Vintage 1940s Harley Davidson 11034-XG T-Shirt

This vintage T-shirt has undergone a meticulous review by an authenticator (James A.), who has concluded that it is an authentic, 1940s "11034-XG Silver Gray" Harley Davidson T-shirt in an M size. 

In 2020, the Harley-Davidson Museum described this shirt as "Harley-Davidson's first t-shirt," first manufactured in 1947.

Because transporting this item across borders raised tariff concerns and risk of loss, the photos and documentation were supplied directly by the owner, Zack Bernstein (@zackbernstein.dmg). He was able to capture high-quality images and video, including the microscope-level shots necessary for our certifications.

On Thursday, August 4th, 2025, Justin Ingalls, from Varsity Vintage (@varsitylosangeles) in Los Angeles, performed the in-person portion of this authentication to verify the details in this certification.

This garment is deadstock and qualifies for platinum certification status.

This T-shirt is in excellent+ condition. It has never been washed or worn, yet it has a small hole in one of the arms. The only other flaws are construction production-based: excess loose threads, as well as stray particles from flocking that have become embedded in the fibers of the t-shirt.

The front of the shirt features the Harley bar and shield logo with wings.

There is no print on the rear.

The original garment care insert accompanies it.

This item is deadstock, in excellent condition. (excellent+)

The following factors contributed to this grade:

This t-shirt has never been washed or worn, and has been well stored for over seven decades.

After analyzing the item's construction, there are no issues with stitching on the collar, shoulders, arms, or bottom hems.

There is a tiny hole in the left arm (when worn), near the cuff.

Excess thread originates from the rear right arm seam, but poses no threat to the item's integrity.

More excess thread is visible inside, near the collar, and poses no threat to the item's integrity.

Additional excess threads exist on the inside, originating from both arm seams.

There are what appear to be red particles from the flocking process that got caught in the lower seam.

And what could be a larger flock particulate is on the left arm cuff above the stitch.

Additionally:

• The T-shirt is a grey heathered rayon/cotton blend.
• There are no signs of any repair or restoration.
• The collar has not been stretched or warped, and the neck elasticity is optimal.
• Given that this is not a black-based t-shirt, dry rot is not a concern.
• The print is vibrant, with no evidence of any fade from light or sun damage.
• No signs of pilling.
• The print is rough to the touch, to be expected for early examples of flocking, especially in deadstock condition.

Color Profile: The front print features two colors, red and yellow.

Print type: Flock/Flocking.

Flocking is a decorative process in which short fibers—often cotton, rayon, or nylon—are applied to a surface coated with adhesive. Unlike ink that soaks into fabric, flocking creates a raised layer on top, giving the design a soft, velvety texture that can be both felt and seen. This tactile quality made flocking stand out as both visually striking and physically distinctive.

In the 1940s, the method was fairly straightforward. Designers would apply adhesive to fabric using a stencil or silk screen to outline the artwork. Once the sticky areas were prepared, finely chopped fibers, known as the “flock,” were dusted or blown onto the surface. The fibers adhered only where the adhesive had been placed, and the excess was shaken off. The result was a dimensional, plush design that stood out against the fabric.

The technique gained popularity because of its premium appearance. The fuzzy, velvet-like surface gave garments and posters a rich, eye-catching quality that ink alone could not achieve at the time. Although flocking was durable by the standards of the era, repeated washing often wore it down.

In the 1950s, the introduction of electrostatic flocking revolutionized the process—charging the fibers so they stood upright for a smoother, more durable finish.

In the instance of this t-shirt, being 40s, deadstock and unwashed, has preserved this “factory-state” flocking exactly as it was produced. Washing over the decades would have softened the surface somewhat but also caused shedding and visible wear. Ironically, its rough texture today is proof of its pristine condition—offering a rare glimpse at how flocked garments originally left the factory.

Color: Heathered Grey

Construction: Tube Knit

Fabric: Cotton/Rayon

Stitching Profile: 2,1,1 (double stitch on collar, arms, and single on bottom hem.)

Pit-to-Pit: 15.4" (39 cm)

Full Length: 26.97" (68.5 cm)

Left Shoulder seam to arm hem: 5.22" (13.25 cm)

Right shoulder seam to arm hem: 5.31" (13.5 cm)

Left Arm Opening: 5.51" (14 cm)

Right Arm Opening: 5.9" (15 cm)

(The right/left measurements above are from the perspective of the wearer's body)

Tag: Generic, stiff paper/fiber tag stock, size printed or stamped with blue ink.

During this era, t-shirts weren’t yet marketed as branded “fashion.” They were athletic/utility garments sold in dozens, with only a size identifier.

The rear of the tag's waffle appearance features an embedded reinforcing mesh. These were typically die-cut from large sheets of reinforced paper with a gauze or thread matrix inside for added strength, ensuring they wouldn’t tear when stitched into a knit.

Size: Medium

Installation: Sewn-in, decently well-centered on the raw neckline.

Condition: Mint

The fact that this tag is intact, in NOS condition, is remarkable — most paper tabs from this period either tore out or disintegrated in the first washes.

The print on the tag is off-center both vertically and horizontally, noticeably shifted down and to the left. However, it's unclear if this was a standard, or if there was no consistency in the placement.

Width: 0.28" (0.7 cm)

Length: 0.75" (1.9 cm) (visible tag)

"In August of 2025, I purchased this item from an Antique Market that featured several vendor booths. The gentleman who owned the shirt wasn't present when I made the purchase, but according to the helpful staff at the Old Barn Antique market, his name is Michael P. -- he has been a motorcycle, Americana, and automobile (and all its memorabilia) collector for decades. He is deeply involved in the motorcycle culture.

He runs booths at many vintage shows, flea markets, and acquired the t-shirt at a motorcycle swap meet (mostly Harley stuff) in early 2019 or late-ish 2018.

He tried selling it at multiple flea markets and other places (announced he had it in 2019-- above), since it was so expensive (original asking was $700, no one bought it), so he put it in his case at the antique mall, and it's been sitting there ever since (until me!).

You can see it in this screenshot of his stall from the antique market in 2023.

It was also displayed with a note, presumably written by Michael." - Zack Bernstein (@zackbernstein.dmg)

The Harley-Davidson Bar & Shield first appeared in 1910, credited to Janet Davidson—a company secretary and bookkeeper, and niece of co-founder William A. Davidson. Legend has it she drafted the emblem that same year, and by 1911 the sketch was trademarked. More than a century later, the Bar & Shield remains one of the most enduring and recognizable symbols in the world of motorcycling.

It was often paired it with wings in the 1930s–1940s to emphasize speed, freedom, and flight — especially after aviation became a cultural symbol during and after WWII.

We've been unable to determine who created the wings modification.

In 2020, Harley-Davidson offered a reproduction of the white version of this t-shirt via harley-davidson.com. They are no longer for sale.

This piece is an official Harley product, as evidenced by its inclusion in a Harley-Davidson catalog. The actual piece has no licensing information; this was par the course in the 1940s.

A white version of this t-shirt ("11035-XW") was also available. Harley offered a "lettered" version of both colors, where the t-shirt was customized with lettering.

Since no record of a prior sale exists for this particular shirt, its valuation relies on limited reference points. The highest known sale of a Harley-Davidson T-shirt to date is $13,500—but that example is nearly four decades newer.

This piece holds far greater historical significance, as it is recognized as the first Harley T-shirt ever offered to the public and showcases an early use of flocked printing, making it a landmark in both Harley and T-shirt history.

Given its exceptional condition and broad appeal to multiple collecting categories—motorcycle culture, Harley-Davidson, Americana, and vintage T-shirts—we estimate its market value to be between $20,000 and $30,000 USD.

It is currently being auctioned on eBay via Defunkd, and we'll update this section when the auction concludes.

Shortly after posting this t-shirt on social media, an Instagram user reached out to us after noticing the tag on his 1940s flock tee was very similar. We showcased it here.

We were able to date the t-shirt above by identifying an individual wearing it, as photographed in a 1948 newspaper.

8 high-resolution microscopic images highlighting the unique characteristics of this t-shirt—such as its print, fabric, and tag—have been captured and securely linked to this certificate. Just as no two fingerprints are alike, no two vintage tees are identical. These images create a robust and verifiable connection between this certification and the garment, eliminating the need for aftermarket tags, marks, or alterations, thereby preserving the t-shirt's original state.

To prevent counterfeiters from copying our photos, the publicly visible ones have been reduced in quality, while the original, high-res images have been stored privately with this certificate. Watch the video in the Photos & Video section for the most accurate showcase of this garment's appearance.

Given that this t-shirt was printed in limited quantities, we expect the print area on all originals to be identical. As an additional authentication data point, we've taken photos of the print measurements and included them with the secret photos attached to this certificate.

These images are exclusively accessible by Defunkd for future verification.

Additional information discovered after the original publishing date of this certificate can be added to the following sections:

• Artists
• Reissues or Counterfeits
• Licensing
• Related Material
• Value
• Variants
• Notes

Changes will be noted here.

All other sections are locked, except formatting, grammatical corrections, or additional photos.