1950s Big-Size Reversible Sukajan, Eagle over Royal Blue, Dragons and Japan–Korea Map on Burgundy, TTS Butterfly Zip

A rare big-size 1950s reversible souvenir jacket with a TTS butterfly zip: an eagle on pine under Japan on royal blue satin, and golden dragons with a map of Japan and Korea on quilted burgundy.

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.

Big Sizes and Butterfly Zips

Because souvenir jackets were made to order for young servicemen, most survivors are small by modern standards, and big sizes command a clear premium. The TTS butterfly zip, named for the shape of its pull, is one of the details collectors look for first, and together with Korean place names on the map it dates this jacket securely to the 1950s.

The Piece

Large original souvenir jackets are scarce, because most were cut for the slim servicemen of the 1950s. This one measures 66 cm across the chest, and it is also among the most handsome in colour: royal blue satin with silver sleeves edged in blue, against burgundy with silver on the reverse.

The blue side carries Japan in gold script over an eagle with spread wings on a pine branch, with a pair of eagles on the chest. Reversed, the burgundy quilted face has two golden dragons rising from clouds on the chest and, on the back, Mount Fuji over a map of Japan and Korea outlined in gold, naming Pyongyang, Seoul, Taiden (Daejeon) and Pusan in Korea and Hakata, Nagasaki, Beppu, Kure, Hiroshima, Kobe, Osaka, Kyoto, Tokyo, Yokosuka and Aomori in Japan, with flying cranes over a winding river.

The zip is by TTS, with the butterfly pull that collectors single out as an early and desirable detail. The rib knits are striped in blue and cream on one side and burgundy and cream on the other.

Measured flat: chest 66 cm, length 66 cm, sleeve from centre back 90 cm, a comfortable modern large to extra large.

Details

• Designer: Unlabelled Japanese workshop
• Season: 1950s
• Model / ref: Reversible satin souvenir jacket
• Material: Rayon or acetate satin; padded lining; knit rib
• Colour: Royal blue and silver / burgundy and silver
• Made in: Japan
• Tagged size: No size label (big size)
• Measurements: Chest (pit to pit) 66 cm · Sleeve from centre back 90 cm · Length 66 cm
• Included: Jacket only

Condition

• Marks on the collar rib and sleeves, including a small spot on the silver sleeve.
• General signs of wear consistent with age.
• Embroidery bright and complete on both faces.
• TTS butterfly zip working.

Condition grade B 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. Entrust cleaning to a specialist for vintage satin, or simply air it; store 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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