The history of Fil Au Chinois calendars
The Fil Au Chinois brand, renowned for its exceptional quality sewing threads, also made a lasting mark with its famous pocket calendars. These items, dating back to the late 19th century, were distributed in haberdashery stores to promote the brand. Today, they are treasured by collectors of vintage haberdashery. Through elegant designs and meticulous details, these calendars reflect the changing fashions and techniques of their time. In this article, you’ll get a glimpse of these beautiful collectible items, their variations over the decades, and the unique innovations that made Fil Au Chinois famous. If you own any of these calendars or wish to learn more, you’ll find a fascinating source of information here on this rare and sought-after collection.
The remarkable diversity of Fil Au Chinois calendars
There is huge diversity in the Fil Au Chinois calendars. The oldest that I have found dates back to 1886, but it is possible that they go back even further, as the brand exists since 1847.
Marketing tools for haberdashery stores
These calendars were offered to haberdashery stores to distribute to their clients. This is why there were often many versions of the same calendar: some were printed with the name Maison Vrau, the owners of the Fil Au Chinois brand, and some with the names of the shops they were distributed to.
A notable innovation: the "golden thread" ball
One of the particularities of Fil Au Chinois was to offer balls called “Au Fil d’Or” (The Golden Thread): a small bit of golden thread indicated the start of the ball. This was quite revolutionary at the time and is often mentioned on the calendars.
The graphic evolution of Fil Au Chinois calendars
From the turn of the 20th century, the Fil Au Chinois pocket calendars all had roughly the same format (4.2 x 7.5 cm). It is interesting to note the evolution of the typography and décor surrounding the Chinaman as styles changed.
Share your discoveries
If you have in your possession other versions of these calendars, I would be delighted to receive photos and share them here.
Note the calendar from 1934 for Petitjean, a haberdashery in Versailles which I remember well, but which unfortunately no longer exists.
Do you know Frederique Crestin-Billet’s book?
In Frederique Crestin-Billet’s book, also known as Madame Sajou, you’ll find the detailed history of numerous thread brands, including Fil Au Chinois. You can also admire many photos of old thread labels, an incredible collection of vintage thread cards, colour ranges, and much more. If you love vintage haberdashery, this book will captivate you.
Check out Frederique Crestin-Billet's book "Au rayon des Fils"
Also, see the article on the history of the Fil Au Chinois brand
