• Sign up for our weekly vintage fashion newsletter
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
    • Twitter

Vintage Dancer

  • Ask the Vintage Dancer!
  • Women |
    • Shoes
    • Dresses
    • Lingerie
    • Sweaters
    • Outerwear
    • Swimsuits
    • Nightgowns
    • Hats
    • Hairstyles
    • Makeup
  • Victorian
    • Women
      • Dresses
      • Skirts
      • Blouses
      • Corsets
      • Nightgowns
      • Boots & Shoes
      • Hats
      • Sewing Patterns
      • Makeup & Beauty
      • More clothing….
    • Men
      • Suits & Coats
      • Boots & Shoes
      • Hats
      • Pants
      • Shirts
      • Costumes
      • More clothing…
    • Victorian Outfit Guides
      • Easy Victorian Costume Guide
      • Civil War Costume Guide
      • Bustle Dress Costume Guide
      • Men’s Victorian Clothing Guide
    • Victorian Fashion History
    • Steampunk
      • Women
        • Dresses and Costumes
        • Plus Size Clothing
        • Jackets
        • Skirts
        • Boots & Shoes
        • Hats
        • Sewing Patterns
        • More clothing….
      • Men
        • Shirts
        • Vests
        • Pants
        • Jackets
        • Hats
        • Boots and Shoes
        • Goggles, guns
        • More clothing…
      • Steampunk Costume Guides
        • Women’s Steampunk Essentials
        • Men’s Steampunk Essentials
        • More Steampunk Ideas
  • 1900s
    • Women
      • Dresses
        • Plus Size Dresses
        • Evening Gowns
        • Wedding Dresses
      • Shoes & Boots
      • Blouses
      • Skirts
      • Hats
      • Lingerie
      • Makeup & Beauty
      • Costumes
      • Sewing Patterns
    • Men
      • Suits and Coats
      • Formal Wear
      • Shirts
      • Pants
      • Hats
      • Shoes
      • Costumes
      • Men’s Sewing Patterns
    • 1900-1910s Outfit Guides
      • DIY 1910-1915 Dresses
      • Tea Dress Guide
      • Mens Formal Suit Guide
      • Men’s 1910s Fashion
    • 1900s-1910s Fashion History
  • 1920s
    • Women
      • Dresses
        • Daytime Dresses
        • Evening Dresses
        • Plus Size Dresses
        • Wedding Dresses
      • Shoes
      • Hats
      • Hair / Headbands
      • Costumes
      • Sewing Patterns
      • More clothing…
    • Men
      • Shoes & Boots
      • Hats
      • Shirts
      • Pants
      • Suits
      • Vests
      • Men’s Patterns
      • Costumes
      • More clothing…
    • 1920s Outfit Guides
      • Flapper Costume Guide
      • 20s Women’s Outfit Ideas
      • 1920s Outfit Inspiration
      • 20s Men’s Outfit Ideas
      • 1920s Men’s Outfit Inspiration
    • 1920s Fashion History
  • 1930s
    • Women
      • Dresses
        • Plus Size Dresses
        • Evening Dresses
        • Wedding Dresses
      • Tops
      • Skirts
      • Pants
      • Shoes
      • Sewing Patterns
      • Costumes
      • More clothing…
    • Men
      • Suits
      • Shirts
      • Pants
      • Shoes
      • Hats
      • Men’s Patterns
      • Costumes
      • More clothing…
    • 1930s Oufit Ideas
      • 1930s Outfit Ideas- All Seasons
      • 1930s Outfit Inspiration
      • 1930s Men’s Outfit Inspiration
      • Men’s Outfit Ideas
      • 1930s Men’s Workwear
    • 1930s Fashion History
      • 1930s Women’s Fashion
      • 1930s Men’s Fashion
  • 1940s
    • Women
      • Dresses
        • Plus Size Dresses
        • Evening Dresses
        • Wedding Dresses
      • Tops
      • Pants
      • Skirts
      • Shoes
      • Sewing Patterns
      • Costumes
      • More clothing…
    • Men
      • Costumes
      • Suits
      • Pants
      • Shirts
      • Shoes
      • Hats
      • Men’s Patterns
      • More clothing…
    • 1940s Outfit Ideas
      • 1940s Women’s Outfit Ideas
      • 1940s Women’s Outfit Inspiration
      • 1940s Fall Winter Outfits
      • 1940s Men’s Outfit Ideas
      • 1940s Men’s Outfit Inspiration
    • 1940s Fashion History
      • Women’s 1940s Fashion
      • Men’s 1940s Fashion
  • 1950s
    • Women
      • Dresses
        • House/Day Dresses
        • Cocktail Dresses
        • Evening Dresses
        • Plus Size Dresses
        • Wedding Dresses
      • Skirts
      • Pants
      • Tops
      • Coats & Jackets
      • Shoes
      • Makeup Guide
      • Costumes
      • Sewing Patterns
      • More clothing…
    • Men
      • Suits, Coats
      • Pants, Jeans
      • Shirts
      • Jackets
      • Shoes
      • Hats
      • Men’s Patterns
      • Costumes
      • More clothing…
    • 1950s Outfit Ideas
      • 1950s Women’s Outfits
      • 1950s Men’s Outfits
    • 1950s Fashion History
      • Women’s 1950s Fashion
      • Men’s Fashion: Suits
      • Men’s Fashion: Casual
  • 1960s
    • Women
      • Dresses
        • Plus Size Dresses
        • Evening Dresses
        • Wedding Dresses
      • Pants
      • Skirts
      • Tops
      • Jackets
      • Shoes
      • Makeup & Beauty
      • Costumes
      • Sewing Patterns
    • Men
      • Suits
      • Pants
      • Shirts
      • Jackets, Sweaters
      • Hats
      • Shoes
      • Costumes
    • 1960s Outfits- Women
    • 1960s Outfits Inspiration- Men
      • 1960s Outfits- Men
    • 1960s Fashion Guides / History
      • 1960s Women’s Fashion
      • 1960s Men’s Fashion
  • 1970s
    • Women
      • Dresses
        • Plus Size Dresses
        • Evening Dresses
        • Wedding Dresses
      • Shirts
      • Pants, Jeans
      • Jumpsuits
      • Workout Clothes
      • Shorts
      • Skirts
      • Jackets
      • Shoes
      • Costumes
      • More clothing…
    • Men
      • Suits
      • Pants, Jeans
      • Jackets & Sweaters
      • Shoes, Boots
      • Costumes
    • 1970s Outfit – Women
    • 1970s Outfits – Men
    • 1970s Fashion History
      • 70s Women’s Fashion
      • 1970s Men’s Fashion
  • 1980s -1990s
    • Women
      • Dresses
      • Prom Dresses
      • Jeans/Leggings
      • Tops
      • Jackets
      • Sweatshirts, Sweaters
      • Workout Clothes
      • Shoes
      • Hats
      • Costumes
    • 80s Men’s Clothing
    • 90s Men’s Clothing
    • 80s Outfit Ideas – Girls
    • 90s Outfit Ideas – Girls
    • 90s Outfits for Guys
  • Fashion History
    • Men’s Fashion
    • Victorian Fashion
    • 19100-1910s Fashion
    • 1920s Fashion
    • 1930s Fashion
    • 1950s Fashion
    • 1940s Fashion
    • 1960s Fashion
    • 1970s Fashion
  • | Men
    • Shirts
    • Vests
    • Sweaters
    • Coats & Jackets
    • Trousers
    • Workwear / Casual
    • Shoes
    • Hats
Vintage Dancer | Vintage Retro | How to Date or Research Vintage Labels, Brands, and Designers

How to Date or Research Vintage Labels, Brands, and Designers

Vintage Inspired

26 Feb 2021

Want to know how to research a brand or vintage label or date an vintage item? Here are some of the tools that may be helpful to research the history of vintage clothing…

Article Outline

  • Research Labels
  • Facebook Groups
  • Brand Name / Designer / Item History
  • Vintage Jewelry Research

Research Labels

Vintage Fashion Guild – Links for labels, fabric, fur, hats, lingerie

eBay – Search current and especially past sales for information, labels, photos, etc

Advertiser

Etsy – You can only search current sales, but sold items still appear in Pinterest search results and Google Image search

Dressandtextilespecialists.org (PDF Download) – Wash codes on garment labels, specific to the UK

The Australian Dress Register

Fonts in Use – Look up font styles by decade with the search box

Logo Search, also called Design Marks – A bit tricky to use, but very helpful once you understand how

Union Labels for Hats with images and links

SammyDVintage guide to clothing labels is very helpful. Also her clothing construction guide looks at zippers, buttons, seams, etc. for dating

Advertiser

Facebook Groups

Vintage Labels  – This group is for labels from the 1930s through to the 1960s. This can be clothing, shoes, or jewelry.

Date My Vintage – Victorian~70s- Antique & Vintage Clothing Dating Help NO SELLING/VALUATIONS

Antique & Vintage Jewelry Detectives: Identification, Discussion, Study – The purpose of the group is to help each other solve jewelry mysteries, share new additions to our collections, post research resources, and generally talk about anything related to vintage jewelry. See more jewelry resources below.

More Facebook groups about vintage fashions, buy/sell, and discussion.

Advertiser

Brand Name / Designer / Item History

Ancestry.com – Search the entire Sears Catalog collection.  They also have newspaper archives, designer names, and other useful resources. Membership required. Free Sears catalogs can be found at Wishbook Web (mostly toys and gifts). christmas.musetechnical.com has Sears, Montgomery Wards and JC Penny catalogs. Archive.org also has some catalogs.

Vintage Ad Browser – Not a fashion catalog but a collection of old advertisements, organized by topic or date. Search by brand, too.

Retro Musings (UK) – A large collections of images, ads, and catalogs organized by topic or brand.

The Costumer’s Manifesto – A wonder source for old catalogs, books, patterns, sewing manuals, and historical costume illustrations.

Outdoor Recreation Catalogs & Magazines from Utah State University –  Has a large collection of magazines and catalogs related to outdoor sports (hunting, hiking, climbing, running etc).

Hathitrust.com – Search a brand name here and you may find patent information, brand advertising, trade magazines, etc.

FTC RN Database – Look up a registered identification number (RN) or WPL (up to 1959) from the vintage label.

Canada’s RN database – CA Identification Number search.

Uspto.gov – Search for Trademarks. Also try Trademarkia  or Justia.

Telephone Number Search LOC – Have a business phone number? Look it up.

Google Newspaper –  Search to see if the brand name was mentioned in an article.  Library of Congress has a free search, too.

Google Scholar – Search for a name and see if a historian has written about it in a book or publication.

Google Books – Search for name mentions in general books. Also use the advanced search for Magazines and other print sources. Worldcat can search for books or articles in libraries near you. Ask your local library or university library what paid databases you can have access to for free for even more resources.

Google Patents – Search patent number or named designer.

Vintage Jewelry Research

Antique & Vintage Jewelry Detectives: Identification, Discussion, Study (Facebook) – The purpose of the group is to help each other solve jewelry mysteries, share new additions to our collections, post research resources, and generally talk about anything related to vintage jewelry

CJCI  Costume Jewelry Collectors Int’l (Facebook_

The Jeweler’s Index (annual) by Keystone Publishing Company, 1922

Association for the Study of Jewelry and Related Arts

Chicago Silver:  Arts & Crafts Marks

Researching Costume Jewelry – Illusion Jewels

Online Encyclopedia of Silver Marks, Hallmarks & Makers Marks

Sarah Coventry Jewelry Research Page

Indian Native American Jewelry Artists & South West Shop Hallmarks

Juliana Jewelry Identification Site

Jewelry Patents Research

Identifying Jewelry Dangles

Gemstone Surface Enhancements

Ivory – Determining Real From Fake

http://www.morninggloryantiques.com/JewelChat.htm

https://forums.vintagefashionguild.org/threads/vintage-jewelry-workshop-part-i.35650/

 

I will keep adding resources as I find them. If you have some recommendations I can add here, please contact me.

I will NOT help you date/value/identify a clothing or jewelry items or research brand names. The requests I get are overwhelming and too time consuming for me to handle. Please use these resources here!

debbie
We are Debbie and Oscar, your guides to dressing up like decades past. We are here to help you find clothing online and learn about vintage fashions as worn by everyday people, just like you. Need help with your outfit? Ask us anytime.
« 1950s Men’s Dress Shirts History
1900s -1910s Black Fashion, Edwardian African American Clothing Photos »
  • Home
  • About The Vintage Dancer
  • Site Map
  • Privacy Policy & Disclosure

Disclosure:

This website is supported by advertising in the form of product links, banners, and sponsored articles. We may be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking a link.  As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

Read: Privacy Policy, Disclosure, Terms and Conditions

About Us

  • About VintageDancer.com
  • Newsletter eMail Sign Up
  • Contact
  • Advertise
  • Site Map
  • Privacy Policy & Disclosure

Follow Us

  • Pinterest
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Google +
  • Twitter
  • Tumbler
  • Blog Lovin
  • RSS Reader

How to Buy:

Click on the picture or title of the product and you will be redirected to the online merchant selling that item. Questions about sizing and shipping are answered on the merchants website.

VintageDancer.com links to clothing for sale online to make finding vintage inspired clothing easier.

Our Story

Dressing in vintage style clothing for a themed event or personal fashion is our passion. We turned a hobby into this website to make it easy to find vintage inspired clothing for women and men online spanning 1900-1960s. Our fashion history blog helps you create the look from decades past using vintage, vintage inspired and thrifty clothing, Need help? Ask us anytime.

Copyright © 2022 ·