Cowhican sweater & blanket

nolly

nolly

Registered Guest
HELLO
I was interested in finding out information on this Cowhican sweater, I was told it was made in Canadian Indian village, ..the zipper is metal & by lightning

I also purchased this wool blanket from an estate, so I will slip it in here, I know this is for vintage clothing, but just incase anyone can point me to a speciialty website, I hate to use the ebay forums, they can be quite intense & stand offish at times.

thanks anyone

heres the sweater


<img src=http://img.inkfrog.com/pix/cheftrendz/1cowh6.JPG>




<img src=http://img.inkfrog.com/pix/cheftrendz/1cowh5.JPG>




<img src=http://img.inkfrog.com/pix/cheftrendz/1cowh4.JPG>




& here is the blankee


<img src=http://img.inkfrog.com/pix/cheftrendz/1indi.JPG>



<img src=http://img.inkfrog.com/pix/cheftrendz/1indi5.JPG>
 
What beautiful coloring in the blanket, I wish I could tell you something about it but I've honestly never seen one like it.

Your sweater could well have been made by native Indians or it might also have been a Mary Maxim sweater pattern that were very popular in knitting circles.
 
I live on Vancouver Island where the Cowichan Band (Coast Salish First Nations) have their origins. Ookoo is right to suggest looking at the ebay resource thread as it is useful but I would also sympathise with your reluctance to visit the forum where it is located. They need a moderator.

There is also a good deal of information about the cultural history of the Cowichan knitwear on the internet.

Natural brown, black and white wool from sheep is used. "Each Cowichan sweater is unique, incorporating designs - animals, birds, sea creatures and geometric shapes. Making the sweaters by hand involves much difficult work before knitting even begins. First,the women wash the wool by hand in boiling water so that it is clean yet retains the natural lanolin which makes the wool water resistant. Then they clean and tease the wool and card it, combing it in one direction the sweaters these women knit have had great economic importance for the Coast Salish."

From your pictures the sweater yarn looks like a standard wool and from what I understand, the bison is not a typical image. There should be a label of authenticity. On the other hand it could have been knitted by someone from from Vancouver Island. So many were/are produced for the tourist trade.

The blanket however, looks rather interesting. Quite possibly American.
 
wow, that IS a great blanket! looks like a good wool, faribou in minnesota made some great ones...the stripes remind me of Hudson blankets, but have never seen one with the triangular rows.

very cool. great colors.

oh, the bison sweater is neat, too. we used to sell piles of rolled collar, zip front cardigans to the Japanese.
 
wow..thankyou so much for your input, so interesting.

I could possibly have a sweater that was knitted by a Canadian Indian using a Mary Maxim pattern!!!!! (seeing as I was told it was purchased from a Canadian Indian)

I know they mention knitting on the round with no seams, there seams to be seams on this sweater that are carefully knitted together

Also a few months ago I was in my local treasure shop & saw a VERY heavy sweater, which seemed to be oily, this most likely was a COWICHAN.. I couldnt even lift it off the rack as it was soooo heavy & because of the oil factor i said forget it...WHOOPS!

I am wondering where I could find information on the blanket..the wool seems to be the same as a Hudsons bay blanket
 
The wool is emulating a Cowichan colour palette but the type of wool, pattern and style of imagery is not Cowichan at all. Cowichan sweaters always use totemic designs - whales, ravens, frogs, otters etc., buffalos are typical of Plains Natives culture, and you are correct about the round knitting and oily wool. This looks like a curling sweater (of which Mary Maxim did many patterns for) from the 1950s or 60s. If it was made by a Native Canadian it has no correlation to Native culture - it was just made by that person as a craft. However, it is definately Canadian made because the zipper is a Canadian brand.

PS: If you do sell it, I wouldn't be surprised if it goes to someone in Manitoba since the Buffalo is their provincial animal and it appears on their provincial seal, crest, and flag.
 
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