For those who love the Look and Feel of Vintage Textiles, Blankets and Linens.

Since 1340 – the term Blanket has been used to describe a warm and cozy fabric covering found in nearly all households. First made of Wool, for the properties wanted and needed by consumers, now made of a broad range of natural and synthetic materials – depending on one’s needs.

Offered here is a - Vintage-Retro, KENWOOD FLORALTINT, Made in Canada – All Virgin Wool, Two-Colour, Moth-Proofed Blanket - One-Colour Satin edging is Light Pink; Blanket - Side #1 Light Pink, Side #2 Deep Pink - in most excellent gently-used condition.

There are no obvious large holes, tears, nor stains. There may be a couple of small holes and a few small spots of staining; there is a stain spot on the blanket which was treated with Woolite Wool-Safe laundry detergent, twice, and lightened; there is some balling or pilling. Some shrinkage from the original size as the dimensions would be greater taken from the corners.

This Wool Blanket is Two-Colour - one side is Light Pink, the other side is Deep Pink - the colour-tone looks fairly even over both surfaces.

This Blanket is described as MOTH PROOFED on the manufacturer's label - but having been laundered, it's not clear if that is impacted or not.

There is satin binding at the ends - securely stitched in place - one-color on both sides of the blanket - Light Pink. The side selvage edges are manufactured in factory as such.

This Blanket measures - ~66" in length, at the center; ~72" across the width, at the center.

This Blanket weighs - ~ 4.75+ lbs, bagged.

There is an affixed original label which reads - with the manufacturer's information - "KENWOOD"; "Ram on Hill in Wilderness" - LOGO; "WOOL; PRODUCTS; ALL VIRGIN WOOL; MADE IN CANADA; FLORALTINT; MOTH PROOFED". The label is beige in colour with deep blue stitched LOGO and associated information.

Beneath the manufacturer's label is a second label - the label is white in colour with black-stitched information - "WOOL" LOGO; PURE VIRGIN WOOL".

SOME INTERESTING INFORMATION –

Processing Blankets, Once in Hand -

All Blankets are washed in Wool-Safe Laundry Detergent; draped over drying-racks or dried on warm heat, until dry; photographed from both sides; folded and bagged loosely, then placed into a storage cupboard having cedar shingles throughout the cupboard until sold.

There are videos and web-sites on line which explain how wool items can be re-stretched to their proper shape or size (or closer to) – as shrinkage happens when washed and dried.

The makers of Canadian KENWOOD Wool Blankets – Huyck Canada Ltd. - Division of the U.S. Huyck Corporation -

KENWOOD Mills Ltd. was manufacturing plant, situated in the town of Arnprior, in the eastern part of Southern Ontario, Canada – in the Ottawa Valley.

The US Textile Manufacturer, Francis C. Huyck, saw the rise in demand for felts and paper, rented a mill in 1879 at Kenwood, a village close to Albany, N.Y. – achieving success immediately. That plant burned down in 1894 – a new mill-plant was built in Rensselaer, N.Y. – at which the Huyck Felt Co. was developed. From the very start – rigid quality control protocols were adopted for excellence – manufacturing and marketing ONLY the finest products – which became their steadfast reputation.

In 1918 the U.S. Company of F.C. Huyck & Sons took over the Griffith-McNaughton Mill in Arnprior, founded in 1915, which began manufacturing shirts but then switched to socks and blankets during WWI. This Mill was incorporated as Kenwood Mills Ltd after Huyck’s first location.

Kenwood Mills Ltd joined with Formex Company of Canada to form Huyck Canada Ltd. – which supplied BOTH felts and jackets to the pulp & paper industry of Canada and all-wool blankets and cloth to Canadian consumers – as well as – world wide.

There were eventually numerous plants and offices world.

KENWOOD Wool Blankets were made until the 1960’s-70’s at which point the focus of manufacturing changed again. The Arnprior plant was open until 1996.

Kenwood was a label sold by the T. Eaton department store in Canada, likely other retailers as well.

Blankets -

In 1340, Thomas Blanquette developed a fabric which became used as a bedding cloth – made of a heavily napped woolen weave – and the term Blanket was adopted.

Wool was an ideal material as this material was warm, fire resistant, and water repellant – however – generally itchy. To accompany woolen blankets, most often, sheets of cotton or linen were used next to one’s skin.

Today – blankets are made of a broad range of materials – cotton, wool, polyester and other synthetics, silk, linen …

Just as materials vary – so does the purpose of blankets – from baby-wraps and bedding; wraps and shawls; as groundcover on picnic; for people, their pets, and livestock; in industry … for protection of people and property.

Wool Blanket Labels –

Apparently, there are avid collectors of labels alone …

Wool LOGO Information –

The International Wool Secretariat held a competition in 1963 for contestants to design a LOGO Symbol which would be the mark of “wool’s inherent quality and superiority”.

The name Francesco Saroglia was associated with the winning design, which was the pseudonym used by the Italian artist and architect, France Grignani. This artist also submitted a sheep-like symbol for the same contest.

Once this LOGO was adopted as the universal symbol of a pure wool item, many manufacturers added it to their own labels or added the LOGO alone separately - to help get across the material customers were looking at, in a glance. 

Woolen – American English

Woollen – Commonwealth English

Blanket Sizes -

Vintage Era Blankets –

The sizing of vintage-era blankets tended to be smaller than the standard sizes which we see today – as were beds and bedding, alike.

Typical manufactured-blanket sizes through the 1930’s and 1940’ were 60x84” and 72x84” – with some variability between manufacturers.

The New Size released in the mid 1930’s for some lines of blankets (manufacturers offered different lengths in their lines) was described as 7 ½’ long with 6 extra inches to tuck way under - 60x90; 80x90; 72x90.

Today -

Although there is some variability – generally there are some accepted measurements for common sizes of blankets -

Receiving – 40” x 40”

Crib – 45” x 60”

Throw – 52” x 60”

Twin or Single – 66” x (80-84) 90”

Full or Double – 90” x 108”

Queen – 90” x 108”

King – 108” x 108”

Saddle Blankets – 39” x 68”

Finished Edges –

The reason that items are made with a finished edge is - to give it a clean and tidy appearance; to keep the edge from fraying or unraveling when in use; to add decorative interest and detail to a project.

There are several different ways in which blanket edges are finished. Most commonly on Wool Blankets the side edges are selvedged – machine self-finished. The ends may have any number of finishing styles – some are associated with a style of blanket, manufacturer, or era of manufactured item.

Blanket Stitch –

The Blanket Stitch is a type of decorative stitch used to secure and reinforce the end of thicker materials – such as a Wool Blanket. The Stitch would be seen on both sides of the blanket with a rib along the outer edge.

The Blanket Stitch may also be referred to as a Cable Stitch or Crochet-Stitch depending on how it is used.

Satin Blanket Binding -

Blanket Binding refers to a fabric trim sewn over the outside edges (ends or all the way around) of a blanket – as a means of providing a finished edge. Satin is a common material used for blanket binding as it is soft, durable, and machine washable – sold pre-folded to facilitate its attachment to projects.

Selvage Edge -

A selvage or selveged edge of fabric is a self-finished edge – made in a way which will keep it from fraying or unraveling when in use. This selvage edge is often woven more densely to make it sturdier so that there is no need for binding, hemming, bias tape, nor any kind of finishing-stitch.

Balling or Pilling -

Balling or Pilling is quite common on wool, cashmere, or fabrics made of natural fibers. With regular gentle use and laundering, loose fibers within the weave of the fabric work themselves free and up to the fabric’s surface – then roll-up to little pill-size balls of fluff. 

SHIPPING -

Currently and until further notice - only shipping from within Canada by Canada Post - Monday-Friday – not weekends; not holidays. Please notify seller for process information.

To pay no shipping-handling - Local Porch Pick-Up always available for purchased items – please contact seller to make arrangements.

Shipping within Canada is calculated by eBay; Shipping to the USA should be calculated by eBay, if not – please contact seller for pricing; Shipping Internationally - by air & with tracking only - please contact seller for pricing.

See Feedback Profile on eBay.com of member grimavrams; member since Dec 2002.

All hard-surface items are – well-washed in hot soapy water, rinsed, air-dried, photographed, wrapped in clean paper towel, packed, and placed into clean storage boxes until purchased.

I also refund shipping over-charges, if they are significantly over my actual cost to ship - normally, I am close to the actual cost.

Depending on your location, eBay may add calculated taxes to your total purchase – according to local requirements – above negotiated item and shipping-handling quoted.