Blankets, Fur Trade & Canadian History

My sister Pat passed on one of her “collectible” Point Blankets to me.  Having one of these has been a dream of mine, and now it has come true.  This one belonged to my brother-in-law’s parents at one time.    These blankets are pure wool marked on one edge with black stripes and were a very important item in the Canadian fur trade era in the late 1700’s.   The first so-called “pointed” blankets were made by the British for French trading companies for sale to Aboriginal buyers.  The stripes on the blankets were about 5 1/2 inches (14 cm) long to indicate a full point, and half that long for half a point.  Point numbers refer to the size of the blanket width, and thus the approximate cost.  A general rule of thumb was that 1 point blankets sold for 1 prime beaver pelt, and up to 4 prime beaver pelts for a 4 point blanket.  This one would have cost 3 1/2 pelts.  Of course today, our Hudson Bay Company department stores manufacture and sell these and they are simply known as HBC blankets.   This one shown here is the real thing!!!