Caravan Upholstery-- An aid to dating ?

[cobber]

Caravan Upholstery--- An aid to dating ?

If you are fortunate enough to have a caravan
with original upholstery in it... and it has a mattress
with a “Resthaven” label on it..... this page from their web site indicates it was not made before 1957. Their home page is HERE





And this is what Driftwoods upholstery looks like.... and it's the same on the underside so that indicates she was not made before 1957.



Does anybody else have a label on their upholstery.... or any further information on this subject ?

Cobber.

[Franklin1]

Hey cobber,
I must confess I've never scored a date with an opening line about caravan upholstery.
However, knowing a man of your wisdom, I will give it a try one night and see how I go...

In the meantime, I can contribute the following advertisements from 1953 about caravan mattresses...



And these photos showing a Carapark mattress label, possibly from the late 1950s...



cheers,
Al.

[cobber]

Pre WWII Don caravan




The original upholstery in a 1947/8 ? Don caravan.... See the incredible story on this Don HERE





Don 1956 caravan




The original 1936 upholstery in Ol ' 36



The underside Is different...
The underside of the original inner-sprung mattress






The Dunlopillo mattress in the single beds in Ol '36 which was installed in the 1950s.. I say that because it was wrapped in a calico cover dated 1950.





And this is the cover that was on those single mattress and over the original covers on the front seats, I assume in the 1950 s because the van was last registered in 1961 when I got it.
Same style... Different colour to what is on the 1947/8 Don above




The vinyl upholstery in my 1960 Newcastle van.



And the underside,




Cobber

[hilldweller]

I am surprised this thread has not been used more.

Here is Mabel's: Velvety art deco lounge suite fabric. Age unknown but current working assumption is early 1940s. The underlying stripe is very similar to Ol' 36's original stripes. To me it seems most un-caravan-like and I've got no idea what sort of curtains to put with something that heavy, but it's growing on me and it's in fabulous condition. No labels. Machine stitching except on ends where each cover was hand-sewn shut after the cushion was put in.

The cushioning was springy rubbery stuff called 'Dunlopillo' - quite different in feel to modern foams. It's pretty much perished after 70-odd years and smells rather rubbery! I might get new foam cut to fit inside the old covers.

I like the ticking stripes in the Don van and Driftwood's floral.

[seeshell]

Hi there

Well there's a good reason she'll smell rubbery - it was the first latex bedding material produced. Well ahead of today's trends!

The first Dunlopillo mattresses were made in 1931 and it continues to be popular because of the interest in health, as latex has natural anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties.

Cheers!
Seeshell

[cobber]

G'day hilldweller,

Thanks for that contribution to the thread, hard to predict what turns people on aye ?..but I think this thread got lost in DHL because it slipped off the index, it's back there now thanks to Don R.

Anyway.... I've modified my post above to include the underside of Ol '36s original mattress and included photos of the two dinning room/bedroom seats upholstery that had been replaced in the 1950s I think , they had that Dunlopillo stuff in them which wasn't again available until, as you say, the mid 1940s.... after the war.

Cobber,

[cobber]

The original inner-spring mattress in a 1957 Rowvan



The underside material


THE LABEL


And the company is still operating , has been since 1953

Cobber.

[hilldweller]

Why were the pretty florals relegated to the underside?

[seeshell]

Hi There

About the fabric undersides - I imagine there could be a number of reasons.

During the day the vinyl was more durable and cleanable for during meals. It itself was often quite pretty, and patterned, with buttons.

Also no cushions should be done all in vinyl (or shouldn't have been done without breathing holes!) because it can get warm and sweat - then rot and smell - inside the cover.

At night, when converting the dinette to a bed, I imagine that sleeping on a fabric surface would be more comfortable and less sweaty especially in the summer.

So perhaps these might be some reasons!

Cheers
Seeshell

[willow5075]

I think you're reasoning is sound seashell. Our intent is to have our cushions covered that way for exactly those reasons!

[seeshell]

Hi All

And of course it would follow that all van cushions pre-war would have been done in heavy upholstery fabric, duck, or something heavy wearing like chenille before the broad use of vinyl was in place.

While vinyl was actually "discovered" through a chemical process in 1873 it was considered a waste product until the late 1920s when Walter Semon figured out how to plasticise it and make it flexible. Now it's the worlds second most used plastic - not bad for a throw away!

In the 30's it was first used to make synthetic seals and tyres for cars (the first commercial applications), and was significantly used in WWII to address war supply needs when there was a shortage of natural rubber. The first vinyl fabrics were made in the 1930s but were not made commercially available (most production was redirected to war efforts).

Vinyl boomed post war once people understood its application. The fabric became available in the late 1940s. Any pre-war vans and probably some out here in the Colonies through the early 1950s vans would have been fabric - except for the trendiest!

Here's a short history on vinyl (love my early plastics!):
www.vinylbydesign.com/mainmenu/Learn/HistoryofVinyl.html

Cheers
Seeshell

[Roehm3108]

Errrr, that would be a 1957 Rowvan, Mr cobber seeing that you've now seen it in the flesh, fancy making her older than she is ;D ;D ;D ;D

Ray

[cobber]

G'day Ray,

This is a very important point you raise.... seeing as we are trying to use upholstery materials and labels to help date vintage vans

I thought you said the van was 1957 but when I look at your thread... down at the bottom of reply # 7... you say "you couldn't find a more pristine example of a 1954 caravan".

When did you find out it is '57 not '54..... and when are you going to fix that thread up so you don't mislead the innocent

Cobber.

PS. It's OK Ray.... I found the answer on page 3, reply # 60.... I'll correct my error

Cobber.

[akeepsake]

My 63 Millard Florida


Underside (groovy )



Close up vinyl side



Single bed Quite comfy


I'm going to keep these , they need a bit of repair but are really comfy and look the part!
Love to find some matching material for repairs and possibly curtains ( have looked at all the atomic stuff but haven't found it as yet but I'm sure these some out there somewhere)
;D

[cobber]

G'day Andrew,

Good condition aye ? Like the way it has colour co-ordinated floor tiles too

Will have to do a bit of research to find out who N E A... or is it N A E ? were

Thanks for posting... they sure do "look the part"

Cobber.
.
Raining here today so..... N A E most likely = Nixon A E & Sons who were at 146 Taren Point Rd Taren Point and were established in 1946.

Are they still operating ? I don't think so but....... not certain sure

C.

[seeshell]

Hi Cobber et al.

With regard to monograms, often if there is one larger letter that might be a Family Name letter. The smaller letters are usually familiar names - in the case of a couple's monogram CBA (with C and A being slightly smaller than the B): the lady's first name initial is first, then the larger Family Name letter, then the initial of the husband. So the couple might be Cassandra and Alvin Beetle in that example.

Monograms are usually read either left to right or top to bottom.

So another possible variant to search for might be two family members (brothers, father and son, etc who are in business together?) with a last name of N:

A and E N(last name in part or full) Bedding (reading top to bottom)
AEN Bedding (top to bottom)

EAN Bedding (left to right)
E and A N(last name) Bedding (reading left to right)

Just to add to the search, hey?!

Added to: I've just seen your post Cobber - the reading of a monogram would suggest that Nixon would be a good guess! And the vintage would be about right based on the age of the mattresses. Mystery solved?

Cheers
Seeshell

[cobber]

seeshell said ....
"Added to: I've just seen your post Cobber - the reading of a monogram would suggest that Nixon would be a good guess! And the vintage would be about right based on the age of the mattresses. Mystery solved?"



nobody reads my posts

Cobber

[seeshell]

Phooey Cobber!

What I did do was read it too fast and miss the detail - what I get for reading between the vacuuming and the mopping!

Cheers
Carley

[Franklin1]

I don't know much about this sort of stuff ...





They were a supplier to Millard for a good many years. At least 6, if akeepsakes van is a '63 model, because the advert above is from 1969.

cheers,
Al.

[akeepsake]

Wow great detective work guys my millard is definitely no later than 63 as I have the Original electrical compliance certificate which is dated 6/63 and was brought off the original owner
Cobber yeah I'm happy with the colour scheme but need to get a few repair done on some small tears in the vinyl etc there are yellow tiles as well which match the cupboard backs
Think the curtains will have to go though ! Just can't live with them too many atomic fabrics out there too choose from. Is there a curtain thread?? Maybe I'll start one ;D

Cheers Andrew

[seeshell]

Hi Andrew

While there's some very modern men here who frequent Spotlight and know their way around some upholstery and curtain material, the last curtain discussion ended in gender warfare worse than a Liberal Fundraising Menu! Tread carefully!


Seeshell

[cruisindoug]

I guess headlining could be considered upholstery?

From the 1962 Sunliner:

[cobber]

Another example of  "Elite" upholstery on a 1965 Harris Caravan





Cobber

[akeepsake]

From my 1955 Alexander (same pattern top and bottom)

[maplegum]

From my 1968 (?) Miami Princess.
All in really good condition considering her age. The bed cushions do have a tear down either side though