Dating Butterick Patterns, 1937 to 1977, at witness2fashion.com
Butterick Fashion News flyer, March 1938, pattern #7757
In Part 1, I showed how you can date 1920s-1930s Butterick patterns using a chart at witness2fashion.com that is based on information from the Delineator magazine. Butterick stopped publishing Delineator magazine after the April 1937 issue, so I had to find a different source for dating Butterick pattern numbers. Butterick Fashion News, an 8 page flyer distributed by pattern stores and through the mail, was used to publicize current Butterick patterns even before the Delineator stopped publication. [Edited 1/10/15: 8 page flyer changed to “a flyer on newsprint, 8 pages or more”]
Using Butterick Fashion News Flyers to Date Butterick Patterns
Butterick Fashion News flyer, February 1948, patterns #4422 & 4428
Butterick Fashion News could appear twice a month – I have seen two different covers for some months – and was printed on poor quality paper. It wasn’t intended to last.
Fortunately, there are still many copies that have survived, and by listing their dates and the number(s) of the pattern(s) featured on the covers, it is possible to see a number progression.
Butterick Fashion News chart from witness2fashion.com
How to Use the witness2fashion Website for Dating Butterick Patterns, 1937 to 1977
Although not as precise as using the chart of Delineator numbers, even in its incomplete state this chart compiled from Butterick Fashion News flyers can be helpful. The Butterick Fashion News chart shows that pattern # 3288 was on the cover in October 1964.
It’s reasonable to assume that this pattern, # 3183, appeared in early 1964 or late 1963.
Undated Butterick pattern #3183
Confirmation
Fortunately, the Simplicity company did date its patterns sometimes – either on the envelope or, in some years, on the instruction sheet. Simplicity pattern # 5595 is a double-breasted variation of the same style as my Butterick pattern:
Simplicity # 5595 is dated – to 1964. Our tentative dating of Butterick # 3183 to 1963-1964 is supported.
Renumbering began in 1940
Can You Help Fill In the Blanks?
I can’t buy every issue of Butterick Fashion News that appears on Ebay, but I do check the listings frequently, and make a note of the cover information whenever it’s legible.
There are some serious blanks in my Butterick Fashion News chart right now, especially between 1961 and 1964. Renumbering started in this gap, so it’s really desirable to supply some cover numbers from those years.
If you have a copy of Butterick Fashion News that is not on the chart at witness2fashion.com, and are willing to add to this project, please send me the year, month, and number(s) of the pattern(s) on the front cover. You can use the comment section, or contact me through witness2fashion.com. I will update the chart at witness2fashion.com whenever I have several items to add. Just today I found 5 more issues at Buttons and Bobbins. Ginny has generously posted pages from several issues for lovers of 1940s fashions. Thank you, Ginny! (I will update when I get a couple more.)
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