Hobbies And Interests
Condition
Shrewdly assess the condition. Lay the jacket on a flat, well-lit surface. First inspect the leather for dry spots, tears, cracking and soiling. Unless particularly old or bearing historical merit, condition will highly influence price and selling venue. Determine what flaws can be remedied and which should not. Removing soil will improve condition, while making alterations will mar authenticity. Through an honest assessment, determine whether the jacket is indeed salable. Jackets in poor condition that do not have historical importance may be more suited to costume use only. The presence of mold is a hazard. Do not sell a rotted jacket, assuming it does not have major documented historical significance, such as a connection to a historical figure.
Identification
Look for labels inside the jacket. Most typically, a label will appear beneath the nape of the neck, in a seam or under an interior pocket. The name of the maker can give many clues as to the date manufactured and the quality level of the coat at the time. A few names are highly collectible. Finding an innovative design by East-West Musical Instruments Label in a jacket is the fashion equivalent of winning the lottery.
Style and Size
Style factors into price in two ways. First, it is a barometer for acceptable condition. Second, it may indicate desirability to the fashion market. A sleek leather style of high fashion and modern lines is less desirable when marred by age and use. On the contrary, purveyors of bomber jackets created for action appreciate an aged patina. Peruse fashion magazines and websites to see what styles are being lauded for the next season. A leather jacket with no historical or intrinsic value may be suddenly desirable if the style inspired current trends. If a jacket is already appreciated by collectors, interest from buyers whose purpose is augmenting their wardrobe will increase demand.
Size of the jacket often figures into price. While irrelevant for historical artifacts, it may add to or reduce the reasonable price of a more pedestrian jacket. In the case of jackets produced before the 1960s, larger sizes are scarce in surviving examples and sometimes, but not always, command more interest.
Estimates
If the jacket is collectible, there may be auction estimates to reference. Jackets worn by military personnel in the World Wars may be desirable, especially when documentation is included. For fashion jackets, several labels are collectible. East-West Musical Instruments regularly bring several hundred to several thousand dollars at auction. Apart from the rare examples, auction digests from major auction houses are not reliable. Check online auction websites and check the inventory of local shops to educate yourself. Aside from the rare examples, clothing produced for everyday wear is typically priced lower than current retail prices of new items.
Location
Price also depends on where the jacket is going to be sold. The price of a lined winter leather coat, assuming no additional historical merit, will be appreciatively less if placed in a consignment shop in Miami instead of Maine. Customers are accustomed to paying bargain prices at swap meets, but are more accustomed to more substantial prices at boutiques with well-edited selections.
Additional Considerations
If after assessment, the prospect of sale does not seem to be profitable, there are additional points to consider. Fashion is cyclical. The style, if not popular now, may have a comeback. However, the risk of storage damage of additional years or decades may outweigh the additional potential profit.