Sunday, April 20, 2008

Vintage Gramophones

Continuing the musical theme (pun unintentionally intended) from the past two postings, here is a tie depicting numerous identical vintage style gramophones on a deeply brilliant green background.

I'm not sure what the age of this tie is, or what period it comes from. It is about the right width, and shares some characteristics similar to the fabric of the thirties, but I'm almost certain it's later. If it were thirties era, the seam in the back (not shown in this scan; you'll have to take my word for it) would be significantly off center, but this one isn't. All the thirties ties I posted back in the first few months of 2006, have off center seams in the back.

It's not really quite wide enough, or flashy enough, to be from the forties, and this type of repeated image pattern is not typical of that period either, although I won't say it never occurs.

So is it early fifties? Could be. Or maybe sixties, when the narrow ties were on their way out and wider ones coming back in. Or it could even be from the eighties, when ties were getting narrower and more conservative again.

The tie has an interesting label which reads as follows:

Rhodia
Woven
in FRANCE
100% Acetate
RN 19970

Rhodia, according to a July 12, 2000 press release is

one of the world leaders in specialty chemicals, contributes to improving the quality of life by developing value-added products, services and solutions for the beauty, clothing, foodstuffs and healthcare markets as well as for the environment, transport and manufacturing industries. [text color emphasis added]

I don't know if this is the same Rhodia referred to on the tie label, but it seems not unlikely. If anyone has a light to shed on the possible relationship between this tie's fabric and the Rhodia company, or any information that would lead to a more definitive determination of the age of this tie, please share it!

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

I'd say it's probably 80s. I can't give you any specific reasons why I think so (it looks a little thick). I've just been collecting vintage ties for so long that it just becomes natural to determine thier age.

Unknown said...

I believe that the company Rhodia mentioned on this tie label is indeed the chemical company Rhodia, because for a long time they produced cellulose acetate yarn. They had plants in Germany, Brazil and in France, at a city named Roussillon. Due to the better quality and cost of synthetic fibers like poliamide and polyester, Rhodia no longer manufactures acetate yarn for textiles application only as cigarrette filters.

Will said...

Jim,

Thanks for your input. You may be right, but I'm not 100% convinced. It seems older to me, because the fabric is so strange. Obviously, you can't feel (or really see) the fabric from the scan alone. But, it COULD be 80's.

Will said...

Hi Angela,

Thanks for your information It's very helpful! Do you by chance know when (approximately) Rhodia stopped (and started, for that matter) manufacturing fabric for textiles? Knowing that would help us date the tie, or at least give us a potential end date, or at least limit the range of possible dates for the tie.

Will

Unknown said...

Hi, Will,

I was informed that Rhodia stopped manufacturing cellulose acetate yarn in France between 60s and 70s. They must have started at 20s.

I hope I have helped.

Angela