Please see my new book "A Dandy Guide to Dating Vintage Menswear" available December, 2011 for more information on Penney's labels and other garment dating topics.  Google for more book info.

   
Logos:  Please remember that you are looking at the logo / font only;  overall labels might be somewhat different.

Original logo introduced during WWI stated "J. C. Penney Co." and "A Nation Wide Institution".   This was used until the mid 30s when the Nation Wide was dropped.
 
  This logo used from the 1930's until 1945.

  This logo used from the 1930s until 1945.


  This logo used from 1946 to 1957.  Note that the "J. C." has been dropped, and apostrophe S has been added, and all letters are the same height.

  This logo used from 1958 to 1963.  Note that the P is larger than the rest of the letters;
                                          The size of the P is the only difference in this logo and the 1946 logo.



  This logo is known as the Atomic P and was used from 1964 to 1970.  Note that the apostrophe has been dropped.


  This logo introduced in 1971 at the death of J. C. Penney and is still in use today.  It contains no periods, no spaces, no apostrophe S.


When using this logo guide, please remember to use other dating criteria such as Fabric Content labels added under the US Textiles Product ID Act in 1960, the International ID for Wool added in 1964, and Garment Care Labels which were added in 1971 as there can be some overlapping of logos.