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Best & Co.

 Organization

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:

Department store window photographs

 Collection
Identifier: SC.309
Scope and Contents

This collection holds photographs of store windows from Lord & Taylor, Saks Fifth Avenue, Bonwit Teller, Best & Co., Macy's, Franklin Simon, B. Altman & Co., and others.

Dates: 1943-1966

Earl-Glo, 1934, 1934-1935

 folder
Identifier: SC.411.1.30
Scope and Contents

This folder contains a scrapbook from 1934 with a collection of newspaper clippings advertising Earl-Glo, a fabric primarily used for coat linings, sold by N. Erlanger, Blumgart & Co.

Dates: 1934-1935

Everfast Contempora, 1931, 1931

 folder
Identifier: SC.411.1.15
Scope and Contents

This folder contains a hand-illustrated portfolio from 1931 for the Everfast Contempora Fabrics promotion. There are promotional materials, as well as fashion illustrations with matching fabric swatches for town wear, beach wear, sports wear, and children's wear primarily designed by Best & Co. There are also photographs and illustrations of custom window displays and mannequins created by Contempora, Inc. for retailers.

Dates: 1931

Everfast Contempora: Promotion, Design, Publicity, N. Erlanger, Blumgart & Co., 1931, 1931

 folder
Identifier: SC.411.1.17
Scope and Contents

This folder contains a portfolio from 1931 with fabric swatches, promotional materials, and newspaper and magazine clippings for Everfast-Contempora fabrics including Printed Linens, Sunnidell Prints, and Printed Dimity, used for women's wear and children's wear. There is also general information about Contempora, Inc.

Dates: 1931

Everfast Contempora: Promotion, Design, Publicity, N. Erlanger, Blumgart & Co., 1931, 1931

 folder
Identifier: SC.411.1.19
Scope and Contents This folder contains a portfolio from 1931 with the promotional outline for Everfast Contempora Printed Linens from Spring and Summer 1931. There are newspaper and magazine clippings, photographs of window displays at Kaufman's, suggested print ads, promotional materials, and fabric swatches and descriptions of new fabrics designed by Vally Wieselthier, used for women's wear and children's wear. There is also general information about Contempora, Inc., including a list of participating...
Dates: 1931

Everfast Fabric, Women's Wear, 1932, 1931

 folder
Identifier: SC.411.1.20
Scope and Contents

This folder contains a scrapbook from 1932 with promotional materials, and newspaper and magazine clippings for women's wear and children's wear made with Everfast Fabrics under N. Erlanger, Blumgart & Co.

Dates: 1931

Everfast Fabrics, N. Erlanger, Blumgart & Co., 1933 - 1, 1933

 folder
Identifier: SC.411.1.22
Scope and Contents

This folder contains a scrapbook from 1933 with newspaper clippings, fabric swatches, and promotional materials for Everfast Fabrics under N. Erlanger, Blumgart & Co. There are ads for women's wear and children's wear, with a focus on sportswear and beachwear.

Dates: 1933

Everfast Fabrics, N. Erlanger, Blumgart & Co., 1933 - 2, 1933

 folder
Identifier: SC.411.1.23
Scope and Contents

This folder contains a scrapbook from 1933 with newspaper clippings, fabric swatches, and promotional materials for Everfast Fabrics under N. Erlanger, Blumgart & Co. There are ads for women's wear and children's wear, with a focus on sportswear and beachwear.

Dates: 1933

Everfast Fabrics, N. Erlanger, Blumgart & Co., Miscellaneous, 1935, 1935-1940

 folder
Identifier: SC.411.1.34
Scope and Contents

This folder contains a scrapbook from 1935 with newspaper and magazine clippings, promotional materials, and photographs from Everfast Fabrics under N. Erlanger, Blumgart & Co. There are ads for Everfast's "Going Native" designs and "Seminole style" patterns.

Dates: 1935-1940

Everfast Fabrics, Women's Wear, 1934 - 1, 1934

 folder
Identifier: SC.411.1.26
Scope and Contents

This folder contains a scrapbook from 1934 with newspaper clippings for women's ready-to-wear and some children's wear made with Everfast Fabrics under N. Erlanger, Blumgart & Co. There are also fabric swatches and photographs of store displays.

Dates: 1934

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