Hudson's Bay point blanket
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A Hudson's Bay point blanket was a type of wool blanket traded by the Hudson Bay Company in western Canada and the United States during the 18th and 19th century. The blankets were typically traded to First Nations/Native American peoples in exchange for beaver pelts.
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[edit] The value system
In the point system, a blanket of higher point value would supposedly be larger and warmer. A common misconception is that each point indicated an amount in beaver pelts or Hudson's Bay Company money. Blankets varied in varying colors and design.
From the Hudson's Bay Company website [1]:
- Each blanket was graded as to weight and size using a point system. Points were identified by the indigo lines woven into the side of each blanket. A full point measured 4 - 5.5 in.; a half point measured half that length. The standard measurements for a pair of 1 point blankets was: 2 ft. 8 in. wide by 8 ft. in length; with a weight of 3 lb. 1 oz. each. Points ranged from 1 to 6, increasing by halves depending upon the size and weight of the blanket. The number of points represented the overall finished size of the blanket, not its value in terms of beaver pelts as is sometimes believed.
[edit] Current use
Point blankets, made in England from 100% wool, are available at the Bay to the present day in four-, six-, and eight-point sizes corresponding respectively to a double-, queen-, or king-sized bed. Solid colors are available, as is the famous "classic" pattern featuring green, red, yellow, and indigo stripes against a white background. Depending on size and color, newly made blankets retail at between $240 and $350 USD.
In the United States, Woolrich, Inc. holds the exclusive licence for HBC blankets, as they are the only company allowed to import them. They are available from Woolrich, L. L. Bean and Getz Department Store, which also offer them for sale on their websites.
Today the point blankets are made in England by John Atkinson & Sons, a division of A. W. Hainsworth & Sons Ltd.
[edit] Collectability
Many early point blankets have survived into the 21st century and have become collectors items. The Oregon-based sculptor Marie Watt (part Seneca) has used point blankets in her sculpture work, which was exhibited in 2004 at the National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C..
Nowadays genuine point blankets have become very collectible and could fetch prices up to hundreds of dollars. The main determinants of value include age, size, colour, rarity and condition. According to HBC Heritage Services, eBay is a good place to check current market values. Author and HBC point blanket collector Harold Tichenor has published a guide for collectors at www.pointblankets.com
