Vintage Talon Dress Placket Zipper in Melon, c. 1953

The Piece

Vintage Talon Dress Placket zipper in original card packaging, c. 1953.
12-inch zipper in “Melon” colorway with metal teeth and original pull.
Distributed by Donahue Sales Corporation, New York, N.Y.

This mid-century sewing notion remains attached to its original blue Talon display card. The front identifies the zipper as a Dress Placket, Style 222, with a Bridge Top-Stop, originally priced at 35¢. The color is marked Melon, a warm coral-orange tone used for dresses, over-blouses, lingerie, and other home-sewn garments.

The back of the package includes illustrated use diagrams for dresses, over-blouses, and lingerie, along with a Copyright 1953 mark from Donahue Sales Corp. The packaging also notes Made in U.S.A. since 1913, tying the piece to Talon’s long-standing role in American zipper and garment construction history.

Product Details

→ Maker: Talon
→ Distributor: Donahue Sales Corporation
→ Object Type: Dress placket zipper / sewing notion
→ Date: c. 1953
→ Color: Melon
→ Length: 12 inches
→ Style Number: 222
→ Original Price: 35¢
→ Construction: Fabric zipper tape with metal teeth and pull
→ Packaging: Original printed Talon card
→ Markings: Talon, Dress Placket, Style 222, Copyright 1953, Donahue Sales Corp., 41 E. 51 St., New York, N.Y.
→ Dimensions: 12-inch zipper; full card dimensions should be measured before listing, because apparently the zipper is not enough, we must now measure the entire historical rectangle.
→ Weight: Please weigh before publishing for shipping accuracy

Historical Context

Talon was one of the most recognizable American zipper manufacturers of the 20th century, supplying zippers for garments, accessories, uniforms, and home sewing markets. By the 1950s, packaged sewing notions like this were common household items, sold to women making or altering dresses, blouses, lingerie, and everyday clothing at home.

This example is especially appealing because it retains its original packaging, printed diagrams, color label, style number, and original 35¢ price. The packaging is as much of the object as the zipper itself, preserving the visual language of mid-century American home sewing culture.

Condition + Updates

Unused vintage condition with original packaging.

The zipper appears intact and still mounted to the original card. Metal teeth and pull are present. The card shows age-related creasing, bending, surface wear, edge softening, toning, and small handling marks throughout. Printed graphics remain legible and display well. Sold as a collectible sewing notion; functionality has not been tested.

Why This Belongs in Your Home

This piece is ideal for collectors of vintage sewing notions, textile history, mid-century packaging, fashion ephemera, or old-stock garment supplies. It works beautifully as a display object in a sewing room, studio, atelier, retail vignette, or framed textile collection.

It is small, affordable, visually strong, and period-correct, which is more than can be said for most things made after everyone decided beige plastic was a personality.