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Mr. Blackwell Exclusive for McDonnell Douglas?

Discussion in 'PUBLIC Vintage Fashion - Ask Questions Get Answers' started by denisebrain, Jun 17, 2015.

  1. denisebrain

    denisebrain VFG Vice President Staff Member VFG Past President

    The scarf is polyester and not particularly special, but I'm really curious what Mr. Blackwell would be doing designing it. Any knowledge?

    P6160029b.png

    P6170097.png
     
    denisebrain, Jun 17, 2015
    #1
  2. Rue_de_la_Paix

    Rue_de_la_Paix VFG Member

    What a cool scarf! I have no idea, but wonder if it was something made for employees of McDonnell Douglas, for the celebration of some M D anniversary? Or perhaps for the Bi-Centennial in 1976? I know some designers did special lines for that, usually in red white and blue. Just a crazy guess.
     
    Rue_de_la_Paix, Jun 17, 2015
    #2
  3. denisebrain

    denisebrain VFG Vice President Staff Member VFG Past President

    Thank you Barbara, your crazy guess is no doubt better than mine!

    If it helps any, the woman who wore this scarf had lots of red, white and blue scarves from the 60s and 70s. (And now I have them!)
     
    denisebrain, Jun 17, 2015
    #3
  4. Ookoo

    Ookoo Registered Guest

    My husband started working for McDonnell Douglas in the 1980's, and he doesn't remember any event where something like that was given out. Can you show a picture of the planes that are on the scarf? That may be a clue as to when it was made.
     
    Ookoo, Jun 17, 2015
    #4
  5. denisebrain

    denisebrain VFG Vice President Staff Member VFG Past President

    I have a rough photo of the planes (the scarf is being soaked right now): P6170098.png

    I'd be very interested in a MD employee perspective, thank you!
     
    denisebrain, Jun 17, 2015
    #5
  6. Rue_de_la_Paix

    Rue_de_la_Paix VFG Member

    This might a long shot. In 1985, or 1988, MD celebrated the 50th anniversary of the DC airplane. I think the first flight was 1935, but the first long distance passenger flight was 1938 (don't hold me to the details). They did some commemoratives, but I could not find anything about a scarf. The plane on your scarf looks like a DC 3, the wings seem set back a bit more, but that may be artist's license. Pretty much every major airline company used a DC 3, and the colors were often red white and blue on the planes.

    I am probably way off, but thought it worth a mention.
     
    Rue_de_la_Paix, Jun 17, 2015
    #6
    denisebrain likes this.
  7. Midge

    Midge Super Moderator Staff Member

    If I may put my few cents in, late as I am... the plane looks like a jet, and not like a DC-3 at all to me... Maybe it was made for an event - an air show or something like that? A give-away or for employees to wear?
     
    Midge, Jul 5, 2015
    #7
  8. denisebrain

    denisebrain VFG Vice President Staff Member VFG Past President

    Thank you Karin, I haven't found any conclusive information about the scarf and its jets. The only thing I see online is another of the same scarf for sale, only in autumn colors, and that makes me think it wasn't just a one-time promo piece. If it were I'd expect it to have been made only in the red, white and blue.

    The employee idea is really plausible to me. The scarf is super easy-care washable polyester. The household from which it came had literally dozens of red, white and blue scarves. I thought she must have worn these with a particular sort of outfit, and in public view.
     
    denisebrain, Jul 6, 2015
    #8
  9. Ookoo

    Ookoo Registered Guest

    Rick says they had a company store that sold jackets, hats, coffee cups, model planes, and other things with the McDonnell Douglas logo. He thinks that's where your scarf may have come from.
     
    Ookoo, Jul 6, 2015
    #9
  10. denisebrain

    denisebrain VFG Vice President Staff Member VFG Past President

    That seems very plausible. Thank you Ookoo (and Rick)!
     
    denisebrain, Jul 6, 2015
    #10

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