Collectors Corner: Vintage Scarves
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Collectors Corner: Vintage Scarves
By Michele Alice
EcommerceBytes.com
September 09, 2012
Though the scarf as a utilitarian item has existed since ancient times, it was not until the 20th century that it acquired its status as an iconic fashion accessory.
The change coincided with the rise of the great fashion houses of Europe. No longer was the scarf just a prettily decorated piece of material. It had become a bold fashion statement, a form of wearable art, and - if it were a designer original - a status symbol.
Schiaparelli, Chanel, and Dior all included scarves in their collections, but perhaps no other name has become so closely associated with scarves as Hermes: since the introduction of its first printed silk carre (scarf) in 1937, Hermes has issued over 2000 different designs in an array of colors.
"Many designer pieces, especially those from lesser-known houses or that are of more recent manufacture, can be acquired for $300 or less, but some vintage scarves, especially those signed by popular designers or from particular eras, can sell for several hundred dollars more. And particularly rare specimens can fetch thousands."
Then there are the highly affordable vintage scarves originally manufactured for the mass-market. They may lack the signatures and labor-intensive touches, such as the hand-rolled and hand-sewn edges, of the designer labels, but they often make up for those deficiencies with unique and interesting graphics. In fact, there are so many designs from which to choose, that collectors often find themselves having to narrow their areas of interest. Some of the more popular themes around which collections are formed include:
Promotional scarves given away or sold with the launch of a new product, like a perfume;
Calendar scarves;
Transportation scarves with graphics of planes, trains, or automobiles, or that bear the logos of companies involved in transport, like Cunard or Pan Am;
Celebratory scarves in honor of a momentous event, like a coronation or the landing of Apollo 11 on the moon;
Souvenir scarves sold at museums, parks, or World Fairs;
Floral scarves for those that like to garden;
Animal scarves for those that prefer cats, dogs, birds and horses.
Of course, the possibilities are almost endless, but most serious collectors will take the same factors into consideration when deciding whether or not to acquire a piece. Condition is always of prime importance, since fabrics - like the preferred silk - tend to deteriorate over time, especially when exposed to direct sunlight. And then there are the unfortunate numbers of reproductions and fakes that have appeared since the advent of inexpensive, but highly accurate methods of reproduction. It often requires research and a practiced eye to avoid potential pitfalls, so if you're interested in learning more about collectible scarves, check out these resources, and
Good Hunting!
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