|
The pattern number is
only an indicator of the date on vintage sewing patterns. You
can’t use the number alone because the companies would start over
again when they got to a certain level. You must consider the
general silhouette of the clothing along with other factors such as
hair, price, sizing and envelope style and logo placement you can
get pretty close to the issue or copyright date. Please be
aware that even if a pattern is dated, it could have been in
production for years and could even be a re-release of a previous
number.
Style eras often crossed decade lines. For instance it is very
difficult to tell a 1938 pattern from a 1941 pattern. The basic style
and design elements were the same. The same thing applies for 1959-1961
and again in the 60s and 70's. There is more difference between 1964
and 1967 than there is between 1969 and 1971. It's important to
remember these dates when looking for clothing online and in shops,
whether you're hunting for rare British Simplicity Patterns and
free stuff uk, or whether you've spotted a special something in a thrift
shop.
Mail order patterns were
the answer for rural homemakers for the most of the 20th century. Each
magazine had a section for the homemaker to order patterns, and this
included Progressive Farmer and Grit. The list is enormous and some
patterns had the designer's name and some were generic with a simply number.
There were multiple Mail
Order Companies that supplied sewing and crafting patterns to magazines and
newspapers. Even Male oriented magazines such as Country Gentleman and
Progressive Farmer had a Women's Section dedicated to fashion.
Most Mail Order patterns came in an envelope marked with the name of the
publication. So you might find the very same pattern but in an
envelope from Grit or Progressive Farmer. Unless the pattern is in an
envelope with a postmark date, it is very difficult to pin them down to a
specific date. The patterns stayed in circulation until there was no
longer a demand so the same pattern could be in publication for 4-6 years.
One way to help date mail order patterns is
the post mark on the original envelope.
Metered Mail should be stamped. Undated meters are as follows:
- "SEC 564
PL&R" , 1 or 1 1/2 cent or similar = early 1930's to early 1950's
- "SEC 34.66
PL&R" , 1 1/2 cent meter = 1950's
- "BULK RATE"
the postage helps narrow down the range:
- 2 1/2 cent =
July 1960 to Dec 1962
- 2 5/8 cent
meter = 1963
- 2 3/4 cent
meter = 1964
- 2 7/8 cent
meter = Jan 1965 to Dec 1967
- 3 6/10 cent
meter = Jan 1968 to Jun 1969
- 3 8/10 cent
meter = Jul 1969 to May 1971
If the meter has a serial number the number might give a clue to the
date:
- PB with 4
digit numbers are usually 1945 or earlier
- PB with 5
digit numbers 01000 to 01549 or PB 55000 to 56999 are usually 1933-1940
- PB with 5
digit numbers 01550 to 01999 are late 1930s to 1950's
- PB with 5
digit numbers 05000 to 05499 or PB 5400 to 54999 are usually 1960s or
1970's
- PB with 5
digit numbers 57000 to 59999 cane be anywhere from 1930 to 1970
- PB with 6
digit numbers are usually 1980 and later.
Below is a sampling of Mail Order and Misc pattern companies. These
are basically undatable, so the best we can do is a generic era.
I believe that
Anne Adams
(who has her own page) and
Marian Martin
are two of the most common
names you will see associated with Mail Order houses but there was
Ladies Home Journal, Work Basket, Ladies Home Companion, Alice Brooks, Iris
Lane, Spadea, The American Weekly,
Modes Royale, Superior Patterns (which were circulated through the Sears
Roebuck Co), Star, Women's Day, Woman's World, Excella,
Priscilla, Peerless and
Pictorial
Review...the list is monumental.
|
