1950s Black Velveteen Souvenir Jacket, Cream Eagle over Mount Fuji, Dragon Sleeves, Early YKK Zip

A 1950s souvenir jacket in black fine-wale velveteen, embroidered in cream with an eagle swooping over Mount Fuji under Japan, eagles on the chest and dragons on both sleeves.

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.

Eagles for an American Eye

The eagle, America's national bird, was the most direct compliment a Japanese embroiderer could pay a customer. Set against Mount Fuji, Japan's own emblem, it made the souvenir jacket a small diplomatic object, the two countries stitched together on a single back.

The Piece

Cream thread on black is the most graphic combination in the souvenir jacket repertoire, and this example shows why. The back carries Japan in broad, confident script above an eagle diving past Mount Fuji with pine branches below, each feather laid in long satin stitches. Two eagles face each other on the chest, and dragons climb both sleeves.

The cloth is a fine-ribbed cotton velveteen with the soft, faded black of long wear, so the embroidery seems to float on it. The rib knits are striped in cream and black. The reverse is a quilted satin face with a tiger, as described when the jacket was catalogued in Japan.

The zip is an early single-claw YKK type, a detail that places the jacket in the 1950s.

Measured flat: shoulder 54 cm, chest 54 cm, sleeve 50 cm, length 57 cm. The drop shoulder makes it wear like a modern medium.

Details

• Designer: Unlabelled Japanese workshop
• Season: 1950s
• Model / ref: Reversible velveteen souvenir jacket
• Material: Cotton velveteen (fine wale); satin reverse; padded lining; knit rib
• Colour: Black with cream embroidery
• Made in: Japan
• Tagged size: No size label
• Measurements: Shoulder 54 cm · Chest (pit to pit) 54 cm · Sleeve 50 cm · Length 57 cm
• Included: Jacket only

Condition

• Tears inside, with padding exposed at the hem lining.
• A tear on the outside of the right side seam.
• Fading and surface wear to the velveteen; marks on the left cuff.
• Embroidery complete and bright.

Condition grade BC 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; a textile conservator can stabilise the tears if you intend to wear it often.

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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