The knitwear thread

[ballmouse]

For those of you who have bought Ballantyne shawl cardigans, how much did you all pay? I see a listing for one for $300 but can't tell if it's a good enough deal to take a gamble on size wise. It's a little larger than I'd like at 24" p2p (would prefer 22") and 29" length (would prefer 27"), but the condition looks excellent. The seller mentioned they bought it either in the late 90s or early 2000s and has been sitting in a closet for the past few decades. Seller is unsure about ply or gauge but weighed the garment at a little over 3lbs.

Additionally, can anyone confirm if this label looks right for that time era?

This is a new label. Definitely not one I would be interested in. You want one that sort of looks like this

or

And oddly enough, the older nicer ones are probably cheaper than the newer ones in the 2nd hand market.

 

[bandito]

Early 2000s might be correct. I somehow have filed this as a 2010s label in my head, but I can't give you a reference and might be wrong. In any case, this is not a collectors item.
It is by no means a good deal if you compare it to the prices from the time this thread was opened. It might be a good deal if you compare it to what a new e.g. Lockie cashmere shawl collar cardigan would cost you.
Personally, I would not buy it because a) too recent and b) too expensive. But I also have more excellent cashmere pieces than I could ever wear.

This is a new label. Definitely not one I would be interested in. You want one that sort of looks like this

View attachment 49732 or View attachment 49733

And oddly enough, the older nicer ones are probably cheaper than the newer ones in the 2nd hand market.

Thanks! I appreciate the insight about the labels and the worthiness. Between that and it not being quite the right size for me, I'll pass on it.