Page 2 of 2
Re: How much would Indy's jacket have cost in 1936?
Posted: Mon Feb 06, 2012 1:18 pm
by warbird
TheExit148 wrote:Nice jacket Warbird. This is the exact jacket I want, but in black.
Thanks all! I do have a special affinity for this jacket. I have recently found a company that will put a new lining in the jacket and I plan to do that in the next few weeks.
I have nothing to base it on, but I think black is harder to find than brown. It does seem most of the jackets of similar I have seen from that era were brown. Again that is all personal observation and others may have completely different thoughts on that matter.
Re: How much would Indy's jacket have cost in 1936?
Posted: Mon Feb 06, 2012 7:58 pm
by warbird
Indiana Jeff wrote:Keep in mind, Indy was a college professor and not a public school teacher. I would think his salary would have been at the upper end of the averages. Plus his honoraria he would get.
Regards,
Indiana Jeff
To add to that thought, most teachers back then in primary education were women. That was one of the few ob choices for professional minded women. Though higher educated they did not make nearly s much as men. Back then, as today, college professors salaries were much higher, they being among the most educated people in the work force. Remember the percentage of people with a degree back then was very small. Heck even as late as the early 80's the percentage of the work force with a degree was in the low teen's, if that. The percentage of people with advanced degrees was very small indeed. Even as late as 2005 the percentage of Americans with a college degree was not 25%. In the 50's only half the population had graduated from high school.
I always thought it was kind of funny that Dr. Jones had so many women in his class in those scenes. I have a hard time imagining there were that many women even in the college. Now maybe every woman in the school was in his class
When my grandmother received her doctorate from the University of Chicago in the 1920's she was one of only a handful of women at the school.
Re: How much would Indy's jacket have cost in 1936?
Posted: Mon Feb 06, 2012 8:36 pm
by jlhampton
Ever notice how the girls were all starry eyed, too. I think that was done for the cinematic value. It just made a good scene and added a little detail to the background of the character
jlhampton
Re: How much would Indy's jacket have cost in 1936?
Posted: Mon Feb 06, 2012 9:16 pm
by backstagejack
warbird wrote:
To add to that thought, most teachers back then in primary education were women. That was one of the few ob choices for professional minded women. Though higher educated they did not make nearly s much as men. Back then, as today, college professors salaries were much higher, they being among the most educated people in the work force. Remember the percentage of people with a degree back then was very small. Heck even as late as the early 80's the percentage of the work force with a degree was in the low teen's, if that. The percentage of people with advanced degrees was very small indeed. Even as late as 2005 the percentage of Americans with a college degree was not 25%. In the 50's only half the population had graduated from high school.
I always thought it was kind of funny that Dr. Jones had so many women in his class in those scenes. I have a hard time imagining there were that many women even in the college. Now maybe every woman in the school was in his class
When my grandmother received her doctorate from the University of Chicago in the 1920's she was one of only a handful of women at the school.
and in the novel he actually had a student at his house when marcus came over........
Re: How much would Indy's jacket have cost in 1936?
Posted: Thu Feb 09, 2012 8:58 am
by warbird
So, in the end, I would say we have concluded a jacket like this, made by a medium to large company would cost between $5 and $10. Custom fitted perhaps a couple of dollars more.
Overall our purchasing power today is far better than it was then. Most especially in consumable goods, clothing, food, household items, etc. That has been the trend no matter where items were made, for any measured decade going back to the late 1800's. Because of that you can buy more non-necessities today than you could then. Most people back then were lucky to have one car, most men had one nice suit, one nice leather jacket, one or two hats. The rest of their money went to necessities, as food was a much higher percentage of income at the time. Higher cost and far fewer choices at that.
Probably more info than you wanted to know.
Re: How much would Indy's jacket have cost in 1936?
Posted: Thu Feb 09, 2012 9:03 am
by Michaelson
Considering it was the height of the Depression, few had cars at that time.
I guess it depended on where you were living at the time as to what you had, and what you didn't have. From stories my parents told me, they had one car between several families, one 'Sunday-go-to-meeting' suit, and a semi-nice outfit for work....but otherwise a pair of work pants and a couple shirts....and usually a canvas coat. No one could afford a leather jacket. This was in Southern Ohio.
Regards! Michaelson
Re: How much would Indy's jacket have cost in 1936?
Posted: Thu Feb 09, 2012 10:35 am
by warbird
Michaelson wrote:Considering it was the height of the Depression, few had cars at that time.
I guess it depended on where you were living at the time as to what you had, and what you didn't have. From stories my parents told me, they had one car between several families, one 'Sunday-go-to-meeting' suit, and a semi-nice outfit for work....but otherwise a pair of work pants and a couple shirts....and usually a canvas coat. No one could afford a leather jacket. This was in Southern Ohio.
Regards! Michaelson
I would say that is about spot on. And yes very geographical in nature. I guess my biggest point was
that there was in general little non-necessity spending, because necessities were a higher percentage of income.
Re: How much would Indy's jacket have cost in 1936?
Posted: Thu Feb 09, 2012 11:41 am
by Michaelson
Agreed!
Re: How much would Indy's jacket have cost in 1936?
Posted: Thu Feb 09, 2012 2:37 pm
by backstagejack
What would our world be like if we kept that mentality of non-necessity spending.....lol