Vintage 1960s Swedish Air Force T/50 Leather Coat Jacket Skinnrock Flygvapnet

Made in the 1960s by Joel Jonsson AB of Malungsfors, this black goatskin coat is the Swedish Skinnrock t/50, the leather coat worn in the Swedish Navy and Air Force for most of the second half of the twentieth century. It has the pattern's defining details: a zip front, fixed shoulder straps, a drawstring waist and a collar of dark blue wool.

The t/50 appears in the uniform regulations of both the Navy and the Air Force, where it was worn by, among others, the mechanics who kept Swedish aircraft flying. It was a working coat for cold decks and open airfields, and it stayed in service for decades before it was finally withdrawn at the end of 1999. Documented examples were made by Joel Jonsson AB, a leather house founded in Malungsfors in 1936 by Joel Jonsson, then twenty-three, in the heart of Sweden's leather country in Dalarna. The business still trades in Malungsfors today as Skinnhuset Nya Joel Jonsson.

The goatskin is the heart of this coat. It has a close, pebbled grain and a deep black that has softened to a low sheen across the shoulders and down the sleeves, with only fine creasing at the elbows and around the pockets. Goat was valued for service coats like this because it is tough without being heavy, and it grows more supple the longer it is worn.

The construction is built for work. The front closes with a heavy Gusum zip, from Sweden's historic brassworks, and behind it a buttoned inner placket gives a double closure against the wind. A pointed yoke runs across the chest and back, and leather straps sit on each shoulder. Two slanted hand pockets close with domed press-stud tabs, and the cuffs fasten with three press studs each, so they can be set close at the wrist or left looser over gloves. Vents under the arms let the coat breathe on long shifts.

Inside, the body is lined in heavy black wool, with a smooth lining across the shoulders so the coat slips on easily. A drawstring runs round the waist to draw it in against the cold, and there's a leather hanging loop at the neck.

A Swedish service coat from a Malung workshop that is still open for business, and one that has come through its working life in remarkable order.

Condition & Restoration

Excellent vintage condition.

The goatskin is supple and strong throughout, with only light natural creasing and a soft, even sheen. The navy wool collar is full and intact. The Gusum zip, placket buttons, pocket and cuff press studs, and the internal drawstring all work as they should. The wool lining is complete and clean.

Professionally cleaned and dressed in-house using our own Workshop Blends, with the leather left soft and supple and its natural character intact.

Key Features

• Swedish Skinnrock t/50, the leather coat of the Swedish Navy and Air Force
• Made in the 1960s by Joel Jonsson AB, Malungsfors
• Original woven ram's-head maker's label and red C150 size tag
• Black pebble-grain goatskin
• Dark blue wool collar
• Fixed leather shoulder straps
• Pointed yoke front and back
• Heavy Gusum zip with leather pull, plus a buttoned inner placket
• Two slanted hand pockets with press-stud tabs
• Adjustable cuffs with three press studs
• Underarm vents
• Internal drawstring waist
• Heavy black wool body lining with smooth shoulder lining
• Excellent vintage condition

Garment Measurements, Laid Flat

• Chest, armpit to armpit: 23" / 58.5 cm
• Shoulders, seam to seam: 20.5" / 52 cm
• Sleeve, shoulder seam to cuff: 28.5" / 72.5 cm
• Underarm seam to cuff: 21" / 53.5 cm
• Back length, base of collar to hem: 36" / 91.5 cm

Best suited to: 44L" chest / Size Large

Fit: Swedish size C150, a long fitting cut with extra body and sleeve length for a taller frame. Made generously to go over uniform layers, it suits a 44" chest.

For the best indication of sizing, please compare the measurements above with a similar coat you already own. For any sizing questions, please get in touch.