What vintage Pendleton wool is actually selling for on eBay right now — trade blankets, Chief Joseph originals, National Park souvenirs, board shirts, and the Beaver State labels that separate a $90 thrift find from a four-figure auction piece.
Snapshot estimated from recent eBay sold-listings data. Numbers refresh every Sunday. For an exact current price on a specific piece, scan it.
Pendleton spans an unusually wide collector market — a 1970s board shirt and a 1930s trade blanket are technically the same brand, but they sell to two completely different buyers at radically different price tiers. The median sits around $110 across all categories, but a single piece can sit anywhere from $50 to $1,500+ depending on which side of the line it falls.
The three main categories trade at distinct price levels. Blankets are the top tier — common 1970s-1980s Pendleton wool blankets run $80-$200, while pre-1950 trade blankets in mint condition can clear $800-$1,500, and rare Chief Joseph originals or signed limited editions push past $2,000. Board shirts — the loop-collar wool button-ups marketed as Country Traditionals from the late 1960s into the 1970s — sit at $60-$180 with Beaver State labels. General apparel (mid-century plaid jackets, wool skirts, robes) trades at $40-$120 unless there's something exceptional about the cut or the label.
The Beaver State label is the single most important variable in Pendleton dating. The wide oval Beaver State mark with the beaver imagery ran from the early 1920s through 1949 and signals the most collectible production. Labels from the 1950s-1970s read "Pendleton, Oregon" and often retain the Beaver State branding. Modern post-1980 labels read "Made in USA" with simpler typography. Trade blankets and Chief Joseph blankets carry their own dedicated labels with the era and pattern name. The original paper hang-tag, when present, adds 20-40% on the right piece.
Pendleton has produced trade blankets since 1909 and licensed National Park blankets — Glacier, Yellowstone, Crater Lake, Grand Canyon, and others — sold at the parks since the 1920s. The pre-1950 trade blankets in vivid pattern and intact wool are the holy grail of vintage Pendleton, with mint examples clearing $1,500+ and rare patterns reaching five figures. Vintage 1920s-1960s National Park blankets in clean condition run $300-$900 depending on the park and era. The patterns are tied to the specific park's identity (Glacier's green-and-gold stripe, Yellowstone's earth-tone palette) and collectors target specific parks.
Wool is a moth magnet. Holes, even small ones, kill collector premiums — a single moth hole on a $300 trade blanket can drop it to $120. Fading from sun exposure on the fold lines is a similar discount. Original wool dyes from pre-1960 production have a depth and saturation that synthetic-dyed modern reissues can't match, so vivid color is a primary signal. Check the underside of blankets and the inside of shirt cuffs for moth activity before pricing.
Hunting Pendleton in person? Find garage sales near you on MapMySales — Pacific Northwest estate sales are the densest source, and the right Saturday morning in Oregon or Washington can turn up a 1940s trade blanket folded in a hall closet.
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The label tells the era. Beaver State labels — the wide oval mark with "Pendleton" over a beaver — were the company's signature from the 1920s through 1949 and signal the most collectible production. From the early 1950s through the 1970s, the label reads "Pendleton, Oregon" with the Beaver State imagery often retained. Modern post-1980 labels read "Made in USA" with simpler typography. Trade blankets and Chief Joseph blankets carry their own dedicated labels, and original paper hang-tags add 20-40% on the right piece.
Era, pattern rarity, and condition stack together. Pre-1950 trade blankets in mint condition with a vivid pattern and intact wool are the high tier — $800 to $1,500+ for sought-after designs. Chief Joseph blankets and Glacier National Park souvenir blankets from the 1920s-1940s command consistent collector premiums. Moth damage, fading, and missing labels each take meaningful percentage off the price. A pristine 1930s trade blanket can clear $1,500 on the right day.
Yes — original 1960s and 1970s board shirts (the loop-collar wool button-ups marketed as Country Traditionals) with the Beaver State label run $80 to $180 in good condition. The Beach Boys connection from the early 1960s drives steady demand. Faded color blocks, moth holes, and missing buttons drop the price meaningfully. A clean board shirt with the original Pendleton paper tag still attached is the top tier.
Pendleton has produced licensed National Park blankets — Glacier, Yellowstone, Crater Lake, Grand Canyon, and others — sold at the parks since the 1920s. Each park's blanket carries a distinctive stripe pattern in colors tied to that park's identity. Vintage 1920s-1960s park blankets in clean condition sell for $300-$900 depending on the park and era. Modern reissues are still desirable but trade in a separate price tier below vintage originals.