Belstaff TrialMaster – A Cautionary eBay Tale
Given my propensity for not thinking rationally when I see cool stuff on eBay. I couldn’t resist this original Belstaff “TrialMaster” waxed cotton jacket. As worn by Lambretta time trialists.
I have to admit that I’ve been moving away from the Mod look recently. I’m mixing my rose tinted history a little as it’s very un-mod and by looking at other items being sold by the seller he was a specialist in rocker gear (I didn’t know that the best rocker gear was made by “Lewis Leathers”!).
Having said that I’m re-aligning myself slightly more with the scooter “enthusiast” community which you could say lasted from the fifties right into the late seventies. They weren’t into music and fashion but time trialing and scooter racing. These Belstaff jackets appear to be standard issue and in many pictures they are wearing what will keep them warm and dry (leather boots, submariner roll neck jumpers) rather than what looks cool.
This is not quite he same thing (it’s a Barbour jacket designed for submarine Captains, with slanted top pocket for quick pistol draw) but who can argue with Steve, the king of cool.
Hey Harry,
I got my first Belstaff Trialmaster jacket for enduro riding in 1970 (I think it cost $65 then, which seemed costly), and it finally met its fate in 1977 when my young brother in law laid down a Yamaha DTI on asphalt, and shredded the jacket — but he came away unscathed. Feeling nostalgic, I bought one off a UK site three years ago for about $225, which at the time seemed steep, but now seems cheap, judging from current asking prices. The jacket has been with me to the UK and the Netherlands on tourist holidays and served well. Not the most modern of jackets, given the pluses of Gortex, and the like, but there is nothing like the vintage look of the original! When I wore it on the streets of NYC in 1973, passers-by would stand aside to let me pass, lest they got in my way!
Comment by james edmonson — June 14, 2008 @ 6:36 am
I found your picture on google images
I WANT THIS JACKET
il sing for you?
Comment by Chris — February 17, 2009 @ 4:35 pm
do you still wear it, or can i have it?
Comment by Chris — February 17, 2009 @ 4:36 pm
We have just added an original Belstaff Trialmaster wax jacket to our store. Follow the link below. It’s original and authentic, just like the photo’s above. Size men’s Large. Great condition. Ill let you read more below.
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/vtg-BELSTAFF-INTERNATIONAL-TRIALMASTER-WAX-JACKET-LARGE_W0QQitemZ110455382251QQcmdZViewItemQQptZMen_s_Clothes?hash=item19b7a760eb
ENJOY – Regards, Gilly
Comment by Gillan Bell — November 9, 2009 @ 5:50 pm
בלו ביי – ×§×•× ×™× ×ž×•×›×¨×™× – מכירות פומביות, מכירות רגילות, לוחות וב×רטריׅ
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