Best & Co.
Dates
- Existence: 1879–1971
Biography
Best & Co. was a department store founded in New York City in 1879 by Albert Best. Part of the 'Ladies' Mile' shopping district, the stalwart Manhattan store expanded its footprint with locations in tony suburbs in the tri-state area before expanding to Washington, D.C. and Chicago in the 1930s and 1940s. In 1966, the chain included 20 US-based locations when it was acquired by a fashion conglomerate, McCrory's who closed and liquidated the Best & Co. properties during the 1970s.
Found in 55 Collections and/or Records:
1931, 1932, 1933 - 1, 1931-1933
This folder contains a scrapbook from 1931-1933 with fabric swatches, business correspondences, and publicity for Everfast Fabrics under N. Erlanger, Blumgart & Co. Promotions for Everfast Contempora fabrics, printed Voiles, Dimity, Broadcloth, Sunnidell and other fabrics used for women's wear, children's wear, sportswear, and beachwear. There are also lists of stores and companies working with Everfast products.
1931, 1932, 1933 - 2, 1931-1933
This folder contains a scrapbook from 1931-1933 with fabric swatches, business correspondences, and publicity for Everfast Fabrics under N. Erlanger, Blumgart & Co. Promotions for Everfast Contempora fabrics, printed Voiles, Dimity, Broadcloth, Sunnidell and other fabrics used for women's wear, children's wear, sportswear, and beachwear. There are also lists of stores and companies working with Everfast products.
1935 - 1, 1936-1937
This folder contains a scrapbook from 1935 with newspaper and magazine clippings for women's wear and children's wear made with Everfast Fabrics under N. Erlanger, Blumgart & Co. There is a focus on Tahitian-inspired prints used in beach wear and resort wear. There are some fabric swatches and photographs of department store displays.
1935 - 2, 1936-1940
This folder contains a scrapbook from 1935 with newspaper and magazine clippings for women's wear and children's wear made with Everfast Fabrics under N. Erlanger, Blumgart & Co. There is a focus on Tahitian-inspired prints used in beach wear and resort wear. There are some fabric swatches and photographs of department store displays.
1935-1940, 1935-1940
This folder contains a scrapbook from 1935-1940 with promotional materials, business correspondence, and newspaper and magazine clippings for women's wear, men's wear, and children's wear made with Everfast Fabrics, under N. Erlanger, Blumgart & Co. (until 1936, and then as Everfast Fabrics, Inc.). There are promotions for Sunnidell prints, Butterick sewing patterns, Everfast Swedish prints, and the collection of prints designed by Elsa Schiaparelli, Jacques Heim, and Dilkusha.
1936-1937, 1936-1937
This folder contains a scrapbook from 1936-1937 with fabric swatches and newspaper and magazine clippings for women's wear made with Everfast Fabrics. The ads are primarily for ready to wear and sewing patterns from various department stores.
1939, 1939
This folder contains a scrapbook from 1939 with newspaper clippings for women's wear made with Everfast Fabrics. The ads are primarily for ready to wear and Butterick sewing patterns, with a focus on several Butterick-Everfast fashion shows, Trinka Van Dorn at Bonwit Teller, and New Amsterdam-inspired cottons designed by Gwenyth Waugh.
Ban-Care Promotions, 1959, 1959
This folder contains a scrapbook from 1959 with photographs, swatches, business correspondence, and newspaper and magazine clippings for women's wear, men's wear, and children's wear made with Everfast Fabrics and treated with Ban-Care by Joseph Bancroft & Sons Company. There are ads for Everfast Pam Pam fabric and for designs by Nancy Greer and Ship n' Shore. There are photographs of displays at Wanamaker's, Best & Co., B. Altman, and Macy's.
Catalogs, 1961-1963, 1961-1963
This folder contains approximately 60 catalogs from department stores, including Macy's, Lord and Taylor, Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue.
Children's Wear, 1930-1934, 1930-1934
This folder contains a scrapbook from 1930-1934 with business correspondence and promotional materials for Everfast Fabrics under N. Erlanger, Blumgart & Co. There are ads for Everfast Suiting, Gingham, Sunnidell, Broadcloth, and Contempora Handkerchief Linens used for women's wear and children's wear. There is also some information about the prices of fabrics and dyes.