Show us your TIES

Bugguy said:

I'd like to get hooked on vintage ties - you guys have persuaded me. And they don't take much space. This is my first foray... It's untipped, very light, I like the colors, and I've worn it once with a charcoal suit. Not a single compliment or comment. Did I crash and burn and just didn't notice it?

3 1/4" X 57"

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I think it's a very nice tie, it's extremely versatile due to its coloration plus being non-patterned.

I worked in an office environment for some 35 years wherein ties for gents were considered de rigeur. I only recall a single comment in all that time, respecting a vintage tie in red with a huge rose depicted thereon.

In my experience people don't seem to have much to say about a man's necktie.

I have found however that women are interested in men's pocket watches & associated chains, great conversation starters. Regrettably I didn't figure that out while I was a young buck.

Bugguy said:

I'd like to get hooked on vintage ties - you guys have persuaded me. And they don't take much space. This is my first foray... It's untipped, very light, I like the colors, and I've worn it once with a charcoal suit. Not a single compliment or comment. Did I crash and burn and just didn't notice it?

3 1/4" X 57"

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Looks like a miss, in my opinion.

I looked up the name on the label. What initially caught my eye was that the label hardly looked dated. Appears to me that this Florenzi tie cannot be a day older than the 70s.
As for not receiving compliments, here's my perspective. The tie isn't very expressive, reminds me of a tie my father wore to his sister's wedding in '84. That one did not go with any outfits, and this one here appears the same way.

However, you may like these ties in particular, and I cannot hold that against anyone. But if you expected praise of your habiliment from others, take it from the man with wolf ties here. Go for the bright and bold! Some say a man will not care for that piece of rayon or silk, but i think it can definitely spark pleasant exchanges with folks! Keep searching, and show us what you find.

P.S. Ties with tags that hold the skinny end in place are likely very recent

MondoFW said:

Looks like a miss, in my opinion.

I looked up the name on the label. What initially caught my eye was that the label hardly looked dated. Appears to me that this Florenzi tie cannot be a day older than the 70s.
As for not receiving compliments, here's my perspective. The tie isn't very expressive, reminds me of a tie my father wore to his sister's wedding in '84. That one did not go with any outfits, and this one here appears the same way.

However, you may like these ties in particular, and I cannot hold that against anyone. But if you expected praise of your habiliment from others, take it from the man with wolf ties here. Go for the bright and bold! Some say a man will not care for that piece of rayon or silk, but i think it can definitely spark pleasant exchanges with folks! Keep searching, and show us what you find.

P.S. Ties with tags that hold the skinny end in place are likely very recent

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Live and learn. Points taken. At Goodwill prices its an inexpensive education.

Another try - am I getting at all close to the consensus definition of vintage? Ebay uses prior to 1970 - that's pretty recent to me. I guess I want ancient.

I've tried to be aware of the label and how its sewn in. Across the tie, stitched at the ends create a loop = not vintage? Only if sewn on with no loop or oriented vertically? I was originally looking for silk, but seems like synthetics or acetate is OK? Frankly, other than hand-painted, most of the repeating patterns look the same.

Bugguy said:

Another try - am I getting at all close to the consensus definition of vintage? Ebay uses prior to 1970 - that's pretty recent to me. I guess I want ancient.

I've tried to be aware of the label and how its sewn in. Across the tie, stitched at the ends create a loop = not vintage? Only if sewn on with no loop or oriented vertically? I was originally looking for silk, but seems like synthetics or acetate is OK? Frankly, other than hand-painted, most of the repeating patterns look the same.

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Getting warmer. Other than their loop tags, these look easily vintage. I love the green one! If you want more ideas on repeating patterns of the golden era, observe clothing catalogs, ads, and pictures. Check out eBay and etsy too, striking gold at goodwill is unheard of (for me, at least).

Bugguy said:

Another try - am I getting at all close to the consensus definition of vintage? Ebay uses prior to 1970 - that's pretty recent to me. I guess I want ancient.

I've tried to be aware of the label and how its sewn in. Across the tie, stitched at the ends create a loop = not vintage? Only if sewn on with no loop or oriented vertically? I was originally looking for silk, but seems like synthetics or acetate is OK? Frankly, other than hand-painted, most of the repeating patterns look the same.

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I like that brown woven a lot. Of the batch that come closest to my taste. People tend to gravitate toward liking certain eras of ties and each era has its traits but as a rule when most people talk about vintage ties they are talking about the ties of the 40s and early 50s, what some people call the "Bold Look" because the ties tended to have much bigger and bolder graphics. Depending on the era the length and width of ties varied. Way back in this thread someone gave this guide to dating vintage ties which is helpful as an approximation but can't be used with absolute certainty because even within eras there were differences between tie makers:

1930s - tie length approx. 44", width approx. 3"
1940s - tie length approx. 47", width approx. 4 (or more in some drastic cases - these were so wide some people called them belly warmers)
1950s - tie length approx. 51", width approx. 3"
late 50s/early 60's - length approx. 53-54", width approx. 1 to 2" (also known as the skinny tie era, which has a brief resurgence in the 80s)
1970's - tie length approx. 55", width approx. 3 to 4"
Prior to the mid 1930s ties tended to be even shorter in length because the fashion was for high waisted pants and waistcoats or vests. When tied these ties typically came just to the bottom of the rib cage.



Other era identifiers, besides length and width are the ways maker labels are attached, what they are made of, and linings. 30's ties (like the one on the left) typically had smaller repeating patterns, were unlined, and had their maker labels attached to the back side of the less wide end. 40s ties (like the one in the middle) were usually lined in white, had bold patterns, scenery or were hand painted. I'm not sure what most of them were made of but they have a silky feel (some of them may indeed be silk) that I can usually identify by touch after having rummaged through thousands of ties over the years. I don't even have any contemporary ties because they've gotten too monochromatic and boring for me but ties from the 70s on have their maker labels attached as a loop through which you put the narrower end of the tie through to keep it from roaming freely. 70s ties tended to be polyester and heavily padded (thick knots were the fashion at the time).

Sorry for the long treatise but it may help in identifying how old the ties you are looking at in thrift stores are. I also highly recommend the book "Fit To Be Tied: Vintage Ties of the Forties & Early 50s". It is colorful and informative and, though it's out of print, can be had for less than the price of many vintage ties.
https://tinyurl.com/y7ua8gwg

I picked these beauts up yesterday

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Rogera said:

I picked these beauts up yesterday

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Nice finds Roger!

BobHufford said:

Nice finds Roger!

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Thanks Bob

Rogera said:

I picked these beauts up yesterday

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Very nice! I'd have a hard time resisting those if they showed up at my thrift store.

Rogera said:

I picked these beauts up yesterday

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Score!! Sweet finds, Roger

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dh66 said:

Score!! Sweet finds, Roger

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Thanks Dale, I thought you'd like those

Bugguy said:

Another try - am I getting at all close to the consensus definition of vintage? Ebay uses prior to 1970 - that's pretty recent to me. I guess I want ancient.

I've tried to be aware of the label and how its sewn in. Across the tie, stitched at the ends create a loop = not vintage? Only if sewn on with no loop or oriented vertically? I was originally looking for silk, but seems like synthetics or acetate is OK? Frankly, other than hand-painted, most of the repeating patterns look the same.

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I remember hearing, way back in the 1970's, that "vintage" meant 50 years or older. As far as learning about vintage ties, there's no better way of familiarizing yourself with them than simply going on Etsy and spending some time paging through their "Vintage necktie" sections and then refining your search as you go along. Be prepared to become hypnotized after 40 or so pages of ties. It's fun, though, and instructive in pure design.

tropicalbob said:

I remember hearing, way back in the 1970's, that "vintage" meant 50 years or older. As far as learning about vintage ties, there's no better way of familiarizing yourself with them than simply going on Etsy and spending some time paging through their "Vintage necktie" sections and then refining your search as you go along. Be prepared to become hypnotized after 40 or so pages of ties. It's fun, though, and instructive in pure design.

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How easy was it to find 1900-40s clothing at the time?

In the mid-1960s my father taught me how to dispose of "old-fashioned" neckties.

He proceeded to use his collection of oldies, to tie up bundles of branches from the garden, for pickup by the garbage men (as they were then referred to).

I suspect that a similar fate befell many other articles of vintage clothing throughout North America.

If only I knew then what I know now.

MondoFW said:

How easy was it to find 1900-40s clothing at the time?

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Incredibly easy, and the best part was that there was hardly any market for it. The only folks you'd see in the shops were either very poor people or radical college students. Plus, everywhere you could find wonderful army/navy stores selling all kinds of WWII things and military stuff from around the world for almost nothing.

tropicalbob said:

Incredibly easy, and the best part was that there was hardly any market for it. The only folks you'd see in the shops were either very poor people or radical college students. Plus, everywhere you could find wonderful army/navy stores selling all kinds of WWII things and military stuff from around the world for almost nothing.

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That sounds like a gold mine for the few Vintage enthusiasts i imagine. Do you think there was hardly a market because people at the time were very focused on wearing what was currently vogue? And what do you mean by "radical" college students?

1940s dark red with light blue outlines.

Can't remember if this Regal Aire has made it out on the town before
DSCN8835 crop by Michael A2012, on Flickr
DSCN8838 crop by Michael A2012, on Flickr
Worsted and Mohair Loomed in England Defies Wrinkles. I like that.
DSCN8847 crop by Michael A2012, on Flickr

Have a good one,
Michael

Here is a authentic vintage 1920's 1930's tie from olympics games in Paris France