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But, if you MUST know, preserve her by seeking an answer from outside sources. Largely, the fun in collecting vintage sewing patterns is determining their historical context and dating them, that is, if you're a nerd like me. The collective knowledge and contributions of the online sewing community increasingly help narrow and expedite this process. There are fantastic pattern dating lists of tips, clues and identifying marks here, here, and here, for example. However, when it comes to mail order patterns, my MOST FAVORITE way to date: ONLINE NEWSPAPER ARCHIVES. For example, a recent acquisition sent me searching for the ages of Miss Marian Martin... 
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and Miss Anne Adams 
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Isn't it amusing to read the advertisments?! It's a wonderful glimpse into the past. This method is definitely NOT without fail, but, in my humble opinion, it's the most accurate, fascinating and entertaining was to archive a mail order collection! Have you ever searched for or dated your pattern collection this way?
3 Comments
I saw your post on sew retro, and although dating 1940s patterns isn't so much my thing, I have a decidedly not 40's figure! I couldn't help noticing the use of the word 'cool' in the Anne Adams pattern you linked to. Now I'm not sure she's not taking about the weather, but to me that comes across as a very early use of the word in its modern capacity.
I had forgotten that newspapers used to run these! The ones you have here are older than I am but I think it must have continued for years because I remember seeing them as a child. There were also needlework patterns. Funny to see them again. Leave a Reply. |
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