Up for bid is a Jacob Reed's Sons made, wool military school uniform jacket.

Not only does Jacob Reed’s Sons belong in the narrative of Philadelphia retail, but they have a long, recurring role when discussing menswear in the city.  The shop began with the completion of Jacob Reed’s apprenticeship in 1824.  Though he was just 21 years of age, Jacob had spent 13 years of his life learning the art of tailoring and was ready to open his own clothing shop on High Street (now Market), the largest concentration of tailors in the city.

Jacob Reed struggled through his first few years.  His shop bounced around the eastern part of the city, not lasting in a location for much longer than a year, but he eventually began to gain a steady flow of business by offering his “one price” guarantee (which would eliminate the need for bargaining over goods, since he was offering his garments at their lowest price) and by shifting some of his work towards producing ready to wear garments.  By 1858, Jacob had settled in his location at the corner of 2nd and Spruce, and was becoming increasingly involved with the production of military uniforms.  This practice was something that would continue for decades, as Reed’s and then Jacob Reed’s Sons would produce uniforms for government agencies ranging from the Army and Navy to the Post Office and National Parks.

The writing on the shoulder patch is written in French, and translates to Always Ready.