B. Altman & Co.
Dates
- Existence: 1865-1990
Biography
The B. Altman Company was founded by Benjamin Altman in 1865 at 10th St. and 3rd Avenue in Manhattan's East Village and in the early 1870s, the retail establishment relocated to Ladies' Mile. As the department store steadily grew into one of New York's leading retailers, a larger premises was planned, opening in 1877 at 301 6th Ave between 18th and 19th Streets. In 1904, the New York Evening Sun described the Altman’s Sixth Avenue establishment as “one of the greatest stores in the world … a Bon Marché of the New World.” In 1906, the store relocated once again to a larger premises on Fifth Ave and 34th St. which was dubbed the "Palace of Trade...the store was organized literally by departments: women’s, men’s, and children’s clothing, lingerie, maids’ uniforms, linens, fine lace, and even art objects and rare books and manuscripts, all under one roof." Customer's flocked to the Fifth Avenue location, making B. Altman a pioneer on the development of the Fifth Avenue retail scene.
Upon the death of Benjamin Altman in 1913, the store was operated by his philanthropic organization, the Altman Foundation. However in 1986, the New York state tax code changed, making it illegal for a charitable organization to own a for-profit endeavor which funded it. Sold to other business entities, the company floundered, filing for bankruptcy in 1989 and shuttering its doors in 1990. The B. Altman Building located on Fifth Avenue was granted landmark status by New York City in 1985 and now houses the CUNY Graduate Center and for a brief period was home to NYPL's SIBL Library.
Found in 46 Collections and/or Records:
Women's Wear, 1937-1938, 1937-1938
This folder contains a scrapbook from 1937-1938 with newspaper and magazine clippings for women's wear made with Everfast Fabrics. There are ads for fabrics designed by Jacques Heim and Elsa Schiaparelli, as well as Bali-inspired prints by Miguel Covarrubias.
Women's Wear, 1937-1938, 1937-1938
This folder contains a scrapbook from 1937-1938 with newspaper clippings for women's wear made with Everfast Fabrics. There are ads for Swedish-inspired prints, Guatemalen-inspired prints, Bali-inspired prints by Miguel Covarrubias, and prints designed by Elsa Schiaparelli, all primarily used for spring and summer fashions. There are also articles about current trends in cotton and about Jacques Heim's trip to the U.S. to work with Everfast.
Women's Wear, 1946, 1946
This folder contains a scrapbook from 1946 with newspaper clippings for women's ready to wear made with Everfast Fabrics. The ads are primarily for beach wear and day wear, sold at various stores, including Bonwit Teller, Best & Co., Loeser's, Mary Lewis, Franklin Simon, and B. Altman. There are also ads for designs by Jacques Heim.
Women's Wear, 1956-1957, 1956-1957
This folder contains a scrapbook from 1956-1957 with magazine clippings, business correspondence, and photographs for women's wear made with Everfast Fabrics. There are ads for the Grace Line Cruises promotion with Nelly de Grab, Young Modes, and Junior House. There are also hang tags, and photographs of displays at B. Altman and Best & Co.
Women's Wear Ads and Publicity, 1927-1936 - 1, 1927-1936
This folder contains a scrapbook from 1927-1936 with newspaper and magazine clippings, promotional materials, and fabric swatches for Everfast Fabrics under N. Erlanger, Blumgart & Co., Inc. The ads are primarily for women's wear and children's wear.
Women's Wear Ads and Publicity, 1927-1936 - 2, 1927-1936
This folder contains a scrapbook from 1927-1936 with newspaper and magazine clippings, promotional materials, and fabric swatches for Everfast Fabrics under N. Erlanger, Blumgart & Co., Inc. The ads are primarily for women's wear and children's wear.