This “William Gibson Collection” Black N-1 Deck Jacket captures all of the design features found on the standard, military-spec. Buzz Rickson’s copy of the 1944 USN khaki deck jacket Buzz Rickson’s made famous (found on this web site), but produced in black and patterned with a slimmer arm width for a more tailored look.

The N-1 Deck Jacket is a rugged, all-American classic that looks as great today as it did in 1944, fabricated from all-cotton, hard-wearing jungle cloth masterfully recreated on vintage looms by Buzz Rickson; this will function with many different clothing applications and surely will fast become a favorite item in your wardrobe.  Scorn the cookie-cutter look of “mall” jackets and grab a piece of 20th century American history that combines style with durability and utility.   Please take note of these additional features:

• Exact copy of original USN contract label design printed on 100% cotton fabric

•“William Gibson” label design produced on a vintage shuttle loom

• Custom manufacturing of the correct, heavy, corded-cotton outer shell to precisely match USN specs. and dyed jet black

• 100% cotton thread construction

• Custom manufacturing of double-faced, genuine alpaca fur-and-wool lining

• Two external slash pockets

• EXACT copy of a vintage zipper in brass

• Button-front wind flap protector located in front of zipper closure

• Custom manufacturing of the correct, two-ply 100% worsted wool knit cuffs in jet black, hidden up inside the sleeves to protect them from wear

• Gusseted armpit construction with eyelet vents

• Drawstring cords at jacket bottom to seal out the wind

Sizes 38-44.  Please see our SIZING TIPS for advice on how to get the correct fit.

Buzz Rickson’s goods are imported from

The U. S. Navy’s original Pea Coat was the 1910 model, fabricated from heavy, 36-ounce melton wool, outfitted with black urea buttons displaying an anchor surrounded by 13 stars, and both side-entry and flap-covered pockets.  Due to the lower pockets with pocket flaps, the coat design was longer in length than the Pea Coats of the late 1930's and subsequent years most individuals are familiar with.  Additionally, the interior of the coat was lined with wool flannel and not the rayon of the WWII Pea Coats.  A large-sized collar was incorporated in the design to block strong ocean winds and corduroy-lined pockets helped thwart the numbing effect on hands from the biting winter seas.  This was the same basic jacket design that went to war over 100 years ago with the U. S. Navy in WWI.

Once again, Buzz Rickson’s brand has resurrected a bygone treasure from the ground up, utilizing the vintage looms and know-how to craft fabrics not typically seen today, then deftly sewing the pieces together with vintage Union Special sewing machines to provide a finished product that comes as close to the vintage garment as is practical today.  What we end up with is a Pea Coat that transcends fashion by light years and bolts straight to the heart of classic style through the very functionality of the original design that has been so deftly reproduced.

You see, the glut of fashion Pea Coats found in catalogs and shopping malls the world over all have one big thing in common that separates them from a true Pea Coat of the Good Old Days:  fashion Pea Coats aren’t designed to do anything more than look like a Pea Coat!  Pick up any Pea Coat marketed today and feel the flimsy, sportcoat-grade poly-wool fabric, the knap of which pills into unsightly little balls with the first sign of hard use, condemning the coat to the trash within a few short seasons and never having kept anyone warm at latitudes further north than Miami. 

This Buzz Rickson’s Pea Coat is no light-weight fashionista statement; it’s made from 30-ounce kersey wool and lined with wool flannel, both of which minimize loss of body heat and will wear as ferociously as did the Pea Coats that won WWI.  This is top-quality vintage craftsmanship irreplaceable at any price – this is Buzz Rickson’s.  Please take note of these authentic features:

• Exact copy of original U. S. Naval Clothing Factory contract label design woven on rayon

• Custom manufacturing of the correct, heavy-weight, 30-ounce, kearsey-wool outer shell in navy blue and produced on vintage looms

• Custom manufacturing of the correct, heavy rayon lining with two interior pockets

• Cotton thread construction

• Two external hand-warmer pockets lined in the original-spec. heavy-weight corduroy

• Original-spec.10-button front featuring the pre-WWII buttons displaying an anchor surrounded by 13 stars

• Large wind-blocking collar with throat latch

Even-numbered sizes 34-44.   Please see our SIZING TIPS for advice on how to get the correct fit.

Buzz Rickson’s goods are imported from Japan.

This style is a one-time offering this year, last produced in 2012.  This version we offer is made exclusively for the USA and Europe, having no name plate and wings on the left breast as does the production version for Japan.

Developed in the late 1930's as a summer flying jacket that could be worn on its own or in combination with a one-piece flying suit and helmet made from the same hard-wearing, corded-cotton fabric dyed in a light shade of olive drab that could span bronze, khaki-like, pea green, and gray-green shades, the 37-J-1 was widely issued to USN and USMC airmen at the time, and it could still be seen being worn into the very early days of WWII.  The popularity of the 37-J-1 among naval aviators rested with its practical, good-looking design and the hard-wearing cotton fabric that was specifically developed for flying clothing; this is the same fabric that went into mass production in WWII for use in USN foul-weather suits from which the coveted "deck jackets" became omnipresent and and highly sought after.  The 37-J-1 also featured prominently in the 1941 film "Dive Bomber", which starred Errol Flynn and Fred MacMurray.  This was filmed in Technicolor and features a bounty of rare naval aircraft, uniforms, and flying gear; this is a must-see for all fans of naval aviation in the months just prior to WWII.

Today, the 37-J-1 is very much a collector's dream, being nearly impossible to source in nice condition and commanding some serious premiums if one is even fortunate enough to have the chance to make such a purchase.  Buzz Rickson's brand is known for producing the hardwearing, corded-cotton fabric to amazing likeness in their various WWII USN "deck jackets," and now using this same fabric they have performed an absolutely superb job at recreating the 37-J-1 to clone-like standards.  Please note these authentic features found only on the vintage original 37-J1 Flying Jackets and this Buzz Rickson's masterpiece:

• Exact copy of original USN contract label design woven on vintage shuttle looms

• Exact duplication of the original property mark “USN” stenciled in black above the left pocket

• Custom manufacturing of the correct, heavy, corded-cotton outer shell to precisely match USN specs. and dyed a light shade of khaki-like Olive Drab

• Custom manufacturing of the correct, lightweight, broadcloth-cotton lining d dyed a gray-green shade of light olive drab

• Exact copy of genuine urea buttons made on vintage dyes; urea is the only button type specified at the time

• Cotton-thread construction

• Custom manufacturing of the correct, two-ply, worsted-wool knit cuffs, collar, and waistband in gray-green Olive Drab

• Lacquered-metal grommet vents located in armpits

• Two-button closure on convertible collar

• Two external pockets with central gusset, button flap, and soft-cotton lining on pocket front

• Incredibly authentic reproduction of the early Hookless zipper with all-metal base riveted at zipper bottom for extra strength at this area of great stress

• Zipper pull fob made from jacket fabric and riveted in place

Sizes:  36-44.  Please see our SIZING TIPS for advice on how to get the correct fit.

Buzz Rickson’s goods are imported from Japan