1978 Traci Eubanks Choir Letter Cardigan, Red Wool - Phoenix-Mesa, Arizona

A red wool letter cardigan, size 40. It belonged to Traci Eubanks, she lettered in 1978, and she lettered in choir.

Everyone assumes a letter sweater means sport, but American schools awarded letters for music, drama and debate as well, and a choir sweater is much the scarcer object - fewer were made and fewer were kept. This one carries five choir patches. On a letter sweater each additional patch marks a further year or a further ensemble, so Traci sang the whole way through.

On the sleeve, a lion - her school's.

Her name is on it twice, and the two versions are not the same. Inside, embroidered where only she would see it: T Eubanks - the formal one, the way a school roll lists you. Outside, worked across the front: Traci 78. One sweater carrying both the official person and the actual one.

The dealer's label places it. The tag inside is a shop's rather than a manufacturer's: Kerr Sporting Goods, Phoenix-Mesa. A local sporting goods house was how an American school outfitted its lettered students - the shop took the order, applied the chenille, and put its own name in the collar. So this is an Arizona sweater on the label alone, before you read a stitch of the lettering.

Knitted wool rather than the melton-and-leather jacket that came later, which makes it the older form and by some distance the more wearable one.

Good Vintage Condition.

One of one. Sold as found.

No returns - as is.