Sunday, August 31, 2008

Silver Squares

Sorry about last week. We headed out immediately after church to attend a family get-together, down in the Portland area, several hours drive from home, and there was no opportunity to scan or post a tie. Then we spent a couple of days visiting my Mom in Oregon, with no Internet access at all.

So here's this specimen. I chose it because of a connection of sorts with the last tie I posted. What's the connection? The fabric. Like that last tie, this one too is made from a heavy almost stiff kind of fabric, perhaps nylon, or something with nylon or a similar material woven into it. This one doesn't have a label specifying the fabric like the previous one, however.

There IS a label, however, sewn sideways into the large end of the tie, but 10 inches up from the tip. The label reads:

Sander Model Ties

The tie itself is an interesting design, presenting an almost metallic look to it. The vertically oriented squares, which form a pattern over the tilted background checkerboard pattern, almost appear three dimensional, visually standing out as they do from the surface of the tie. But they aren't, not really. With the tie in hand, they almost appear embroidered, but there is no true embroidery, no threads coming through the backside of the tie. It's just a pattern in the fabric, apparently.

It's hard to know for sure the era this tie is from, but I'm guessing forties, like most of those I've posted. I suppose it could possibly be from a later era, such as the seventies, when wide ties again came into vogue, but it doesn't really have the look or feel of that later era.

The point of the small end is worth pointing out. It's not symmetrically cut at all. Quite haphazardly cut, albeit this appears to be the way it was made and sold, since there is a narrow seam sewn around both ends, small and large, symmetrical and asymmetrical though they respectively be.

It's definitely an interesting tie, just not your normal run-of-the-mill forties example.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

I have more questions than a comment. I am working on a musical in NYC and am in desperate need of twenties ties. Where do you get the wonderful ties for your collection. What details should I be looking for in my search for 1910-1920's ties. Any advice and help you could offer would be greatly appreciated.
Christopher
cvergara80@hotmail.com

Will said...

Christopher,

I honestly don't know what 1920's ties are like. I've never collected any that I know of. Thirties are as early as my collection goes.

That said, most of my ties come from vintage clothing stores, second-hand stores like Goodwill, Salvation Army, St. Vincent DePaul, etc., and/or on eBay nowadays.

Unfortunately, the thrift store finds are few and far between any more. If you're out in the heartland somewhere, like in the midwest, etc. I suspect you might have better luck, than in big cities.

But my guess is that eBay and similar sites would be your best bet these days.

Will

Chris said...

I like this tie, Will, thanks for the link. Mine is definitely more plain. I'm impressed with your 40's collection and have enjoyed learning about the ties from that decade. They seem hard to find--it seems that I usually just come across 70's era. Keep up the great blog!