Hudson Bay Blankets,,need info.

[Sperit de bois]

Need some schooling on Hudson Bay Blankets..
How to tell which are good and how to tell the quality of the blanket,ie Points, colors, number of color/stripes,labels to look for...
www.chesleysauction.com right side "auction Items, then go to the pictures at the bottom,there are five HBB shown ,how do I tell if the dog blankets or a good deal.
Need to be schooled and I know there is some knowing person on the site,,so I am waiting to hear back.

 

[Rod Lassey]

Most any of the HBC blankets are usually of good quality, some are better than others depending on who the supplier was. HBCo. never made their ownblankets, they always have purchased them from various manufacturers and put on their own label.

Are you looking just to stay warm, or is there a certain time period you are aiming for? The multistripes are generally of a later date, if that matters. Likewise, 4-point is a common size today, but historically 3-point was more common (I've "converted" some of my 4-pointers into 3's by pulling out the point yarn). Look on eBay for what they are currently going for---blankets can often be found in the $30-70 range.

Here's a guide to colors and theyears they were produced: http://hrd7.tripod.com/hbc/hbc.html

Rod

 

[Sperit de bois]

Not looking for any particular period,just see the 5 HBB blanket coming up at the local auction.Just needing to be schooled so as to if they are worth what moneys or just dog bedding.I looked at the site you provided,,some good information there.Thank you for the reply.
If you go to the site I listed the blankets are pictured on there and if you enlarge the picture there are some Gold colored labels that can be seen on the right side of the display.

 

[zimmerstutzen]

A good new HBB will be about 3/8 thick and substantially heavier in weight than todays artificial fibre stuff.

Used may be a good deal or thread bare depending on use and treatment over their lives.

I bought mine between marriages and when my second wife heard what I paid for the new one, she laughed pretty hard. But when the weather gets cold, she is the one that gets it out and puts it on the bed. I picked up two more over the years. Well worth the price.

About 20 years ago, I went to the Woolrich factory in Northern PA and they had sale on some seconds of their version of the HBB. The seconds were only $20 and while they have held up well, they aren't the same quality.

 

[matt denison]

Went to the link. I liked the picture of those cellos, might have to bid on it. :hmm: :shocked2:

HBC blankets were made and supplied by several different makers. The "classic" HBCo. blankets that most think of as the best are/were Early's of Whitney, now s'days referred simply as a Whitney. High quality, thick nap, bright colors and by most considered "correct" for back in the day. I happen to have three that I've collected over the years and I USE them. One is on our bed right now. I and my lovely young bride love it/them. The ones shown on the site could be Early's. The red one sure does look like one I have. I'm partial to the white ones, pure white with the dark indigo band. Incidentally, I bought two blankets (Whitneys) both white from the same vender at the same time, brand new. One was a three point, the other was a four point. When I opened the individual packaging, to my astonishment the 3 pt. was actually several inches bigger than the 4 pt. !! Not complaining but I thouht it was a funny quality control issue. Did I get a bonus on the 3 pt. or did I get skrood on the 4 pt. Buyer beware.

 

[vern faulkner]

Being just a dumb old fart, may I ask what the "point" designation on these blankets represent. I'm thinking size but I'm not putting any money on it.

Vern

 

[Rod Lassey]

Initially, it referred to both weight and the price in beaver--which confusingly, tended to vary. Now days, it's the size.

Rod

 

[atki]

From the Hudson's Bay Company website:[4]

Each blanket was graded as to weight and size using a point system. Points were identified by the indigo lines woven into the side of each blanket. A full point measured 4 - 5.5 in.; a half point measured half that length. The standard measurements for a pair of 1 point blankets was: 2 ft. 8 in. wide by 8 ft. in length; with a weight of 3 lb. 1 oz. each. Points ranged from 1 to 6, increasing by halves depending upon the size and weight of the blanket. The number of points represented the overall finished size of the blanket, not its value in terms of beaver pelts as is sometimes believed.

WB

 

[Rod Lassey]

That would be for modern blankets---bear in mind the point system was initiated by the French prior to 1763, and only picked up by the HBC in the very late 1700s. If you collect old blankets (and I've got a few), one of the things you'll notice is that the size can vary rather dramatically over the years--ie., a three point from 1900 is quite a bit smaller than a modern 3-point, for instance. The US Office of Indian Trade set a specified weight for blankets traded in the Indian Factory system. Obviously, a bigger blanket is going to weigh more, but the size can vary with the density, as well.

There's a couple of very good articles on blankets in past MOFT Quarterlies, and they are covered in "A History of the Indian Factory System, 1795-1822" by Ora Brooks Peake.

Initially, as used by the French, the point system denoted price in Made Beaver, although later on the price did vary, not only company to company, but post to post within the same company. It depended on competition (NWC: Hey, don't go the the HBC, I'll sell you a blanket for less!) and maximization of profit (No opposition? Then jack the prices up!).

Rod

 

[atki]

Not arguing. Here is another quote:

The “point” blanket was introduced into the fur trade in 1780 on the advice of M. Germain Maugenest. The "point" system had been introduced by French weavers to indicate the finished size of a blanket. The word “point” derives from the French empointer meaning "to make threaded stitches on cloth".

This is what I have always been lead to believe. That from the beginning it was size not plew.

wb

 

[crockett]

So, the more points the better. The best HBC blankets are, IMHO, unsurpassed in quality- none better.

 

[Rod Lassey]

Just a note on points---when going through the Chouteau papers, the orders for blankets range from 1 to 3 1/2 point, 2, 2 1/2, & 3 are easily the most common. 4 points are very uncommon, in fact one of the few listed is a single pair, for Auguste Chouteau himself. Pretty obviously a special order item.

Rod

 

[Sperit de bois]

I read it as the more point the Bigger the blanket and in some cases heavier.
I'll know before long the Points on the ones being auctioned....

 

[DUSTY 14]

size matters little. they are real wool so storage is important. if they were not stored well they will have moth damage. 2 point or 6 if they have holes eaten in them the value is much less. have bought several from value village and one from ebay. had a little more moth chewing on ebay than described but it still sleeps warm at the rondy

 

[William O.]

Since the auction was yesterday, were you able to buy the blanket(s)?

 

[Sperit de bois]

Me and two others were interested,,them more than I,The five blankets were mostly 3 1/2 point, the red was a 4, all made in England....I dropped out at $145 the winner was $185.one money, all the blankets in one lot.
They had been use a little rough,edges tattered,corners worn,not bad,,just more money than I was willing to part with.
I could tell the bidding was going up when the other two,,stood up,faced eachother and let the auctioneer just point back and forth,like a silent auction,but you knew who was bidding and how high..

 

[William O.]

For five blankets in good condition I would have gone higher, but my comfort level is different than yours. I bet that these blankets will find their way onto ebay or Craig's list to be sold individually. I got lucky and was able to buy a genuine HBC blanket for a little over $50 plus shipping that got turned into a capote for my dad, then I found two Hudson Bay look-alikes by JC Pennny along with three other modern colored wool blankets on the Goodwill auction sight that I got for cheap. The JC Penny "Golden Dawn" was turned into a capote for myself by a friend of mine in exchange for two of the modern colored blankets which became bedrolls. The other look-alike is part of my bedroll and then I had a smaller Tartan blanket made into a capote for my neice's 8th birthday. Anyway, the time to buy used, vintage wool blankets is in July and August when nobody is needing to keep warm.

 

[Sperit de bois]

Yep Missed out!!!,,but I figured when they both stood up and faced each other and didn't say a word,,they had deep pockets and knew something I didn't..Then when the guy set down at $185.00 I was surprised..

 

[William O.]

Better luck next time!