NOS (?) '60s (?) Shirt Lot Score

[HarpPlayerGene]

I thrifted these the other day. Got the best ten shirts from about three times that many (others had age spots/foxing). Haven't decided yet whether I'll keep them all or not, but they do fit me.

At first I thought they were unsold store stock but I'm thinking they were laundered a long time ago and left in the wrapping from the drycleaners. Each is on a piece of cardboard and has brown paper inside, plus the cardboard at the collar. There are no pins but there are some with paper claim tags. Is this set-up how cleaners used to return shirts?? They all have "C FS" written inside the collars. [huh]

LONG SLEEVES 16 x 34-35:

SHORT SLEEVES 16" neck and 15-1/2" neck:

There were two short sleeves and one long sleeves without plastic and I couldn't resist unfolding, pressing, wearing and considering them mine. Here's the couple of short sleeves numbers I plan on keeping:

I'll do another post below with more photos and info - but what I really want is opinions from you vintage clothes horses out there.

 

[flat-top]

Yup! Looks like you picked up CFS's drycleaning! Nice score though!
I'd say late 60's/ early 70's. I recognize that Damon label from some 70's poly sport shirts I've seen in the past.

 

[HarpPlayerGene]

So here's what I've got:

Style-wise they have a dated look (in a good way). Collar shapes, depth of cuffs, cut of sleeves, types of buttons. Also, most all the tags (even the wash/care tags) are embroidered. Further, some of these brands I've never heard of. I searched the "Arrow Kent" label and found this similar '70s shirt:
http://www.papasoul.com/411.html
Fortunately, none of these fit in that tight, clingy way shown at that link.

Being that they are Polyester/Cotton blends, they can't be '40s and are not likely '50s. But the mention of "Dacron" seems to be from a time frame when Poly' was still somewhat novel. So, I think late '60s through mid-'70s is likely.

In any event, I'm very pleased with the look and feel of the shirts and thought I'd share the images and my thoughts in order to get your feedback.

 

[HarpPlayerGene]

Yup! Looks like you picked up CFS's drycleaning! Nice score though!
I'd say late 60's/ early 70's. I recognize that Damon label from some 70's poly sport shirts I've seen in the past.

Thanks for replying, f-t!

Weirdest part though is there were 30 or 40 shirts like this at the thrift store - all donated in one bunch. Upon closer inspection, I've determined it has "C F5" written on them with a space between the C and the F.

They are, however, all very nearly the same size and other than the markings inside the collars they are in perfect, like-new condition. Not just crisply cleaned but really like new. [huh]

And since they're machine washable, I wonder why they would've been all taken to a cleaners.

I can't figure it out.

 

[HarpPlayerGene]

Note the 'Brigade' shirt above.

From Wikipedia:
"However, until the 1970s the ROC was still recognized by many countries and the United Nations as the sole legitimate government of both mainland China and Taiwan. The ROC had been a founding member of the United Nations[16] and one of the five permanent members of the Security Council until 1971, when China's representative was replaced by the PRC via UN General Assembly Resolution 2758."

 

[skyvue]

When I'm employed and financially stable, I take my dress shirts to the cleaners. I don't have time for all that ironing, and they do a better job of cleaning the shirts than I would.

 

[flat-top]

I've also seen vintage shirts packaged like that with all the bells and whistles from hotel laundry services.

 

[Baron Kurtz]

I'd be guessing dry cleaners stock, and concur with flat-top's late 60s dating. I've come across quite a few with this sort of packaging from dry cleaners. I got a really early lot owned by a Dr. Dear that were all carfefully wrapped in store-marked/branded paper bags.

Were the shirts pinned? NOS shirts are often pinned.

bk

 

[HarpPlayerGene]

Were the shirts pinned? NOS shirts are often pinned.

Thanks for chiming in, Baron.

No pins, no tags, no prices.

I'm confident we've nailed these to the '60s, and I'm pleased about getting them. But I am still a little mystified why so many in similar/same styles and size, in new condition, Permanent Press, all with "C (space) F5 (five)" written in them, but apparently dry cleaned and then abandoned.

One of the short sleeve shirts with white-on-white patterning became very SNAGGY when I wore it briefly. That tells me that although it's been to the cleaners it hadn't been worn before. Weird.

I may go back to buy more and see if I can Oxyclean the foxing out of them.