HBC Blanket

Tales and Treasures from the rich legacy of the Hudson’s Bay Company.

Written by Canada’s History staff

 — Posted October 8, 2010
“Famous the world over, for a lifetime of luxurious comfort and warmth,” boasted the Hudson’s Bay Company, which made these blankets a regular trade item in 1780. The short black lines woven into the side of each blanket are called points, from the French empointer, and indicate the size and weight of the item. The now iconic blanket is shown here in a 1950s Beaver ad with the traditional colours of green, red, yellow, and indigo.

Scroll through our gallery of commercial art depicting Hudson’s Bay point blankets 1930–1958.

  • HBC blanket advertisement from the Autumn 1955 issue of The Beaver.
    Canada's History
  • HBC blanket advertisement from the June 1933 issue of The Beaver.
    Canada's History
  • HBC blanket advertisement from the September 1933 issue of The Beaver.
    Canada's History
  • HBC blanket advertisement from the September 1934 issue of The Beaver.
    Canada's History
  • HBC blanket advertisement from the June 1939 issue of The Beaver.
    Canada's History
  • HBC blanket advertisement from the June 1940 issue of The Beaver.
    Canada's History
  • HBC blanket advertisement from the March 1941 issue of The Beaver.
    Canada's History
  • HBC blanket advertisement from the September 1941 issue of The Beaver.
    Canada's History
  • HBC blanket advertisement from the March 1942 issue of The Beaver.
    Canada's History
  • HBC blanket advertisement from the March 1943 issue of The Beaver.
    Canada's History
  • HBC blanket advertisement from the September 1943 issue of The Beaver.
    Canada's History
  • HBC blanket advertisement from the December 1946 issue of The Beaver.
    Canada's History
  • HBC blanket advertisement from the September 1948 issue of The Beaver.
    Canada's History
  • HBC blanket advertisement from the September 1950 issue of The Beaver.
    Canada's History
  • HBC blanket advertisement from the March 1952 issue of The Beaver.
    Canada's History
  • HBC blanket advertisement from the September 1952 issue of The Beaver.
    Canada's History
  • HBC blanket advertisement from the December 1952 issue of The Beaver.
    Canada's History
  • HBC blanket advertisement from the June 1953 issue of The Beaver.
    Canada's History
  • HBC blanket advertisement from the September 1953 issue of The Beaver.
    Canada's History
  • HBC blanket advertisement from the Summer 1958 issue of The Beaver.
    Canada's History

This article originally appeared in the October-November 2010 issue of Canada’s History magazine.

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