Canada, Dominion. The Evening Jacket Of Legendary Ace & Air Marshal Billy Avery Bishop, Vc

A Pre-Second War livery of William Bishop, including both Jacket and Pants. Jacket: exterior is fabricated from black wool, designed with notched lapels and tapered, the front with six large flat-topped buttons, three on either side, each of which is covered with black embroidery bearing a checkerboard pattern. There is one pocket sewn in place on the left breast, the lining of which is in an off-white cotton. There are holes in the fabric immediately above the pocket where a ribbon bar once resided. The jacket is designed with button down cuffs, each of which incorporates four small buttons and are covered in the same black embroidered checkerboard pattern as that used on the buttons on the front. It is single-vented, the long vent rising to the waistline, with large flat-topped buttons on either side of the termination of the vent, each of which is covered with the same black embroidery bearing a checkerboard pattern, as per those used on the front. The inside is lined in black satin, with reinforced stitching under each armpit. The sleeves are lined in an off-white satin, both of which exhibit extensive fraying and wear throughout in the off-white satin. The collar has a 75 mm long black satin strap sewn in place for hanging the jacket on a hook. There is a pocket sewn in place on the right breast, lined in an off-white cotton, with an embroidered manufacturer's label sewn in place on the lining, the label inscribed "ANDERSON & SHEPPARD LTD. / 30, Savile Row. W. 1.", with handwritten notations in black ink, including the service number "63349", the date "3.12.38" (December 3, 1938) and named to "Air Marshal W.A. Bishop, V.C., DSO", the jacket measuring 460 mm across the shoulders x 990 mm in length; and matching Pants: exterior is fabricated from a black wool, with a button down fly incorporating five black plastic buttons on the right side facing an equal number of reinforced button holes on the left side, discreetly hidden under a flap, along with a hook and eye catch at the waist above. It has four pockets, one on each side at the front with a traditional hip-side entry, and two top-entry ones on either side on the seat, all of which are deep and lined in an off-white cotton, the two front pockets marked with a handwritten code in black ink.

The pants have six black plastic buttons placed at equal intervals at the waist, with a 15 mm wide intricately embroidered stripe running from the waist to the cuff along the outside edge on both pant legs. The inside is lined in black satin on the wide band at the waist, the pants measuring 780 mm around at the waist x 1,055 mm in length overall. Both the jacket and pants exhibit light soiling, as well as extensive fraying in the sleeves of the jacket, the exterior wool and interior lining of both pieces free of interruptions in the fabrics, with the stitching intact. As worn.

Accompanied by two letters: one letter from James A. Farley, Chairman of the Board of The Coca-Cola Export Corporation (dated May 18, 1949, addressed to Colonel W.G. Hagarty of London, Ontario, who was an associate of Billy Bishop, with the signature of Farley in green ink, printed in black ink with black typewritten text, on an off-white paper stock, measuring 203 mm (w) x 261 mm (h), with Farley's business card paper clipped in place to it); the other letter authored by Ken Hagarty, Jr. of Scarborough, Ontario (dated August 11, 2018, confirming that the tuxedo was gifted from Air Marshal Bishop to his grandfather, Colonel W.G. Hagarty, as the two were close friends and associates, also stating that "Billy Bishop would often vacation at my grandfather's cottage in Grand Bend (Ontario). The jacket was passed down within my family, first to my father and then to myself", signed in blue ink by Ken Hagarty, Jr., measuring 216 mm (w) x 278 mm (h)). Footnote: William Avery Bishop, VC, CB, DSO & Bar, MC, DFC, ED (February 8, 1894 - September 11, 1956) was a Canadian flying ace of the First World War. He was officially credited with 72 victories, making him the top Canadian and British Empire ace of the war. He was an Air Marshal and a Victoria Cross recipient. During the Second World War, Bishop was instrumental in setting up and promoting the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan.