Bonnie Cashin Labels: History and How to Date Them
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Bonnie Cashin (1908 to 2000) was an American sportswear designer who worked for many makers at once, so the company on the label (Adler & Adler, Sills, Coach and others) dates a piece more precisely than her name. She never licensed her name, so a garment with "Bonnie Cashin" on it was designed by her.
Company history
The Vintage Fashion Guild (VFG) records that Cashin was head designer at the coat and suit maker Adler & Adler from 1937 to 1942, when her work carried only the Adler & Adler label. She designed costumes at 20th Century Fox from 1942, returned to New York and Adler & Adler in 1949 and launched her own ready-to-wear and accessories line, working for several manufacturers at the same time. From 1953 to 1977 she was head designer at the leather house Sills and Company. She designed handbags for Coach from 1962 to 1974, worked for Ballantyne cashmere from 1964 to 1968, ran The Knittery from 1970 to 1980, and designed for Russel Taylor from 1978 to 1985 under the "Cashin Country" and "Weatherwear" labels. She retired in 1985.
Her trademarks include brass toggles (inspired, the story goes, by the top of her convertible), dog-leash clasps, layering and mixes such as leather with tweed or mohair.
Label timeline
| Label or clue | Approximate dates | What it tells you |
|---|---|---|
| Adler & Adler | 1937 to 1942 (her name not on the label); again from 1949 | Her coat and suit work |
| Sills and Company / "Cashin for Sills" | 1953 to 1977 | Leather and mixed-texture outerwear |
| Coach | 1962 to 1974 | Her handbag years; see Coach |
| Ballantyne | 1964 to 1968 | Cashmere knits |
| The Knittery | 1970 to 1980 | Knit-to-fit sweaters |
| Cashin Country, Weatherwear (Russel Taylor) | 1978 to 1985 | Her last ready-to-wear |
What it helps date
- Cashin is listed among American designers in our 1950s and 1960s hubs.
- Toggles, clasps and hardware are part of her signature: compare with buttons and fasteners.
- Leather condition matters as much as the label: identify fur and leather.
Values
Our vintage coat and fur values guide lists 1960s Cashin mohair coats at about $281 and $313 and a Cashin for Sills piece at about $569 (Barnebys). The 1960s hub counts 27 Augusta lots from $187 to $812, median $312. Cashin-era Coach bags (1962 to 1974) had an eBay median of $402 in July to October 2026, per our hats and handbags values guide (Underpriced). Prices are estimates as of 2026.
check sold prices for bonnie cashin vintage coat on eBay
Sources
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Guides that mention Bonnie Cashin
- 1950s Vintage Clothing: How to Date and Value ItDate and value 1950s clothing: New Look to sack silhouettes, early synthetics, metal zippers, ILGWU and fibre labels, and 2026 price ranges.
- 1960s Vintage Clothing: How to Date and Value ItDate and value 1960s clothing: early-60s polish to mod and hippie looks, new synthetics, coil zippers, label laws, and 2026 price ranges.
- Vintage Coat and Fur Values: Mink, Fox, Leather and Flight JacketsWhat vintage fur coats, stoles, wool coats, leather and WWII flight jackets sell for in 2026, why most minks bring $50 to $500, and which bring more.
- Vintage Hat and Handbag Values: Hermès, Chanel, Coach, Leiber and More2026 price ranges for vintage handbags (Hermès, Chanel, Coach, Leiber, mesh, Lucite) and hats (Stetson, Daché, Schiaparelli), from sold data.
- What Makes Vintage Clothing Valuable? The 8 Value DriversWhy one vintage piece sells for $20 and a similar one for $2,000: age, label, rarity, condition, size, provenance and demand, with 2026 sold prices.
Related
- Coach Labels: History and How to Date ThemDate a vintage Coach bag: the 1941 Manhattan workshop, women's bags under the Cahns, Bonnie Cashin's 1962 to 1974 designs, the 1985 Sara Lee sale, and values.
- Dating Vintage Clothing by Buttons, Snaps and FastenersHow button materials (celluloid, casein, Bakelite, acrylic), snaps and Velcro help date vintage clothing, and why buttons are the least reliable clue.
- How to Tell Real Fur and Leather from FauxSimple hands-on tests to tell real fur from fake fur and real leather from leatherette on vintage coats, stoles and bags, plus old fur trade names decoded.
- Vintage Coat and Fur Values: Mink, Fox, Leather and Flight JacketsWhat vintage fur coats, stoles, wool coats, leather and WWII flight jackets sell for in 2026, why most minks bring $50 to $500, and which bring more.