Club Obi Wan

Here's a blast from the past that I found in my desk drawer over the weekend. My search for an accurate Raiders of the Lost Ark jacket started in the late 80's right before the Last Crusade came out. In 1990, I first came across an ad from Lee Keppler selling his gear in the back of the LucasFilm Fan Club magazines. At that time, he was selling both the Indiana Jones Jacket by Cooper Sportswear and also a "ROTLA jacket from the original manufacturer that outfitted our favorite archaeologist's film debut. Its made of dark brn. lambskin (age it yourself). Also available in IJATLC style. Price: $399.95."

Here's a copy of the flyer Lee sent to me with his gear and prices:

Front:


LEE01 by Rick Dalton, on Flickr872

Back:


LEE02 by Rick Dalton, on Flickr[/img]

At that time, I was attending college and had very little money, but saved enough and purchased the ROTLA jacket made from the original manufacturer which turned out to be Leather Concessionaires, before it became Wested.

Here's the jacket:


JACKETFRONT by Rick Dalton, on Flickr[/img]


JACKETBACK by Rick Dalton, on Flickr][/img]

When compared to the jackets offered today by Wested, Tony Nowak and others, this first generation Raiders jacket was not accurate by any means. The leather, collar, zipper, and D-rings are all wrong, but I wouldn't sell or trade it as it was one of the first.

I also ordered the Item #4 in the flyer which was a Poet by HJ.

I wonder how many others out there ordered a jacket or hat (HJ Poet) from Lee back in the late 80's and early 90's?

Those type of items become collectable in their own right. Thanks for sharing.

Gailen

Wow amazing!!!

I have one of those one page flyers in my collection of, uh, stuff. It was my first contact with Lee, and we burned up the phones after that.

Regards! Michaelson

Michaelson did you order anything back then? I don't think Lee was ever able to get the shirt or pants made, but I may be wrong.

Fantastic! I bought my first Wested, in 1997, and it has alot in common with yours. That flyer; hang on to that!

Weston

Fanfreakintastic!

The wrinkly pocket flaps look so cool.

thePawn wrote:Michaelson did you order anything back then? I don't think Lee was ever able to get the shirt or pants made, but I may be wrong.

I tried too, but as you say, he was having problems with his suppliers at the time. Then again, Lee has ALWAYS had problems with his suppliers at one time or another. I've heard more than one tirade by the man on the subject in years past!

Regards! Michaelson

That's how I got some of my first real Indy gear.

Lee eventually got the shirt and pants made from a guy named "Ralph", who apparently was the original tailor for RAIDERS. As I recall, I had to wait about two years for mine. I still have them, but of course they no longer fit after so many years. I also still have his original flyers and exchanged many long phone calls with Lee that are fondly remembered-- and I'm delighted to see he's still a big contributor to the hobby.

Jack

Easybox, I wasn't able to get the pants or shirt, but I did get Lee's prototypes which were made locally in CA.

How did the pants and shirt compare to what Noel Howard made and the ones currently offered today? Any photos?

thePawn wrote:Easybox, I wasn't able to get the pants or shirt, but I did get Lee's prototypes which were made locally in CA.

How did the pants and shirt compare to what Noel Howard made and the ones currently offered today? Any photos?

Not really an expert on all the details, but as I recall the RAIDERS shirt is supposed to have clear buttons? My shirt has olive or dark khaki colored buttons. The buttons on the pants are a swirl of different shades of grey-- I don't know the technical term for it, but I'm sure there is one. Both pieces are exceptionally well made. I had a complete outfit from Lee, including a jacket like the one pictured here, which I distressed and then traded back to him. That jacket was pictured in the INDY GEAR jacket section at one time, I believe.

Jack

Whoa, what a cool piece of gear history!

Just curious if anyone still has a ROTLA or LC jacket made by Lee with Flightsuits or Leather Concessionaires dating before 1990?

that's just amazing....

thePawn wrote:Just curious if anyone still has a ROTLA or LC jacket made by Lee with Flightsuits or Leather Concessionaires dating before 1990?

That's the same as the archive jacekt isn't it?

eazybox wrote:Lee eventually got the shirt and pants made from a guy named "Ralph", who apparently was the original tailor for RAIDERS. As I recall, I had to wait about two years for mine. I still have them, but of course they no longer fit after so many years. I also still have his original flyers and exchanged many long phone calls with Lee that are fondly remembered-- and I'm delighted to see he's still a big contributor to the hobby.

Jack

Hey Jack,

I'd LOVE to see photos of the pants and shirt if you have them!

WOW... I'd completely forgot that I used to actually have one of these flyers...
I wonder where it is now?

Anyway, thanks for joggin my memory... COOL jacket! Don't EVER let it go!

indydude18 wrote:

eazybox wrote:Lee eventually got the shirt and pants made from a guy named "Ralph", who apparently was the original tailor for RAIDERS. As I recall, I had to wait about two years for mine. I still have them, but of course they no longer fit after so many years. I also still have his original flyers and exchanged many long phone calls with Lee that are fondly remembered-- and I'm delighted to see he's still a big contributor to the hobby.

Jack

Hey Jack,

I'd LOVE to see photos of the pants and shirt if you have them!

I'm terrible with taking pictures because of my bad eyes. I did locate some old photos of the pants and jacket, but they are poor quality compared to the photos you see on here today. I appreciate your interest, though, and also the guy who messaged me that he'd like to buy them! If I can find time, I will dig the pants and shirt out of mothballs and see if I can get some better photos of them.

Jack

Very nice jacket! I love it.

I realize this is a old thread but I just came across some old pics of a jacket I had purchased off of a member here MANY moons ago, WAAAAAAAY before it was anything like it is now. It was a Leather Concessionarries Lee Keppler jacket. Fit me just a bit small, was kinda stiff and heavy but it was one of my first real Indy jackets and I was stoked for a few years until I sold it off as newer and better jackets came along.
http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h304/ ... f45ead.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
and here is a link to several more pics....
http://s67.photobucket.com/user/kokoros ... C%20Jacket" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Treasure it and never let it go!