Hercules Union Made Denim Chore Coat, Vintage Sears Workwear Coverall, Donut Buttons, Indigo

A vintage Hercules denim chore coat from the Sears, Roebuck workwear line, with its green Union Made label, four front pockets and stamped donut buttons, faded to a deep, uneven indigo.

Sears, Roebuck and the Hercules Label

Through the first half of the twentieth century, the Sears catalogue clothed much of working America, and Hercules was its house name for heavy-duty garments: overalls, dungarees, work shirts and denim coveralls. The jackets were built to be worn hard and replaced, so few survived in good order.

Collectors date Hercules pieces by their labels, buttons and construction; the green Union Made label seen here belongs to the brand's mid-century work garments. A donut-button chore coat with authentic fading is one of the purest expressions of American workwear, and an obvious ancestor of the denim jackets designers still cut today.

The Piece

Hercules was the workwear label of Sears, Roebuck and Co., sold through the mail-order catalogue to farmers, railroad men and mechanics across America. Today the brand is collected alongside Lee, Levi's and Big Yank by denim enthusiasts who prize its sturdy construction and the honesty of its wear.

This is the classic coverall, or chore coat: a shirt collar, a straight, hip-length body and four front pockets, including a pencil pocket on the chest and two large lower patch pockets, all closed with metal donut buttons that also fasten the cuffs. The green-on-cream woven label on the chest pocket reads Union Made Hercules. Inside, the denim is unlined and shows a lighter blue face, with an internal pocket.

The fading is the reason to own it: honeycombed, streaked and sun-bleached in the way only decades of work produce, with the original indigo surviving in the seams and under the collar. There are repairs and holes from that working life, including zigzag darning at the back hem and a small hole near the lower front pocket, and we leave them visible.

Measured flat: shoulder 45 cm, chest 53 cm, sleeve 61.5 cm, length 78 cm, which suits a modern medium.

Details

• Designer: Hercules (Sears, Roebuck and Co.)
• Season: Mid-century; believed to be 1940s to 1950s
• Model / ref: Denim coverall / chore coat
• Material: Cotton denim
• Colour: Faded indigo
• Made in: USA
• Tagged size: No size label
• Measurements: Shoulder 45 cm · Chest (pit to pit) 53 cm · Sleeve 61.5 cm · Length 78 cm
• Included: Coat only

Condition

• Stains in several places, including the sleeve.
• Old repairs, including zigzag darning at the back hem.
• Small holes near the shoulder and lower front.
• General fraying and signs of long use; all buttons present.

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. Hand wash cold and inside out, or simply air it; vintage denim keeps its character best with as little washing as possible.

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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