ARCHIVE OF LARGE, COLORFUL, AND ORNATE ADVERTISING MAILERS PROMOTING MEN'S FASHIONS
Chicago and New York: [J. L. Taylor], late 1910s to early 1920s. Unbound.
Collection of 18 beautiful advertising mailers for men’s clothing made by J. L. Taylor, a subsidiary of the International Tailoring Company.
These colorful advertising mailers range in size from 4" x 6.5" folded to 13.25" x 14.25" unfolded. All are tri-folds, leporellos, posters, or pamphlets. Many have die-cuts, lift-the-flaps, cut-outs, etc. All have gone through the mail; most are franked with 1-cent green Franklin stamps (in use from 1908-1922) with Chicago or New York City pre-cancels. Minor wear. Very good. Item #008886 Both of the International Tailoring Company buildings are still standing. The ten-story Chicago headquarters/factory on Jackson Boulevard (also known as the White Tower Building) was a truly remarkable facility when it opened in 1916. Instead of the usual dark, dirty, cramped and unsafe sweatshops where most clothes were made, the building was clean, spacious, safe, and brightly illuminated with natural lighting. It was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2008. Today the building is shared by the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and "The Tailor at Jackson" condominium complex. The company's New York building on 4th Avenue has been converted into residential condos.
This is a terrific collection of cutting-edge, early 20th century men's fashion advertising. At the time of listing, nothing similar is listed in OCLC, and there are no auction records at ABPC or the Rare Book Hub. There is only one other, single advertising mailer from this company currently for sale in the trade.
The J. L. Taylor – International Tailoring Company was a large men's clothing supplier in the early 1900s with major offices and production facilities in Chicago and New York. The company did not sell directly to customers. Instead, it provided department stores and tailors with large swatch/sample books. After customers picked out styles and fabrics, on-site tailors would take measurements and forward them to the company where the clothing was made. The company provided its retailers with elaborate pre-canceled advertisements to mail to their local customers.
Price: $750.00