Hudson Bay Blanket, made of gold?

[TexiKan]

I was lucky to find several 3 1/2 and a couple of 4 point Hudson Bays (and a couple of Whitneys) at area yard sales for under $40. Of course that was some years ago. I don't see them as often at those sales, now, yet when I see them in antique shops, they are always around $175 or $200. If they are priced higher, they sit for some time. A few months ago I stopped at a friend's yard sale and he had a 3 1/2 HB in multi-stripe and he sold it to me for $25. Unbelievable. Nearly all of the blankets tend to be the multi-striped on white versions. One of my favorites is a 1 1/2 point multi-stripe Hudson Bay. I found it in a local antique shop and had to have it. Seldom see that size.

 

[cornstalk]

White was a very popular color with the Indians in particular. The candy stripe version of the Hudson Bay didn't come about till after the Fur Trade (for those trying to stay PC).

 

[springfield art]

Some years ago, Alaska became part of the USA!

Imagine if we had not bought that; (thanks, Seward!), and the Russkies were sitting up there on all that gold and oil, with ranks of missiles pointed at the USA! Hope there's a statue of Seward somewhere!

 

[springfield art]

@Rató:rats post made me curious, so I looked it up. "The Bay" (formerly the Hudson's Bay Company) still sells their traditional blankets. They have gone online, so you don't have to paddle to a trading post. I found the off-white blanket with the black stripe he described:

View attachment 84240
Here's a close-up of the "points" and the HBC label:

View attachment 84239

The four pointer is a double bed size, 72" x 90". The Bay's price for a four-point blanket is $400, which I think is in Canadian dollars. At the current exchange rate of $1 CA roughly equal to $0.80 US, that would be $318.86 in US dollars, according to the exchange calculator online. The Bay has these blankets in other colors for the same price, although I did not see a blue one with the black stripe, which I have read was a very popular color with trappers and voyageurs in the early 19th century. Anyway, here is a link: The Bay: Blankets & Throws

Just browsing around, I didn't really find any better prices, but I found some that were a lot higher.

I've ordered a few odds and ends from Canada with no problem. However, depending on what card you use, there may or may not be a "foreign transaction fee," i.e. a surcharge for exchanging currency, which can add to the price you end up paying. It's good to keep at least one card without this fee, if you expect to do any international travel or ordering.

Notchy Bob

Ask if they have any old muskets laying around!

 

[sawyer04]

Now back too the blankets.

Not knowing much about modern blankets, I have a question. Are the new Hudsons as good as the older ones we used to pick up at sales and flea markets? Does anyone have an old one to a newer one to compare?

 

[smo]

Not knowing much about modern blankets, I have a question. Are the new Hudsons as good as the older ones we used to pick up at sales and flea markets? Does anyone have an old one to a newer one to compare?

Same question I ask back in post # 23…..

 

[rp77469]

I visited the HBC store in Banff, Alberta some 5-6 years ago. The 6 point white blankets were $750C, and the capotes made from the white striped blanket was $1000C. I really wanted one of the blankets, but that was a substantial down payment on a rifle and frugality (and want of a rifle) won out. Exchange rate was about $1C = $0.70US if I recall correctly. (Ended up buying a Ped Bess later in the year, so technically, still looking for the rifle. )

 

[sawyer04]

Same question I ask back in post # 23…..

Missed it smo, excuse me.

 

[smo]

No problem,,, I was hoping you would get an answer….

With the quality of other items these days, I was wondering if the blankets had been put on weight watchers too…

 

[waksupi]

I visited the HBC store in Banff, Alberta some 5-6 years ago. The 6 point white blankets were $750C, and the capotes made from the white striped blanket was $1000C. I really wanted one of the blankets, but that was a substantial down payment on a rifle and frugality (and want of a rifle) won out. Exchange rate was about $1C = $0.70US if I recall correctly. (Ended up buying a Ped Bess later in the year, so technically, still looking for the rifle. )

It's great if you catch the exchange rate at the right time, though. My X and I stayed in a resort condo for $17 per night for a week. Have a good dinner, give them $20 US, and get back over $20 Canadian in change. I was buying Canadian coin from casinos here in Montana for 17 cents on the dollar, made for some cheap trips north! Locals banks didn't even want the coins.

 

[old ugly]

up here in the hudson bay territory the blankets are no cheaper. you can walk into the Bay and buy a new one but you need to sign over your house.
i have seen hudson bay blankets com up for sale on KIJIJI but they are pricy too.
i found a pink HB 3 1/2 point on our local KIJIJI for $20.00 cnd, no one wants pink. i dyed it red with RIT and it came out real nice.
6 point is a big blanket, they are nice, they are warm but you wont be packing it on a treck.

 

[Stophel]

I finally lucked out a couple of years ago and got my holy grail blanket. A 4pt. white HB blanket with the dark indigo blue stripes at either end. Got it on ebay from someone in Canada. Hundred bucks, delivered. Pure luck.

I have been told that the small red label on mine dates from the teens-20's. So it's a hundred years old.

I do know that HB blankets from the 60's-70's are ok, but not that impressive. I have one that is sort of an orange sherbet color with the orange label. I have been told that during this time, they were getting blankets from other contractors, and the quality wasn't the same.

 

[Nor Cal Mikie]

Wish I would have known sooner as I just took one to Good will when clearing out my deceased sisters house. Dry cleaned and hung in the closet for YEARS. Belonged to my father, he took it from Standard Oil when he was out on the tankers.