Very Rare 1940’s-1950’s Vintage Otto F. Ernst Western Gabardine Fringe Pearl Snap Shirt
Made in Sheridan, Wyoming USA
Best Fits Men’s Size: XS
Best Fits Women’s Size: S & XS
(No tagged size)
Color: Chocolate Brown
Material: Selvedge Gabardine / Cotton
Hardware: United Carr Metal Back Pearl Snap Buttons
Trim: Suede Leather Fringe
- Bust: 20” flat
- Length: 30”
- Waist: 16” flat
- Hips: 17” flat
- Shoulders: 17” flat
- Sleeve: 24”
Brand: Otto F. Ernst Inc. Sportswear Sheridan, Wyoming
Decade: 1930s-1940s
- Collared
- Pearl Snap Front
- Western Yoke
- Cowhide Fringe
- Slanted Slit Chest Pockets (hidden under fringe)
- 5-Pearl Snap Sleeve Cuffs
- Square-Cut Hem w/ High Sides
- Tight Woven Selvedge Fabric
- Slim Tailored Fit
- Single Stitch
Beautiful vintage condition. No rips, holes, or tears. There are some iron marks/fades but still really gorgeous. Brand tag is fraying and unreadable. But I believe this to be a Buck Bernie Brand.
MORE INFO:
Gabardine western shirts are the most sought after and hardest to find by vintage collectors because of the high quality and durability of the material. It was costly to weave and expensive to tailor.
Gabardine is a durable warp-face twill weave comprising several varieties of worsted wool, cotton and silk, a tightly woven fabric. Compared to fabrics which preceded it, gabardine was lightweight, soft, super-comfortable, durable, and breathable. Its ability to shed water and break wind helped revolutionize outerwear.
The modern use to describe a fabric rather than a garment dates to Thomas Burberry, founder of the Burberry fashion house, who invented the fabric and revived the name gabardine in 1879. It was introduced by Burberry Clothing, and patented in 1888.
Gabardine is a thick, hard-wearing fabric, ideal for garments subject to heavy wear and tear. Breathable and comfortable: the tight weave of gabardine makes it naturally breathable and very comfortable to wear during all seasons.
H Bar C Ranchwear History
In 1897, a young tailor from Brooklyn named Samuel Christenfeld decides to start designing luxury clothing with an “english riding flare” and called it "Tailoring by Christenfeld, in Brooklyn, NY”. Nine years later, in 1906, he formed a partnership with Mel Halpern and officially changed the name to Halpern and Christenfeld.
After a few years of being partners Christenfeld decided to buy out Halpern, take controlling interest of the company, and changed the name to H-C for legal purposes. Shortly after he changed the name, again, to HBarC.
After Samuel’s death in 1939, HBarC focused on the western market, and started to grow internationally. Seymour moved to California to open the Los Angeles office and established the Hollywood arm of the brand. As a maker of authentic western wear, and the popularity of western movies, many movies began to use HBarC. Catering to the Hollywood elite, HBarC supplied clothes for western movies clothing the likes of Gene Autry, Roy Rogers, John Wayne, Elvis Presley, John Travolta to name only a few.
