DCHP-1 Online

point blanket

• a well-known make of blanket produced for the Hudson's Bay Company and having marks, or points (def. 2), woven into the fabric.

  See also: four-point blanket  Hudson's Bay blanket (def. 1a)  point (def. 2)  pointed blanket  three-point blanket  two-and-a-half-point blanket  two-point blanket  

  • Commonly known as Hudson's Bay blankets (def. 1a) these blankets have long been used in the fur trade with the Indians.

  • 1783  (1954)  I have enclosed instructions for your Guidance and the Standard of the point Blankets I now send you.
  • 1859  His Excellency Gov. Douglas was pleased to accede to their demand for pay, and gave Chief Edensaw, of Queen Charlotte's Island a due bill; "Good to Edensaw for twenty-five 3 pt. best Blankets, on their departure from the Island."
  • 1954  Amongst the innovations were Point Blankets which were made for the first time for the Hudson's Bay Company in 1780 by Thomas Empson of Witney, Oxfordshire. The first order consisted of 100 each of 1, 1 1/2, 2 1/2 and 3 points, making a total of 500 Point Blankets. The "points" were known to every Indian familiar with the Company's competitors as representing the price, e.g. a 2 1/2 point blanket was exchanged for 2 1.2 beavers.
  • 1960  The other familiar product, which is known to white men, too, is the famous "point" blanket.