McCall Pattern Company:

McCall Pattern Company started in 1870 in New York City.  James McCall, an immigrant from Scotland was a Tailor with a small shop who kept up with European fashion trends and worked as a U S Agent for the English pattern company The Royal Chart. 

He began to design his own patterns and published a four page magazine, "The Queen" to promote and advertise his patterns. 

When James McCall died in 1884, his company continued to flourish.  The magazines name changed to "The Queen of Fashion" and reached a circulation of more than 75,000.

McCall's started printing directly onto their patterns in 1919 and in the 1920's introduced full color printing on their envelopes illustrations.  It has been stated that ALL McCall's have a copyright date, but I have found a few undated ones.  But it is safe to say that nearly ALL McCall patterns are dated and they are the only company to consistently do so.

McCall Website

1920-1929

McCall patterns had no S until 1951

The grey moved to the side and changed again around 1932.  They lost the grey and went with a cleaner look.  By 1935 the name was once again at the top but didn't stay long.

Companies re-issued patterns if they were popular and good sellers, especially during the war years.  The number ranges found in these Style News magazines reflect that reprinting.  Numbers seem to range from 3500-7850 in the decade of the 40's, with some carried over from the 30's and into the 50's.

In the early 40's McCall switched to a Script font on the side.

By 1952 McCalls added an apostrophe S to their logo and lost the script for a block letter font. 

Logo switched sides in 1963 and changed completely in 1965 and Number series started over with 1000-2249.  The colored stripe continued into the mid 70's.

The Pounds Thinner line was started in 1970 with the side color swatch but with the girl in a bodysuit creating an optical interest.  Logos changed and the numbering system kept going in 1975 with 4300-6500.  In 1979 the logo changed once again with the numbering continuing into the 80's.

After several years selling and handling old sewing patterns and catalogs, I have compiled this list of dates and pattern numbers.  Since most patterns are not printed with the copyright information on them this list is computed using information from magazines, pattern books and other published sources.  The best I can do most of the time is assume that if a pattern is published in a catalog that is it's date of release.  There are of course crossovers and some patterns are rereleased.  So there is definitely room for error in my calculations. 

This guide is meant as just that.......A GUIDE.  It is not a definitive copyright date source.

Many Thanks to: Erin at "A Dress A Day" for creating the wonderful "Sewing Pattern Wiki", all of the contributors to the Wiki, and all of my wonderful friends and pattern sellers, (especially Birgit at Stitches and Loops ) and collectors who share their information and photos and knowledge.  (there are too many to list here, but you can find them on my Links Page,) and last but definitely not least, my Dear Husband for giving me tons of help and encouragement to research all of the data to compile for your research benefit.