:14 am

Your welcome Dan, your too kind. After examining this jacket first hand, there is a number of little details, which have to be seen first hand to be able to be understood in order to be replicated. Its all about the details. My biggest fear was that who ever decided to make this jacket, would pick and choose what details would be included and what would be left literally on the cutting room floor. Ever since this news broke, I have been approached by a number of vendors this week, a few familiar names and many unheard of. This and the fact it will be headed by a die hard fan and stickler for the details. I will be pit a Vanson against an Aero any day of the week. Taking everything in to account, the LC jacket is a pretty solidly put together piece of gear and not a costume. As a result, one can stay 99.9% screen accurate in its construction.
As Dan has mentioned, for this jacket to finally become a reality we need to determine the interest in such a project. A run of these jackets will have 20 open slots. With that said I am certainly down for the Last Indy Jacket I will ever need.

Zoltar · Post by **Zoltar** » Fri May 13, 2016 7:42 am

You've certainly got my intrest

Oh and Dan remember to invoice me and get me on the next X1 run

ZOLTAR

CM · Post by CM » Fri May 13, 2016 8:34 am

Stefan Hills wrote:Your welcome Dan, your too kind. After examining this jacket first hand, there is a number of little details, which have to be seen first hand to be able to be understood in order to be replicated. Its all about the details. My biggest fear was that who ever decided to make this jacket, would pick and choose what details would be included and what would be left literally on the cutting room floor. Ever since this news broke, I have been approached by a number of vendors this week, a few familiar names and many unheard of. Indy is an American icon enjoyed the world over and I feel very strongly about supporting local businesses, and love the fact that the challenge to tackle this project will be taken up by a company State side. This and the fact it will be headed by a die hard fan and stickler for the details. I will be pit a Vanson against an Aero any day of the week. In the end its all about the details. Taking everything in to account, the LC jacket is a pretty solidly put together piece of gear and not a costume. As a result, one can stay 99.9% screen accurate in its construction.
As Dan has mentioned, for this jacket to finally become a reality we need to determine the interest in such a project. A run of these jackets will have 20 open slots. With that said I am certainly down for the Last Indy Jacket I will ever need.

Good timing - we lose the fan measured and specd Expedition just in time to get a fan measured and specd Vanson made LC.

How did the other makers know to talk to you about this.

Stefan Hills · Post by **Stefan Hills** » Fri May 13, 2016 8:53 am

CM wrote:
Stefan Hills wrote:Your welcome Dan, your too kind. After examining this jacket first hand, there is a number of little details, which have to be seen first hand to be able to be understood in order to be replicated. Its all about the details. My biggest fear was that who ever decided to make this jacket, would pick and choose what details would be included and what would be left literally on the cutting room floor. Ever since this news broke, I have been approached by a number of vendors this week, a few familiar names and many unheard of. Indy is an American icon enjoyed the world over and I feel very strongly about supporting local businesses, and love the fact that the challenge to tackle this project will be taken up by a company State side. This and the fact it will be headed by a die hard fan and stickler for the details. I will be pit a Vanson against an Aero any day of the week. In the end its all about the details. Taking everything in to account, the LC jacket is a pretty solidly put together piece of gear and not a costume. As a result, one can stay 99.9% screen accurate in its construction.
As Dan has mentioned, for this jacket to finally become a reality we need to determine the interest in such a project. A run of these jackets will have 20 open slots. With that said I am certainly down for the Last Indy Jacket I will ever need.
Good timing - we lose the fan measured Expedition just in time to get a Vanson made LC.

How did the other makers know to talk to you about this.

There is more than a few lurkers on COW, who seem to chime in when the moment is right, or profitable,

I guess it does not help when one makes a post staying guess what I am planning on going to the Smithsonian...

Tibor · Post by **Tibor** » Fri May 13, 2016 2:51 pm

Stefan Hills wrote:Taking everything in to account, the LC jacket is a pretty solidly put together piece of gear and not a costume. As a result, one can stay 99.9% screen accurate in its construction.
.

That makes sense as Harrison always liked the LC jacket best and that was one that he kept. Very impressive project... The leather sourced will make all the difference. Details can be perfect but if the hide is wrong, it's a bust. Count me in if you're gathering names.

ProfessorHenryWJonesJr · Fri May 13, 2016 4:44 pm

I'm in.

theman · Post by **theman** » Fri May 13, 2016 5:19 pm

Tibor wrote:
Stefan Hills wrote:Taking everything in to account, the LC jacket is a pretty solidly put together piece of gear and not a costume. As a result, one can stay 99.9% screen accurate in its construction.
.
That makes sense as Harrison always liked the LC jacket best and that was one that he kept. Very impressive project... The leather sourced will make all the difference. Details can be perfect but if the hide is wrong, it's a bust. Count me in if you're gathering names.

Exactly correct Tibor, and was my main concern when I shelved the project a couple years ago...Even with all my pattern details as close as they were, the wrong hide would've killed it for me. Now that I've had the actual jacket in hand, I know that I can get the right hide selected. Lamb or Cow, doesn't actually concern me as much as how the hide has been processed and finished... A cow done the right way in the right thickness will flap in the breeze on the beach the same as a lamb done in the same manner. It just has to match what the film jacket shows and feels in hand. Once all the samples are in hand I will be happy to show how this plays out against the screen used jacket leather.

theman · Post by **theman** » Fri May 13, 2016 5:23 pm

Zoltar wrote:You've certainly got my intrest

Oh and Dan remember to invoice me and get me on the next X1 run

ZOLTAR

sweet, we are 5 firm on the list first day out of the gate... hopefully this will happen fast.

I am confirming leather for that next run too Zolt, should have that invoice out to you this weekend!

Castor Dioscuri · Post by **Castor Dioscuri** » Fri May 13, 2016 7:06 pm

Sounds exciting! Will the run be just in 41R or will there be different stock sizes? Or made to measure perhaps? And I'm sorry if I missed this, but which company will be producing these jackets?

Stefan Hills · Post by **Stefan Hills** » Fri May 13, 2016 10:14 pm

Vanson Leather's/Logan's Closet.

Tibor · Post by **Tibor** » Fri May 13, 2016 10:19 pm

Castor Dioscuri wrote:Sounds exciting! Will the run be just in 41R or will there be different stock sizes? Or made to measure perhaps? And I'm sorry if I missed this, but which company will be producing these jackets?

When he wrote "As Stefan has mentioned the sizing works out to a true 41R, and I will be basing my grading exactly on the original." I assumed "grading" meant proportional sizing up or down, but maybe I have that wrong.

Stefan Hills · Post by **Stefan Hills** » Fri May 13, 2016 10:41 pm

That is correct. Everyone in the run will order their own size.

theman · Post by **theman** » Sat May 14, 2016 2:04 pm

Exactly, I am just basing the proportions on the hero size and grading the rest of the sizes from there.
The initial run folks would order their closest standard size based on the grading from hero jacket, and I will be happy to help folks determine their best fit. But I won't do custom sizing in the first run. Once the first run is successfully funded and on its way, I can then do individualized custom sizing.

Post by **Indy Magnoli** » Sun May 15, 2016 8:33 pm

theman wrote:I have not found a definitive version by the makers out there ...Tony, Wested, Todds, and even a surprisingly excellent Belstaff licensed replica... but all of those did not take on the LastCrusade.

I don't quite get what you mean by this. Are you saying that no one so far has made an accurate LC Jacket? I'm pretty sure Wested has made some pretty good ones. And, using Stefan's previous information, we've been making LC Jackets for years based on the Smithsonian specs:

I'm looking forward to seeing what you guys come up with.

Kind regards,
Magnoli

Holt · Post by **Holt** » Sun May 15, 2016 9:40 pm

Love that jacket my friend. I am sorry to ever let that one go!

theman · Post by **theman** » Mon May 16, 2016 2:56 pm

Indy Magnoli wrote:
theman wrote:I have not found a definitive version by the makers out there ...Tony, Wested, Todds, and even a surprisingly excellent Belstaff licensed replica... but all of those did not take on the LastCrusade.
I don't quite get what you mean by this. Are you saying that no one so far has made an accurate LC Jacket? I'm pretty sure Wested has made some pretty good ones. And, using Stefan's previous information, we've been making LC Jackets for years based on the Smithsonian specs:

I'm looking forward to seeing what you guys come up with.

Kind regards,
Magnoli

Not bashing anyone Mags... You make some good stuff, but for my personal collection I have yet to find a Last Crusade that has found a place there. I am sure yours is quite a nice jacket, but even with using those earlier details from Stefan, I can see some things still slightly off. I loved Tony's version of the ToD jacket in its looks, but frankly it wasn't my definitive ToD because the hide was too heavy. I found that definitive ToD in a Wested NH version a friend had sent to me by chance. But I have yet to see a Wested that has got it "all right" for me in a LastCrusade. Tony's Raiders is an awesome jacket, and he had the "rightest" looking of them that had come along... but I find that Todd's is the all around definitive Raiders for me once I had each offering in hand and tried on. For Crystal Skull I had both Tony's hero and Belstaff's licensed in hand... in almost disbelief to myself I was actually leaning more towards the Belstaff for my preferred jacket there, only because they did such a good job of copying Tony's work and the jacket they happened to use for fit was based off a slightly slimmer hero jacket. Tony's were always the best built versions I had ever sampled, but that doesn't mean definitive in all the aspects of my collected jackets. Tony's sleeve linings would have never shredded the way my Westeds have, but I still kept the Wested ToD and let another collector take on the TN version.

I have tried on a couple of yours over the years and just haven't found that one for me in your line yet. Many folks here have tried on many makers' and some have found that perfect jacket... my version may not be that one for them, but I am going to shoot for that "one" for me and put it up against what I have now been able to hold in hand.

Holt has had how many jackets run through his fingers from various makers in the quest for that perfect jacket?!

IndyOriginal · Post by **IndyOriginal** » Tue May 17, 2016 11:30 am

Wonderful news, and I'm pumped for the end result!!

Baldwyn · Post by **Baldwyn** » Thu May 19, 2016 1:37 pm

I can't wait to see Dan's distressing handiwork on one of the new jackets. And Knibs7's.

fifthchamber · Post by **fifthchamber** » Fri May 20, 2016 12:32 am

Hey Dan!

Good to see you're still alive and kicking mate!

I'm in for one too.....Depending on final release date, and if I have the cash, but I'm guessing not for a while eh? So...Should be fine for me...Mark me "in" please!

And well done on the work!

knibs7 · Post by **knibs7** » Fri May 20, 2016 5:18 am

Count me in!!

Kyle

CM · Post by CM » Fri May 20, 2016 7:42 pm

Funny how those photos of the movie jacket just look like some guy's tribute Wested with too much distressing.

Dan and Stefan - did the jacket appear to be a Wested to you? The poly liner isn't right, of course, but were there other familiar characteristics such as those D rings? Is the lambskin like any hide Wested have used before?

This looks like the one worn on the beach which always seemed lighter than jackets in other scenes.

Holt · Post by **Holt** » Fri May 20, 2016 7:46 pm

CM wrote:
This looks like the one worn on the beach which always seemed lighter than jackets in other scenes.

The Chicago jacket is the one worn at the beach. Not the Smithsonian jacket.

backstagejack · Post by **backstagejack** » Fri May 20, 2016 8:38 pm

Weird how the LC is having a renaissance .... Steele&Jones, now Logan's Closet and the mythical maybe one day Wested LC Hero.....

fifthchamber · Post by **fifthchamber** » Fri May 20, 2016 9:20 pm

Logical progression I'd guess.....

We get one "perfect", and move on to the next....Heh.....Knowing all the time that even once we DO have all four, all perfect, we'll still keep looking for something "more"......

It's a bit nutty...

Post by **Michaelson** » Fri May 20, 2016 10:16 pm

I have the same problems with watches.

Regard! Michaelson

CM · Post by CM » Sat May 21, 2016 3:46 am

Holt wrote:
CM wrote:
This looks like the one worn on the beach which always seemed lighter than jackets in other scenes.
The Chicago jacket is the one worn at the beach. Not the Smithsonian jacket.

Great.

theman · Post by **theman** » Sun May 22, 2016 12:24 am

Frankly some of the pattern pieces I did based off this jacket a couple years ago seemed to match up exactly to the jacket he's wearing atop the tank with the one loose strap.

Stefan Hills · Post by **Stefan Hills** » Sun May 22, 2016 12:27 am

The Smithsonian jacket is the tank jacket, when Indy is fighting Vogel. The lining very thin, it's not cotton, not silk, almost like a parachute material, definitely synthetic. The weave of the fabric and it's lightness makes me 99.5 % sure its nylon and not polyester has I had initially thought. I had a chance to check both fabrics this week and polyester was too heavy, so my guess is nylon. I do believe the jacket is one of Peter's. I sent Dan a comparison picture which will be posted shortly, that matches the jacket to screen shots.

theman · Post by **theman** » Sun May 22, 2016 9:57 am

Holt · Post by **Holt** » Sun May 22, 2016 10:49 am

Yes, was there any doubt? There are 3 main jackets used.

The Smithsonian jacket was only used in the tank scenes.

The rest was the Chicago and the Lucas jacket that were the most used. The Chicago is IMO more used than the Lucas jacket and is the jacket that has become the LC hero.

You can see the Chicago jacket at the car escape scenes, the beach, The plane scenes (Nyshe landing) and they are trying to kill us scene, the motorcycle scenes (Lucas road), the zepplin and at the grail temple scenes.

The smithsonian is the tank and horse back riding jacket.

The Lucas jacket is used at the arriving at the castle Brunwald and the Motorcycle scene by the Berlin sign and at the Grail temple/knight scenes.

And of course the Temple of Doom LC jacket.

But thats another thread

zhund · Post by **zhund** » Sun May 22, 2016 11:19 am

Ok that is pretty compelling forensic analysis! Pretty impressive!

knibs7 · Post by **knibs7** » Sun May 22, 2016 2:10 pm

Dan,
Sent you a PM. Don't know if it went through or not.

Kyle

CM · Post by CM » Sun May 22, 2016 4:18 pm

I also notice that a bunch of publicity stills use this jacket with it's obvious scraps and markings. Especially the shots with Indy sitting on a bunch of wooden crates.

Tibor · Post by **Tibor** » Sun May 22, 2016 5:55 pm

Which jacket did Harrison keep from LC?

Holt · Post by **Holt** » Mon May 23, 2016 1:26 am

I think thats the one he wears in the promo shots with Lucas and Spielberg. It's also the same jacket he wears in Mystery of the blues.

afalzon · Post by **afalzon** » Mon May 23, 2016 7:16 am

is this the Chicago jacket?

Holt · Post by **Holt** » Mon May 23, 2016 7:23 am

That's the Smithsonian jacket

afalzon · Post by **afalzon** » Mon May 23, 2016 7:41 am

Sorry, I think not. The collar of the Smithsonian does not appear to extend half way in the storm flap like this one.

Maybe you are confusing it with this (Hollywood Costume Exhibit Phoenix Art Museum)

the previous one I posted should be from the Hollywood Costume Exhibition at Los Angeles County Museum of Art and from what I see is different than the Chicago.

So now how many jackets are there? I can count five.
The Smithsonian
The Chicago
The Los Angeles
The Noble House
The one in Ford's pocession

Holt · Post by **Holt** » Mon May 23, 2016 8:06 am

I'm sorry, your absolutley right. that IS the Chicago jacket.

I was confused by the mannequin setup.

afalzon · Post by **afalzon** » Mon May 23, 2016 8:44 am

So who is going to Chicago next?

afalzon · Post by **afalzon** » Mon May 23, 2016 11:56 am

This one displayed in Cardiff
It doesn't appear to be the Smithsonian. Can anyone say which one it is?

and there's the one here...

Tibor · Post by **Tibor** » Mon May 23, 2016 1:19 pm

afalzon wrote:So who is going to Chicago next?

Well, I'm in Chicago already... Where's the jacket?

afalzon · Post by **afalzon** » Mon May 23, 2016 1:47 pm

hmmm
hearing it was displayed at the Chicago Museum of Science and Industry exhibit of 2004-2005

so now must be gone to God knows where

edit: The Chicago is the one that appeared in Cardiff. After that God knows where

afalzon · Post by **afalzon** » Mon May 23, 2016 1:55 pm

OK I get it now

There are

1. The Smithsonian
2. The Chicago which is the same as the Cardiff
3. The Noble House which is the same as the Lucasfilm archives

Havent figured out the Los Angeles one yet

Holt · Post by **Holt** » Mon May 23, 2016 3:36 pm

That's the Castle of Brunwald jacket in the Lucas Archives. Hence why I call it the ''Lucas LC jacket'' Which is also is the famosu motorcycle jacket at the Berlin sign.

Screencapped · Post by **Screencapped** » Mon May 23, 2016 4:26 pm

Holt wrote:I'm sorry, your absolutley right. that IS the Chicago jacket.

I was confused by the mannequin setup.

It may be the Chicago jacket but it's definitely not the Chicago hat.

Screencapped · Post by **Screencapped** » Mon May 23, 2016 4:52 pm

Hey Diego,,, These new photos of the LC jacket arrived just in time as you should be starting to work on my jacket right about now. Use them wisely as I know you will my friend.

Indiego Jones · Post by **Indiego Jones** » Mon May 23, 2016 5:24 pm

anindyjones wrote:Hey Diego,,, These new photos of the LC jacket arrived just in time as you should be starting to work on my jacket right about now. Use them wisely as I know you will my friend.

Following these threads with great interest...