Rare Original WW2 USN Pilot Mk 1 Wraparound Life Vest Mae West Pacific

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Thank you very much for visiting my listing. Please be advised that this item is in and will be shipped from Japan via Express Mail only. Please READ my shipping policy. Also. please check all the pictures and ASK questions if you have any. I will gladly answer all your questions promptly. About the Item: Very few of these survived the war. Most of the surviving samples I've seen are either like this or worse than this. I took very clear pictures for you to examine. I'll let the pictures do the describing. What I will tell you is what the pictures can't. The outer yellow canvas fabric is okay. The rubber waterproofing laminate inside has dried up, hardened and is now stiff and brittle to the touch. This is the case with all the surviving vests I have had the chance to come across. The premium in owning this is its iconic status. Legendary Pacific naval aviators the likes of Butch O'Hare wore one just like it. I am including a screenshot from that era. The hoses are intact. The retention strap that runs down the back is long gone. This is a good chance to own a piece of history. 100% Original. The pictures capture the condition of the item/s in this listing. Note the size and date markings whenever appropriate. You are bidding on and will get everything in the pictures. I have nothing more to add unless you have any questions. I try to take the best pictures I can and upload as much as eBay allow us. Pictures transcend language.Check the pictures very well. The pictures are meant to be self-explanatory. They show you the condition quite clearly. If you need more, ask. Pictures: The item being listed is the exact same item in the picture. The pictures are very self-explanatory and a main part of the item description. They tell you more about the item and its condition better than words. Please study the pictures very well. Check them and re-check them and re-check them. They are the pictures of the exact same item being offered for sale in this listing and are of the exact same item you will be getting. If you have any questions at all about the item, the condition of the item/s, my shipping policy, my payment policy, PLEASE ask me through eBay's messaging system. My items are all 100% original and authentic. They are sold for collection and display purposes only. For bidders who want only one item, I expect payment within two days after the end of the auction. Please use eBay's PAY NOW system to pay for your item. For bidders who win several items and want combined shipping, please wait for a revised/combined shipping invoice from me for all your items. I also expect payment within two days after I send you the invoice. Non-paying bidders will be reported to eBay. Shipping: I ship only via Japan Post EMS (Express Mail Service) because it is the ONLY way available here that provides us both with a online-traceable tracking number. It is expensive. Please consider the shipping cost before you bid. Postage is paid in Japanese Yen nd the Dollar-Yen exchange rate changes everyday. The yen is very strong against the dollar now. I ship worldwide. I combine shipping for multiple purchases. You'll be surprised how much you can save with combined shipping for multiple items! I try to ship your item within the day I confirm your payment and PayPal gives me the green light to ship. Post Offices within reasonable driving distance from my place are closed on Saturdays, Sundays and National Holidays so I cannot ship your packages out on those days. You can expect very fast shipping from me. Your packages leave Japan within a day or two after being posted. Any delays will be on your end. If you need an invoice for your local Customs office, tell me so I can include it in the package. Please be sure that your country allows you to import these items before bidding. Your items will be packed as securely and in the most compact manner possible. Should require insurance for your purchase, ask. Whatever excess you paid in postage/shipp... read more

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