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Schott NYC Leather Motorcycle Jacket - Made In USA

Craig Shipp • Feb 24, 2022

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Schott - Model# PER13 - 100th. Anniversary jacket - limited edition 2013

Above - Schott Motorcycle Biker Jackets - Model# PER13 - 100th. Anniversary jacket in naked pebbled steerhide - limited edition 2013. From Schott: “Our 100th. Anniversary jacket we produced in 2013 was the style #PER13, it was based on the 618 style but had orange quilt lining and special labels.” Note: I question this statement by Schott because the above pictured jacket is pebbled not smooth steerhide and this jacket does not have the bi-swing back as does the 618 jacket. Click Here for more photos of this jacket!

3/1/2022 - From Jerri Reyes at Schott: "It was manufactured in 2013 for our 100th year anniversary. It is waxy naked pebbled cowhide jacket. It sold for brand new at $750.00." (Note: The label in the actual coat says Steerhide but Schott has said they use the terms cowhide and steerhide interchangeably).

These jackets have traditionally cost about 100 hours of work for the minimum wage earner of the time.

Also join the Schott facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/schottnyc

Unanswered questions about this PER13 jacket:

Is this jacket styled after the 519 model and if so why does it not have a bi-swing back? And why are the stars on the epaulet are missing as well?
Is this jacket the Rosie model made for the Japanese market? See photos below. It looks like the Rosie model is different with smooth leather, a bi-swing back and a star on the epaulet.

Anyone who has more information regarding this rare Schott PER13 jacket please email: cs@areaguides.com

From GAIL at Schott regarding Waxy Cowhide vs. Naked Cowhide vs. Steerhide 05/01/14: "Both leathers are cowhide, but as I noted the Naked cowhide is a higher grade leather and a heavier weight leather. The naked cowhide has no finish at all and is just drummed dyed. This means the hides are very clean with the least amount of natural imperfections in the hide such as scarring or tick marks. The Steerhide though it does have a finish is still a higher grade hide and the finish applied does not mute any natural imperfection, it will still have the clean smooth look. The waxy cowhide is a lighter weight leather and this type of finish will blend the appearance of the leather, while providing the shiner appearance and a more vintage look with wear. All of these leathers are very durable and will provide many years of wear. A lot of the choices in a leather jacket depends on the person and their needs. If they are a M/C rider they may want a heavier leather and the bi-swing back for riding, while another person may want a jacket for fashion only. Some jackets are warmer with quilt linings and zip-out linings, while others have light weight linings, so when and where you want to wear the jacket is also part of the decision. In regards to care, a jacket that has a finish provides some protection to the leather. The naked cowhide has no finish so the natural oils of the hide will surface to continually condition the leather, but it also means it can all absorb things. We do not recommend that a person apply anything to a naked jacket as it can change the appearance and feel of the leather. Once you decide what your needs are you can then choose the best jacket for you. Gail"

Are your Schott Perfecto jacket sleeves too long? (video above) - For many the sleeves on the Schott Perfecto motorcycle jackets are simply too long. Sure they are designed to be long enough when you reach for the handlebars but for many they are just too long. Sometimes longer isn't better! In this video I show how I had the sleeves shortened and had a special piece of leather added under the zipper to protect the watch and keep wind out. Some Schott jackets have leather bellows inside the sleeve zipper but my jacket did not. In the end I actually like my solution because at the same time I had Bedo's Leatherworks - http://www.leatherrepair.com - terminate the zipper about 1/2" before the end of the sleeve giving more protection between the watch and the zipper.

Schott on MidAtlanticTV - above the fit and below the LIVE stream.

Schott 100th Anniversary "Rosie" Japan Only

From a post in the Schott forum from 2014 (photos below): "Pretty happy with this find. Its a 100th Anniversary "Rosie" jacket, made in USA, but only released in Japan (7371). It is either a one off, special production or an irregular as the label is marked. Also, the Rosie was modeled after the original 613 style, but this one has collar snaps, which the regular production did not. Red quilted lining. 100th Anniversary patch. The collar epaulettes are a different shape than the normal 613 and the bi-swing back is different. Bottom back is straight, not oval. With the old styling and the collar snaps, it reminds me a lot of the Wild One jacket. My only issue with it is that the jacket is cut shorter than a normal 613, the body doesn't bother me, but the sleeves seem short. Check it out!" see: https://www.schottnyc.com/forum/posts/new_find_schott_100th_anniversary_rosie_japan_only.htm

Schott's heritage is a true-blue, real-deal, piece of Americana. The iconic styles produced by hand for over 100 years have become infused in American culture and have served as battle flags for the American spirit. It all started in 1928 with the Schott 118 model . It was the first motorcycle jacket with zippers and specifically designed for riding a motorcycle.

Above and below - Marlon Brando in the movie The Wild One made the Schott motorcycle jacket cool! So cool it later was banned from schools! see: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wild_One

Schott History: In 1913, as Ford's new Model T began to crowd the already bustling streets of New York City, two brothers, the sons of a Russian immigrant, went after their piece of the American Dream. Irving and Jack Schott started making raincoats in a basement on the Lower East Side of Manhattan which were then sold by street peddlers door to door. Irving Schott's leather jackets were lovingly branded with the name of his favorite cigar - the Perfecto. By the mid-twenties, Schott NYC was revolutionizing the way Americans dressed for the outdoors when they were the first to put a zipper on a jacket. Eager to innovate, it was no surprise that Irving Schott then set his sights on another American classic in the making - the motorcycle. In 1928, Irving Schott designed and produced the first leather motorcycle jacket. Retailing for $5.50 at a Long Island Harley Davidson distributor, the Perfecto® was durable, rugged, and immediately embraced. To this new generation of "bikers," the Perfecto® was a symbol of the excitement, adventure and danger that fueled their fascination with motorcycles.

But as the country and the world turned its attention overseas, so did Schott. Commissioned by the US Air Force at the start of WWII, Irving Schott designed and produced a "bomber jacket" that would serve and protect Our Boys as they fought for liberty in the air over Europe and the Pacific. And on deck, servicemen kept out the cold with Schott's classic melton wool naval pea coat. Rugged and warm, these leather and wool jackets would be produced by Schott for the US Military

for the next 60 years.

With WWII over, this country was witnessing the rise of a new rebellion one that would be fought with fast cars and Rock and Roll. In 1954, the now cult classic "The Wild Ones" featured the hot young actor, Marlon Brando, perched on his motorcycle wearing his Schott Perfecto®. The subsequent spike in popularity of the Perfecto® surprisingly resulted in decreased sales. The jackets were banned by school systems around the country because they symbolized a burgeoning teen demographic, the hoodlum. Just one year later, the Perfecto® was catapulted to the height of its popularity when a love for speed ended the life of the quintessential hoodlum. It is said that James Dean could hardly ever be seen without his Perfecto®.

Throughout the 70s and 80s Schott became synonymous with the punk rock movement. The current wave of rebellion came to the streets of downtown New York City through underground music venue, CBGB. The Schott Perfecto® was the uniform for rock stars like The Ramones, Blondie, Joan Jett and The Sex Pistols.

As the world grew smaller and international trade became common place through online shopping and global markets, Schott expanded overseas where "Made in America" was revered and coveted. Peacoats, Duffle coats, flight jackets, motorcycle jackets, nylon outerwear, knits and sportswear became available worldwide as Schott NYC represented the heritage of America and the rebel inside everyone.

2013 - Celebrating Schott's 100th Anniversary. As we celebrate our first hundred years, Schott NYC is still owned and run by the third and fourth generations of the Schott family who still manufacture most of their clothing in the United States. In an old brick building, the classic styles that have, and will continue to, connect with the American spirit are cut and sewn by the hands of trained craftspeople. There is a feeling with putting on a Perfecto® that cannot be replicated or described. It is a persona, the history of America's bad boy, seeped into the heavy cowhide and chrome hardware. A strong sense of American pride is behind every Peacoat's anchor buttons. The courage to face the uncertainty on the open road and all the freedom that comes with it, lives on in the hearts of the Schott family as they look towards the next hundred years as a true American Original. see: https://www.schottnyc.com/about.cfm

Some of the Schott jackets that we recommend are (as of 2022):

Classic Perfecto® Leather Motorcycle Jacket STYLE: 118

Classic Perfecto® Steerhide Leather Motorcycle Jacket STYLE: 618

Men's Horsehide Motorcycle Jacket Style 613H

Schott NYC x Grateful Dead Cowhide Fitted Motorcycle Jacket STYLE: GD51

Waxy Natural Cowhide 50's Perfecto® Motorcycle Leather Jacket STYLE: 519

Women's Hand Vintaged Cowhide Perfecto Jacket STYLE: PER71W

Also see my Five Best Bomber jackets video below:

Turns out the Japanese are big fans of motorcycle jackets. They even have some first rate leather jacket manufacturers in Japan.

Here are some of the high quality jacket makers based in Japan: Freewheelers; The Flat Head; Tenjin Works; The Real McCoys; and Rainbow Country. Also checkout the D pocket jackets by Y'2, Fine Creek Leathers and Double Helix (see videos below)