Collectibles

[BriTer]

Couldn't find a 'Collectibles' thread so I started one.
I'm looking for info on a Hudsons Bay point blanket I recently bought at a yard sale. The label on it was used from the early 1960's to mid 1970's.
It is a 4 point, uncut pair, scarlet on indigo approximately 168"x72".
I've done a lot of Googling but can't find the year the uncut pairs were no longer sold.
Help???

[grammafreddy]

Did you try the HBC Museum? They will have the most accurate information for you. Nice find!!! Fabulous blankets!

http://www.hbc.com/hbcheritage/history/blanket/

[grammafreddy]

How can I determine the age of my blanket?

The blanket label is the best tool to date a blanket: its colour, size, colour of thread, text and layout of the text all provides useful information regarding date of manufacture. Size (dimensions) of blanket and blanket colour are also extremely useful.

While HBC Heritage Services is not in a position to advise on the age of any blanket, here are a few general guidelines:

Early labels were usually red on white and fairly consistent in size, being roughly 1.5" x 2.5" give or take a quarter or eight of an inch
By the 1940s the label size changed to about 3.5" x 3"
Bilingual labels were introduced in 1970
Six point (Queen-size) blankets were introduced in the mid to late 1960s
Eight-point (King-size) blankets were introduced in the mid to late 1980s
Use of the text ALL WOOL was discontinued by 1950
Use of the text 100% WOOL began in 1950
The U.S. Registration No. 220747was first issued in 1926

Author and HBC point blanket collector Harold Tichenor has published a guide for collectors.

Link to Tichenor's Guide : http://www.pointblankets.com/

[BriTer]

Thanks GF, I had seen that. Good info on labels there but nothing about when they stopped selling uncut pairs.

[grammafreddy]

What's an "uncut pair"?

[grammafreddy]

Google is my friend:

http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/s ... .google.ca

Here's an uncut one on eBay: http://cgi.ebay.ca/Vintage-Hudson-Bay-P ... 25638f9708

The ebay site says ...

Up until the 1970’s, these blankets were shipped as pairs, literally 1 long blanket with 2 labels and 2 sets of points and coloured stripes. At the store, these blankets would be cut into 2 regular sized blankets. Some of these blankets were left in their un-separated state to make a double length blanket.

[BriTer]

Thanks GF I knew that uncut pairs stopped sometime in the '70s but trying to narrow it down a bit more. I'm surprised that that info isn't readily available considering the extent of record keeping by manufacturers. Regardless, everything I have found so far makes for very interesting reading.
EBay is a great place to find deals but can be not so great for sellers like the ad link you posted. 1 bid, $300. It'll be interesting to see what it finally sells for. It's value is twice the retail list, plus collectability value.
The one I have is from the same era and is in even better condition, no fraying.
Some things I've uncovered...these blankets were made in (I think) 50 pair bolts. Lengths were shipped to retailers etc as per order, in one piece. The retailer would then just rip off whatever length they were selling to an individual. I haven't looked yet but there should be a tear point woven or cut into ours, half way along it's length.
An uncut pair was sometimes used by campers, hunters etc. as an instant sleeping bag. Just climb onto the unfolded blanket and pull the other half up over you.

[BriTer]

Anyone else here have Bay blankets??

[Lady tehMa]

My folks do, still in use at their house.

[Bpeep]

What's an "uncut pair"?

Uncircumcised twins?

Miss you granny fred.
You were the best.
Make god laugh.

[Queen K]

I almost dropped when I clicked on this thread and realized how old it is.
When I see GrammaFreddy posts I want to weep.
No fair.

I saw a Hollyhobby collectible today.
Hollyhobby was for little girls right?
But this was an ashtray.
A Hollyhobby ashtray. Seriously.

[alanjh595]

Silver or gold content, all others are face value.
The greatest value was to the person that collected them for entertainment value.

[Queen K]

http://www.cevna.com/articles/20_Century_Chrome.pdf

No but this may assist.

[Brushy Bill]

Have a ball cap collection and should really get onto moving it out to someone that would appreciate them. All collected from 12+ years work in the Canadian Beaufort oil and gas exploration, 70's and 80's, most service companies gave them out or traded for favours. Nearly 100 new hats. I see an ebay seller that has single caps for sale at imo ridiculous prices
Is there a site for this kind of thing?

[Brushy Bill]

oldtrucker, had something similar recently, going through 90 yo moms coins, mostly .50's and dollars, most were face value, but did find a rare silver dollar with specific mint marks that was worth $80 on the books but could only get $50 locally,( no I didn't Ebait it). good luck in your quest