I have identified and dated some twodozen styles of labels used by the hudson s bay company since 1890. The blanket an illustrated history of hudsons bay point by harold. Banking on the success of the classic hbc point blanket, the hudson s bay company has translated the immediately recognizable colors and pattern into a line of multistriped home goods. Although blankets had been a trade good offered for some time, it was not until 1779 that the hudsons bay point blanket came to life. During the fur trade, native americans hunters traded beaver pelts for wool point blankets. For most canadians, the hudson s bay blanket is a symbol of canadian identity. Typically, the wool blankets were traded with native americans for pelts. It is a 2 point cream color with the black, yellow, red and green stripes on both ends. Unfortunately most of what i am looking at are clouds and a very big wing. How the hudsons bay point blankets became a canadian icon. Wool would have been an excellent choice for cold weather during. Beautiful spreads showing everything from far flung fur trading outposts. In the north american fur trade, by 1700, wool blankets accounted for more than 60. Many versions of the capote were made, and variations in style were common.
The hudsons bay company blanket may appear to be a fairly plain. Absolutely fascinating history of the hudsons bay companys point blanket. Sep 06, 2019 originally published on september 6, 2019. The company is named for the hudson bay and the blankets were typically traded to first nations in exchange for beaver pelts. I do balk, however, when people insist that the relationship we have with hbc blankets in the west somehow means we are more colonizedan accusation i have heard on more than one occasion. Free shipping on many items browse your favorite brands affordable prices. Jan 11, 20 these stripped blankets were created by the hudsons bay company in the northern part of north america in 1780. Gone are cell phone service, text messaging, english as the primary language. Store the blanket in a fabric cover that breathes, such as a sheet or cotton muslin, and store it in a cedar chest or closet to protect from moth damage, the greatest threat to a hudson bay blanket. Charles lindbergh wore point blanket coats on their flight to europe by way of greenland and iceland. This wool coat was constructed from a point blanket made by the hudsons bay company, likely during the early 1920s. Find great deals on ebay for hudson bay blanket coat.
For over fifteen years i have been researching the history of these blankets and recently published two books on the subject. The blankets were typically traded to first nations and native americans in exchange for. Hudson s bay company has been manufacturing them in england since the late 1700s. Bestowed with a royal warrant from the queen, the hainsworth name is synonymous with quality woollen productsfrom the softest merino to the renowned hudson s bay point blankets. I have also done a considerable amount of research on the dates of labels used on blankets made by many mills like earlys of witney, pendleton and jacobs of oregon, as well as for blankets marketed by retailers other than hbc, like the t. Harold tichenor welcome to the site exclusively dedicated to point blankets. See more ideas about mountain man, mountain man rendezvous, frontiersman.
Coat worn by sitting bull this is to certify that this coat, red, blue and yellow striped, known as a blanket coat, was given to the wife of lieut. Boy reading in bed with hbc multistripe point blanket, from hbc blanket book. I can honestly say that i have never expected to buy a book dedicated to blankets, but the whole history of the hbc is so absolutely compelling that i was drawn towards it. Feb 19, 20 the blanket design was introduced in the late 1700s by the hbc, and the material was soon adapted into coats by fur traders. The striped blanket is still produced today in england by john atkinson, a subbrand of the a. It bears the style hudson s bay point blanket label which ceased being used in the late 1920s, and a typically 1920s black and yellow manufacturers tag, which reads, made. Mar 14, 2020 point blankets were the first thing that came to mind whenever my mother took me shopping at a hudson s bay company store. Jul 03, 2017 given the history of the hudson s bay company in this, i certainly dont disagree with that viewpoint. Aug 12, 2018 according to the official company history, blankets had been taken to hudson bay as trade goods as far back as 1668. This year hudsons bay company celebrates its 350th anniversary. The label is white with orange lettering and reads hudson bay point blanket, hudson bay company incorporated 1670 in circle with crest design, the seal of quality, 100% wool, us reg no.
However, a great time was to be had in lorne as it is a place loaded with cafes, ritzy shops for browsing, places for hiking, freezing water for those immune to cold water and generally a good place to shoot the breeze with friends. Hudson s bay point blankets were used twice by admiral byrds expeditions to the antarctic. Capotes date back to the mid17th century and are arguably the earliest iterations of the hudsons bay point blanket coat. We dive into the history of the hudson s bay company and unpack the very complicated story of the iconic striped blanket. And before this they sometimes used paper labels attached onto a corner with jute. Hudson bay blankets by woolrich from dann, complete collection. Hudsons bay point blanket the canadian encyclopedia. Highlights form the collection include a coffee table book on the company, striped candles, new blankets, travel sets and the harry barker collection for dogs. The beaver pelts were shipped to europe to meet the demand for beaver fur top hats. The colours were chosen because they were popular, and easily produced using good colourfast dyes. History of the hudsons bay point blanket cfjc today kamloops. The secret life of canada dives into the history of the hudsons bay company. With its proud stripes and distinctive black markings, the hudson s bay point blanket is a canadian icon.
By the end of the 1800s these posts were converting to retail shops. For books and films referenced in this episode please visit our website at. The history of the hudsons bay point blanket the cavender. Hudsons bay point blanket the iconic blanket has its. Did you scroll all this way to get facts about hudson bay blanket coat. A capote is a handmade wrapstyle coat often made from a hudsons bay point blanket. Over the years of fur trading, the design of point blankets grew to. The iconic multistripe has become the signature of the store.
What assouline books didnt know was that our friend is a published author and. The most common hudson bay blanket coat material is wool. A brief history of canadas iconic hudsons bay blanket mental floss. Its design with the recognizable stripes can be found on many products including coats, scarves, coffee mugs and many others. Capotes were worn by first nations, metis, french settlers, traders, trappers, and later british settlers throughout the fur trade era.
Why some folks feel weird about hudsons bay blankets cbc radio. The iconic hudsons bay point blanket has a complicated history with indigenous people in canada. In that time they have mass produced and sold their products all over the worl. Jun 07, 2018 the practice of converting hudsons bay company blankets into coats began years before the company began massmanufacturing point blanket coats in the twentieth century. These coats used a hudson s bay wool 100% wool blanket for the material. In 1779, hbc commissioned the textile mill of thomas empson of witney, oxfordshire, to produce pointed blankets. A hudsons bay point blanket is a type of wool blanket traded by the hudsons bay company. The true hudson s bay blankets were made in england. An illustrated history of the hudsons bay point blanket. Dec 28, 2019 blanket coats, or more commonly called capotes, were widely used and traded for during the rendezvous period. The complicated history of the hudsons bay point blanket. Hudson s bay company has commissioned these fine englishmade woolen blankets since 1780, many becoming heirlooms that are passed on from one generation to the next. The manufacture of hbc classic coat designs ceased in 2000 but in 2009 the bay as it is now known introduced a new product line based on the traditional multistripe blanket pattern. Point blankets are a type of trade blanket and are most closely associated with the hudson s bay company who have been marketing them into north america since 1779.
The iconic multistripes of green, red, yellow and indigo were introduced on the hudson s bay point blanket at the end of the 18th century. To promote the collection, ten canadian fashion designers were invited to create oneofakind coats from hudson s bay company point blankets. The hudsons bay company originated in 1670 as fur trading posts, where furs were traded for manufactured goods. The hudsons bay point blanket has become an emblem for canada, but. These red embroidered trademark labels were the very first to be sewn onto hudson bay point blankets starting around 1890. But it was in 1779 that the company first commissioned the english textile mill. A hudsons bay point blanketis a type of wool blanket traded by the hudsons bay company in western british north america and the united states during the 18th century and 19th century. Epattern 1930s blanket coat pattern wearing history pdf vintage sewing pattern wearinghistory 5. Jan 17, 2020 the origins of the iconic blanket began with fur trading in the new world. With its proud stripes and distinctive black markings. These blankets first appeared in canadian trading posts.
The attribution to sitting bull comes from a note sewn onto the front of the coat, handwritten in ink on oilskin cloth. A wausau businessman wore it at one of the towns early winter frolics, an annual winter sports festival that attracted tourists from as far as chicago. Jan 01, 2002 absolutely fascinating history of the hudson s bay companys point blanket. Although hbc did not introduce its first commercial hudsons bay point blanket coat until 1922, fur traders, voyageurs, and indigenous peoples had already been styling hudsons bay point blankets into coats for nearly 200 years. In 1670, king charles ii of england granted a charter to form the hudsons bay company, which in short order controlled vast tracts of wilderness and the fur trade in north america. See more ideas about hudson bay blanket, capote, hudson bay. If you are interested in anything to with the fur trade then i heartily recommend it. A brief history of canadas iconic hudsons bay blanket. By the 19th century there was a string of hudsons bay company posts throughout canada. The capote a wrap coat made from a hudson s bay point blanket was a common garment among indigenous peoples throughout the fur trade era. Sep 09, 2020 posted on september 9, 2020 this wool coat was constructed from a point blanket made by the hudsons bay company, likely during the early 1920s. Posted on september 9, 2020 this wool coat was constructed from a point blanket made by the hudsons bay company, likely during the early 1920s.
Hbc x smythe womens blanket swing coat hudsons bay. Fold the blanket loosely or hang it from a sturdy hanger under cover. The hudsons bay point blanket is a wool blanket with a series of stripes and. Rita trichur, in the montreal gazette may 25, 2004. Hbcs colonial barbie comes with some baggage macleans. Trade invoices indicate men bought plenty of capotes as well as trade blankets at rendezvous. Hudson bay blanket blanket coat check coat vintage coat pattern fashion winter coat double breasted vintage ladies vintage outfits instagram post by raleigh vintage oct 31, 2015 at 1. Find hudson bay coat from a vast selection of vintage. This little book offers a concise history of the hudson bay blanket. Why some folks feel weird about hudsons bay blankets.
If you have any interest in point blankets or history of the hudsons bay company during the fur trade this will be a great book to put in your collection. If you read the last sentence in the description it says there may be gold embroidered. Point blankets were waterproof and warm, and easy to sew into coats. The hudson s bay point blanked has the status of an icon in the history of modern canada. Hbc stripes iconic multistripe point blanket hudsons bay. The air conditioned train was a moving shell through a blanket of really hot air outside. Given the stores iconic place in canadas history some will argue there. The inflight map shows that we will be skirting the edge of hudson bay before bending west, north of alaska, then arcing down across siberia to korea. Mar 19, 2018 throughout the 18th century, wool blankets were among the most popular trade items in the canadian fur trade, accounting for more than 60% of all goods exchanged by 1700.
Sep 17, 2020 the famous point blankets date back even further. Hudson bay point blanket was my moms prized possession. Her designs, which have hit runways in new york city, include two jackets. Hudson s bay blanket company has been manufacturing wool blankets since 1670. The points, or small black bars on the side of the blanket, were utilized during the fur trade as an indication of size a measure that continues to this day.
In the early 1600s, french sailors traded their capotes to the micmac in north america. Like the iconic point blankets themselves, point blank et coats share a similarly long and interesting history. The blanket is of the prewar english manufactured type, with a deeper nap than later blankets, and a thick point, which is placed on the inside of the coat. Hudsons bay blanket coats vintagehaberdashers blog. Hudson s bay vintage 1940s four point blanket coat s m red and black double breasted peacoat hudson bay coat red made in canada pearlandparkdale 5 out of 5 stars 143. As fur trade increased, it was the striped blanket that often paved the way for the early.
Knowing the history and the controversy it causes, i have not yet made a jacket with the hudson s bay blanket. Hbc heritage is an internal department of hudsons bay company. Jan 25, 2019 the origin of hudsons bay blankets the company was supplying blankets to the indians since its foundation in 1670, but its blankets were indistinguishable from those of competing suppliers. Point blanket coats remained popular in canada, first as utilitarian garments, later as fashion. As canadas most iconic retailer celebrates 350 years, hudsons. A hudsons bay point blanket is a type of wool blanket traded by the hudsons bay company hbc in british north america now canada and the united states during the 1700s and 1800s. After finishing his first book for the hbc the blanket. The hudson s bay company also sold capotes, called blanket coats or hudson bay coats, made out of their point blankets. In 1779, the company decided to consolidate the wool blanket market. We are committed to the preservation, education, and promotion of hudsons bay companys history and the ongoing care and maintenance of the companys historical hbc corporate art, artifact, image, and reference collections.
944 73 1303 687 1431 1102 46 699 632 967 1256 714 365 557 1592 786 1225 1734 1046 60 1009 445 773