1950s Collared Reversible Souvenir Jacket, Tiger and Fuji over Blue Satin, Eagle on Green, Oversized

An early collared souvenir jacket in reversible satin, sun-faded from blue to olive, with a tiger before Mount Fuji under Japan on the back and an eagle over Fuji on the quilted green reverse.

From Occupation Bases to Collector Cabinets

The souvenir jacket was born in the years after 1945, when American servicemen stationed in Japan began commissioning embroidered satin jackets from local tailors near the bases, Yokosuka above all, which gave the garment its Japanese nickname, sukajan, from Yokosuka and jumper. The motifs were chosen for an American eye: tigers, eagles, dragons, Mount Fuji and the word Japan in looping script, stitched by craftsmen who had worked on kimono and obi embroidery before the war.

The Korean War of 1950 to 1953 turned the souvenir jacket into a record of service. Men on rest and recuperation leave in Japan ordered jackets with maps of Japan and Korea, city names and unit details, and the jackets went home as keepsakes. Original 1950s examples survive in far smaller numbers than the reproductions that followed, and collectors read them by their details: reversible construction, hand-guided embroidery, rayon or acetate satin and velveteen, and the zip makers of the period, TTS among the most sought after.

The Collared Form

Alongside the familiar rib-necked jacket, tailors in the late 1940s and 1950s made souvenir jackets with shirt collars, a cut borrowed from the work and flight blousons the servicemen already wore. Fewer were made and fewer survive, and the collared form has become a recognised sub-genre among collectors of early sukajan.

The Piece

The collared souvenir jacket is the rarer and, to many collectors, the earlier form, cut like a work blouson with a pointed shirt collar rather than a rib neck. This one is reversible satin throughout, oversized in its proportions and worn to a remarkable, painterly patina: the blue satin has faded through teal to olive and gold, so the jacket now looks almost dip-dyed.

On the blue side, a tiger crouches before Mount Fuji under Japan in gold script, with two snarling tiger heads on the chest. Reversed, the quilted green satin carries an eagle with spread wings over Fuji and flowers, again under Japan, with Fuji and flower motifs on the chest. The knit trims are striped in red, gold and navy.

The zip is an early, flat-toothed metal type with a pierced pull, consistent with the 1950s. There is no maker's label.

This is a jacket for the collector who values age above polish. The cuffs are shredded, there is a hole at the back of the collar and the satin is worn through in places. Measured flat: shoulder 46 cm, chest 58 cm, length 59 cm, sleeve from centre back 84 cm.

Details

• Designer: Unlabelled Japanese workshop
• Season: 1950s
• Model / ref: Collared reversible souvenir jacket
• Material: Rayon or acetate satin; padded lining; knit rib
• Colour: Faded blue to olive / green
• Made in: Japan
• Tagged size: No size label (oversized)
• Measurements: Shoulder 46 cm · Chest (pit to pit) 58 cm · Sleeve from centre back 84 cm · Length 59 cm
• Included: Jacket only

Condition

• Strong fading and discolouration across the blue satin.
• Both cuffs shredded, with the lining exposed.
• Hole at the back of the collar.
• Satin wear and soiling overall; embroidery legible on both faces.
• Zip working.

Condition grade C on the Japanese scale; see Japanese condition ranks, explained.

Authenticity & Care

The labels, materials, stitching, hardware and construction are examined together and documented in Japan before dispatch; anything that cannot be confirmed is stated plainly in the description. Every piece carries the Japonista authenticity guarantee. Handle gently and avoid washing; air it and store it flat or on a padded hanger.

Delivery from Japan

Packed by hand in Japan and shipped insured and tracked by EMS or an equivalent express service. Import duties and taxes, where applicable, are payable on arrival. Every sale is final; please ask anything before you buy, and see our published policy.

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