Collecting these beautiful pieces of fashion & sewing history can be a wonderful joy but there are a few cautions to take. First and foremost, always buy from sellers who check each pattern they list! Don't be afraid to double check with the seller as to the completeness of the pattern...there are few out there who do not really check the patterns but claim to do so! Always check their feedback as well...if a seller does not actually check the pattern, and does not honor a buyers claim as to one being incomplete, it will show up there eventually.

Condition can be a factor as well for collectors. My personal belief is that if you are buying the pattern to keep in your collection only, then try to find the best but that can be quite difficult as patterns were not designed to last for decades. If the design is rare, buy it no matter what the condition is. You can always sell it if you find a better specimen but you will kick yourself if you let one go and can not find it again. Handling and storing the patterns as well can also cause damage. I recommend purchasing the sealable plastic sleeves in the size closest to the pattern. You can also use an acid free matboard when storing them.  I have had many requests to offer the bags and have them available in my store as I too know what it is like to have the frustration of loose pattern pieces in the bottom of a drawer from too frail an envelope.

As for dating these old gems it can be tricky. The best way is to know fashion trends from that time period but if you are uncertain, then check out the hairstyles worn on the models..that can be a great help. If the pattern falls right at the beginning or end of a decade, that too can cause a bit of confusion. Finding an old counter catalog is a gift but if you are looking for them on ebay, be prepared to pay a hefty price for it. They are rare but worth the money if you are serious about dating your collection.

Some specific companies dating policies:

• McCall's generally has their dates along the bottom in fine print for the older ones and newer ones tend to appear along the bottom of the flap.
• Simplicity is known for being rather random in their dating procedures...either it can be found along the bottom of the instruction sheet, on the lower front of the envelope, or no place at all (some mistakenly believe that Simplicity dated all of their patterns and this is not true). If you research though, you can find different envelope trends or markings that will help to date your piece.
• Hollywood patterns will generally date between the 1930s, 1940s and very early 50s and many times feature a famous Hollywood star. If a starlet is used as well as the movie she was promoting, then Google the movie and you will have the date for that pattern. The most collectible Hollywood pattern is one that features Lucille Ball.
• Advance, Vogue & Butterick were also known for not dating their patterns though Vogue did date them on the fronts for a short period of time. 
• Mail order lines such as Anne Adams, Marian Martin, Spadea (another highly collectible line), if the pattern was shipped to a USA address, it generally will not have an actual date stamp on it for the older ones (those dating pre-mid 50s or so), but if it came from Canada then you're in luck since they date stamped theirs. I have had people ask me about a subscription date on the original mailing envelope and in all the years I have been offering patterns, I have never had the luck of finding such a thing on an envelope.

If you are purchasing designs with the intention of using them but do not want to damage your pattern, I suggest taking the time to copy your original instead. Otherwise there are also a few out there who offer recreations of the originals for you. They may or may not cost more than what you paid for your original but it would be worth it if you truly do not want to damage yours or don't have that particular design in your collection. E-mail me and I will be more than happy to recommend a couple of reproduction specialists that I have seen right here on ebay.

Found a pattern you love but the size is wrong...try pattern alterations. I have links to a couple of websites I found that covers this topic in my 'me' page, but you can also do a search on the internet and find many experts who give directions and advice on this subject. Otherwise, just keep in mind that you want to go by your own measurements and not the size number listed on the pattern envelope...the measurements have "grown" a bit over the years.  

The best advise I can give you is to ASK QUESTIONS and buy from a seller who has been doing this for a long time and preferably one who has many patterns to choose from! Don't waist your time and money on someone who decided to "jump on the bandwagon" in hopes of making a quick profit...they very rarely care for or check the patterns they offer (though I have found many 'claim' to). A good hint would be to try and steer away from someone who offers patterns for $3 or less...that would be a good sign that they probably have not invested the time necessary to accurately check each individual pattern. Sellers who love what they do will never mind answering any questions you may have and will take the necessary time needed to make certain the pattern is in the condition they state it to be before they ever list it.

Looking for a good seller to buy from, drop me a line and I will be more than happy to recommend a few (besides myself) that I know have been around ebay for many years and truly care for the patterns...and no, I do not gain anything from recommending them :0)

And a quick FYI....for those who do not know, when you see the patterns without their envelopes (most of the time those same patterns are also unused) it is because they were a stores unsold stock. If a store returned only the envelope to the company, they received credit for. These are still usable, just not collectible. :0)

Lastly, enjoy your search! 

 On-A-Moonbeam