Revive & Restore Vintage

Original 1950s Italian Carabinieri Double-Breasted Leather Police Coat

Name: Original 1950s Italian Carabinieri Double-Breasted Leather Police Coat
Brand: Revive & Restore Vintage
SKU: EB5128
Price: 495.00 GBP
Availability: InStock

£495.00 GBP

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In November 1947, as post-war Italy rebuilt its roads and public services, the Polizia Stradale was formally established to police a country entering a new age of motorised transport. Motorcycles remained an important part of official mobility, and officers working on the road faced long hours exposed to wind, rain and winter weather, long before modern waterproof and technical protective clothing became commonplace. Heavy leather outerwear belonged naturally to this world.

The Carabinieri already had an established tradition of its own in this respect. Historical records document black leather outerwear worn by Carabinieri motorcyclists for escort, ceremonial and dispatch-rider duties during the 1935–45 period. Dating from approximately the 1950s, this substantial leather coat belongs to that broader post-war tradition of Italian service clothing and closely corresponds with surviving examples associated with the Carabinieri. Without a visible service stamp, however, we cannot attribute this particular coat to an individual unit or wearer.

Made from supple black cowhide, it is an imposing piece of clothing without being especially rigid. The generous double-breasted body closes beneath a broad convertible collar, while the raglan shoulders allow the considerable weight of the leather to fall naturally rather than giving the coat the square structure of a conventional military greatcoat. A full leather belt draws the body into the waist, with deep angled hand pockets and fixed buttoned leather cuff tabs completing the exterior.

Inside, the coat is fully lined in substantial camel-coloured wool. The contrast is striking when the coat is opened, but its purpose is entirely practical, providing considerable insulation beneath the leather shell. Small metal ventilation grommets beneath the arms are an equally thoughtful detail, allowing some airflow through what would otherwise be extremely substantial cold-weather outerwear.

From the outside, very little interrupts the broad areas of black cowhide. The back is particularly restrained, formed from large leather panels beneath the raglan shoulders and controlled at the waist by the belt. More than seventy years later, the leather remains remarkably supple, with broad rolling creases and only light evidence of its age across the sleeves and body. Together with the beautifully preserved wool interior, it leaves the coat with much of the presence and practicality it would have possessed when new, an exceptionally well-preserved piece of post-war Italian service clothing.

Condition & Restoration

Excellent vintage condition for an original 1950s Italian leather service coat. The black cowhide remains supple, strong and structurally sound, with only light natural creasing, minor rubbing and small surface marks consistent with its age.

The substantial camel-coloured wool lining is exceptionally well preserved and remains fully serviceable, with only minor signs of age and use. The original leather waist belt, fixed cuff tabs, buttons and period fittings remain present.

The cowhide has been specialist leather cleaned and conditioned in-house. Our restoration has otherwise been deliberately restrained, preserving the original surface and established character of the garment.