Reference: Guide to Hermes Scarves

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Thank you. I am sorry it was messaged two times. Sometimes it is Exercises de Main? And I would like to know about the black one. Is it old? I do not find information about it. Thank you for your help.

I've seen it listed as "exercises pour former la main" and "l'art d'écrire." Mine in white and navy, fairly common. This black CW is extraordinary. I've never seen it pictured!

It is L'Art d'Ecrire, that's all.

Exercises de Main shows only a portion of the scarf and only exist in oblong form. As a twilly or a mousseline stole. It also has a different design number than L'Art Ecrire so I consider them different scarves.
 
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With thanks to Seton for pointing me in the right direction for this post and apologies for posting on the wrong thread.
Hello everybody. This is the first time that I have posted on this thread although some may recognise my name from SOTD and Ode To The CSGM amongst others. I was wondering if anybody has any knowledge of H scarves back in the early days. If so, I would be ever so grateful for your input. I have just taken possession of a scarf named The Angler's Companion. It measures 85cm across by 87 down (pics attached). I have since come across this design whilst researching it in a Parisian auction house and on the Hermès Scarf Guide on FB as being a circa 1937 copyright-less and author-less H scarf. I have no label attached and the hems (shown below) are hand-rolled but to the reverse (the seller has flattened them whilst pressing). Now, that would in itself convince me a more modern scarf was fake, but the Hermès Scarf Guide shows a similar one with a machine - stitched edge as being genuine so who knows? The print on mine is clean and sharp and the thread matches the scarf. The twill itself (which I have also tried to show below ) seems more akin to a summer twill than the normal 90s' twill of modern scarves or my one 1950's one. Not just that, but the months of some of the fishes' seasons are slightly different from that on the one on the Hermès Scarf Guide (mine uses, for example, the word "Michs" (I am guessing for "Michaelmas") . Again, that would normally ring alarm bells yet a similarly worded one to mine was recently sold by Bonhams. I am really quite confused and am hoping if perhaps somebody more expert in the early scarves than me could give me their comments. Even if it is not Hermès, which I fully expect, it is a beautiful old scarf which I would be delighted to wear. The silk is almost liquid! Do you know if this scarf was ever re-issued in the early days or did fakers exist even in the 1930s? Why would they bother when there is no name on the front? Was the earlier twill lighter? Thank you so very much in advance for any assistance you may be able to give to help me identify this scarf.
20170206_182301-jpeg.3597054
20170206_182301-jpeg.3597056
20170206_182332-jpeg.3597057
20170206_182401-jpeg.3597058
20170206_184322-jpeg.3597060
20170206_183814-jpeg.3597061

Seton has advised me it is probably a later screening than the 1930s and that it has been re-hemmed as the border seems too narrow. I have since measured the border and it's measurements are irregular: LHS 6cm, bottom 7cm, RHS 6.4cm and top 7cm.
Any other comments as to the age/authenticity/silk would be extremely welcome. Apologies for causing noise on the Identification thread.
 
PS As a comparison, I wondered if it would be useful to show the twill next to that of my 1950s Roues du Canon. Perhaps laundering/pressing has rendered the Companion's fabric softer? The weave of the twill is identical in size.
20170206_205302.jpeg
 
Without getting into geeky detail ...
Anglers Companion is not imprinted with the words Hermes Paris. There are exemplars that retain a sewn Hermes label. The presence of the latter would be enough to assure many the scarf was sold by Hermes.
Lacking the label, all bets are off. There is no way to be a detective and prove the scarf was sold by Hermes since the hems , borders, fabrics etc were variable (not standardized) in the early days. Is it Hermes ? maybe yes, maybe no.
Yes, there are some scarves lacking an imprinted Hermes Paris and also lacking a written assessment by Hermes ( if you can obtain such a thing) that have sold for large sums eg at Bonhams
IMHO, for those high dollar sales, the seller got lucky, and the scarf for sale just happened to be a grail/impulse buy for someone with very deep pockets
Reminds me of a cobalt Lumieres de Paris that I saw sell for $1400 - there was no rational reason for this sale price
 
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With thanks to Seton for pointing me in the right direction for this post and apologies for posting on the wrong thread.
Hello everybody. This is the first time that I have posted on this thread although some may recognise my name from SOTD and Ode To The CSGM amongst others. I was wondering if anybody has any knowledge of H scarves back in the early days. If so, I would be ever so grateful for your input. I have just taken possession of a scarf named The Angler's Companion. It measures 85cm across by 87 down (pics attached). I have since come across this design whilst researching it in a Parisian auction house and on the Hermès Scarf Guide on FB as being a circa 1937 copyright-less and author-less H scarf. I have no label attached and the hems (shown below) are hand-rolled but to the reverse (the seller has flattened them whilst pressing). Now, that would in itself convince me a more modern scarf was fake, but the Hermès Scarf Guide shows a similar one with a machine - stitched edge as being genuine so who knows? The print on mine is clean and sharp and the thread matches the scarf. The twill itself (which I have also tried to show below ) seems more akin to a summer twill than the normal 90s' twill of modern scarves or my one 1950's one. Not just that, but the months of some of the fishes' seasons are slightly different from that on the one on the Hermès Scarf Guide (mine uses, for example, the word "Michs" (I am guessing for "Michaelmas") . Again, that would normally ring alarm bells yet a similarly worded one to mine was recently sold by Bonhams. I am really quite confused and am hoping if perhaps somebody more expert in the early scarves than me could give me their comments. Even if it is not Hermès, which I fully expect, it is a beautiful old scarf which I would be delighted to wear. The silk is almost liquid! Do you know if this scarf was ever re-issued in the early days or did fakers exist even in the 1930s? Why would they bother when there is no name on the front? Was the earlier twill lighter? Thank you so very much in advance for any assistance you may be able to give to help me identify this scarf.
20170206_182301-jpeg.3597054
20170206_182301-jpeg.3597056
20170206_182332-jpeg.3597057
20170206_182401-jpeg.3597058
20170206_184322-jpeg.3597060
20170206_183814-jpeg.3597061

Seton has advised me it is probably a later screening than the 1930s and that it has been re-hemmed as the border seems too narrow. I have since measured the border and it's measurements are irregular: LHS 6cm, bottom 7cm, RHS 6.4cm and top 7cm.
Any other comments as to the age/authenticity/silk would be extremely welcome. Apologies for causing noise on the Identification thread.
Wow Pautinka, what an amazing scarf! Truly a special find. I hope you enjoy wearing/collecting it. I did read on an earlier thread somewhere that h can send a scarf with damaged hems to a source that re sews them by hand and it does make the scarf a bit smaller. The member was Bienchen who took her 90 silk for rehemming I think. I hope you can wear this, or maybe even frame it as it seems to be ideal as an art piece too. Will be interested to know the year, designer or any other details that MT or seton can provide you.

Edited to add: Luxury-scarves shows two different colorways for reference if that is of any help.

http://www.luxury-scarves.com/en/10_database/colorway.php?ID=1205
 
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Without getting into geeky detail ...
Anglers Companion is not imprinted with the words Hermes Paris. There are exemplars that retain a sewn Hermes label. The presence of the latter would be enough to assure many the scarf was sold by Hermes.
Lacking the label, all bets are off. There is no way to be a detective and prove the scarf was sold by Hermes since the hems , borders, fabrics etc were variable (not standardized) in the early days. Is it Hermes ? maybe yes, maybe no.
Yes, there are some scarves lacking an imprinted Hermes Paris and also lacking a written assessment by Hermes ( if you can obtain such a thing) that have sold for large sums eg at Bonhams
IMHO, for those high dollar sales, the seller got lucky, and the scarf for sale just happened to be a grail/impulse buy for someone with very deep pockets
Reminds me of a cobalt Lumieres de Paris that I saw sell for $1400 - there was no rational reason for this sale price
Thank you so much marietouchet for your kind response. I bought it because I am a sucker for calligraphy, not because I wanted to see if there was a high value attached so I am happy either way. At best then, it is a lovely old H scarf which I will enjoy wearing and at worst, an old non- H scarf which I will still enjoy wearing!
Can I just say here too how great it is that you guys are happy to share your knowledge and that it is very much appreciated ? Thank you!
 
Wow Pautinka, what an amazing scarf! Truly a special find. I hope you enjoy wearing/collecting it. I did read on an earlier thread somewhere that h can send a scarf with damaged hems to a source that re sews them by hand and it does make the scarf a bit smaller. The member was Bienchen who took her 90 silk for rehemming I think. I hope you can wear this, or maybe even frame it as it seems to be ideal as an art piece too. Will be interested to know the year, designer or any other details that MT or seton can provide you.

Edited to add: Luxury-scarves shows two different colorways for reference if that is of any help.

http://www.luxury-scarves.com/en/10_database/colorway.php?ID=1205
Thank you lanit. I will search for Bienchen's post re the hem - sounds useful! If it isn't an old H that I have bought it is still a beautiful quality scarf which will bring me much joy! See you on SOTD! [emoji4]
 
Thank you for the link Ianit! Will give it a good read. Definitely worth considering [emoji4]
Last time rehemming was in vogue - years ago
It cost about $200 at Hermes
They cut off the old hem- so the revised scarf is significantly smaller
The final product depends on what is at the border to begin with - eg a big blank sold border (Brides de Gala) or an intricate combo (eg Couvertures et Tenues) or minutia modern Henry design)
The resewn scarf may have what looks to be a contrast hem (CH) - the resewn BdG would have a narrower border not a CH, while a resewn C&T may have what looks like a CH or like a blur (rehemmed Henry design)
 
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Last time rehemming was in vogue - years ago
It cost about $200 at Hermes
They cut off the old hem- so the revised scarf is significantly smaller
The final product depends on what is at the border to begin with - eg a big blank sold border (Brides de Gala) or an intricate combo (eg Couvertures et Tenues) or minutia modern Henry design)
The resewn scarf may have what looks to be a contrast hem (CH) - the resewn BdG would have a narrower border not a CH, while a resewn C&T may have what looks like a CH or like a blur (rehemmed Henry design)
Thank you marietouchet. If it cost $200 years ago for rehemming then it makes new 90s seem very good value for money!

I may write a polite letter in my best French to FSH and enquire if they have an archivist who may be able to assist me with info on the history of the design, as it fascinates me. One never knows.....and if they come back saying that they have never heard of it, well that would be progress too in a way!
 
Thank you marietouchet. If it cost $200 years ago for rehemming then it makes new 90s seem very good value for money!

I may write a polite letter in my best French to FSH and enquire if they have an archivist who may be able to assist me with info on the history of the design, as it fascinates me. One never knows.....and if they come back saying that they have never heard of it, well that would be progress too in a way!
All the old pen and ink designs were copied from period engravings , typically on the internet ; just google around for a bit
 
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