Gunne Sax Labels: History and How to Date Them

Last reviewed 2026-10-04 by the AntiqueCostume editorial team · Sources · How we research

Gunne Sax was a San Francisco dress company founded in 1967 and run by Jessica McClintock from 1969, best known for prairie and Victorian-revival dresses of the 1970s. Its labels changed over time, and the earliest "black labels" are both the easiest to date and the most valuable.

Company history

The Vintage Fashion Guild (VFG) records that Gunne Sax was started in 1967 by Elle Bailey and Carol Miller. Jessica McClintock invested in 1969, became the designer and bought the company that year. It became known for nostalgic "granny dresses", then prairie dresses and Victorian and Edwardian inspired designs through the 1970s and into the early 1980s. In 1982 Scott McClintock joined and added his own lines, and by the end of the 1980s Gunne Sax mainly made prom and party dresses following the trends of the day. The company is now Jessica McClintock, Inc.

Label timeline

Label or clue	Approximate dates	What it tells you
Black label reading "Gunne Sax of California"	1969 only	The earliest label, rare
Black label reading "Gunne Sax by Jessica"	1969 into the early 1970s	Early McClintock era
Later 1970s labels and hang tags	Late 1970s	Far more common than black labels
1980s labels on prom and party styles	1980s	Trend-led later production

The black-label dates come from our 1970s hub, citing Wikipedia; the VFG shows its earliest label as 1969.

What it helps date

A Gunne Sax in Victorian style is genuine vintage from the 1970s, not an antique. Our reproduction vs antique guide and vintage or reproduction checklist explain why it has 1970s zippers, fibres and care labels.
A permanent care label fits 1972 or later: see care labels.
The Victorian hub lists Gunne Sax among revival dresses often mistaken for period pieces.

Values

Our vintage dress values guide puts the middle half of 14 auction results at about $45 to $100, top about $225 (Barnebys), with early black-label and heart-label dresses leading and one guide reporting rare examples over $1,000. The 1970s hub gives marketplace ranges of $10 to $50, $50 to $175 and $175 to $350 by condition (Poshmark sold listings), with rare early labels above that. Prices are estimates as of 2026.

check sold prices for gunne sax vintage dress on eBay

Sources

Guides that mention Gunne Sax

1970s Vintage Clothing: How to Date and Value ItDate and value 1970s clothing: hippie, prairie, disco and designer-jeans looks, polyester and Qiana, care labels from 1972, and 2026 price ranges.

Reproduction vs Antique Clothing: How to TellUse fibres, fasteners, seam finishes, labels and silhouette to tell a real Victorian or Edwardian garment from a costume, revival dress or reproduction.

Vintage Dress Values: Prices by Era, Label and ConditionRealistic 2026 price ranges for vintage and antique dresses, Victorian to 1990s, by era and label, with auction results and what moves the price.

Is It Vintage or a Reproduction? A ChecklistA clue-by-clue checklist for telling genuine vintage from reproductions: zippers, seams, thread, fibers, buttons, labels, tees, designer tags and aging.

What Is My Vintage Dress Worth? A 5-Step MethodWork out what your vintage dress is worth in five steps: date it, check it is genuine, grade condition, find sold comparables and choose where to sell.

Victorian Clothing (1837-1901): How to Date and Value ItDate Victorian clothing from 1840s dome skirts to 1880s bustles and 1890s gigot sleeves by silhouette, fabric and construction, with 2026 values.

Laura Ashley Labels: History and How to Date ThemLaura Ashley label history: a 1953 screenprinting business, the move to Wales in 1961, first dresses in 1966, the first US store in 1974, and later lines.

Dating Vintage Clothing by the Care LabelHow US, Canadian and European care labels date a garment: the 1971 FTC rule, the 1983 rewrite, 1997 symbols, and the clues that fool people.