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The address side bears the red U.S. Postal Card One Cent McKinley indicia and prominently advertises:
BEST & CO.
Fifth Avenue at 35th St.
New York
The reverse invites customers to:
“LET US SEND YOU OUR CATALOGUE”
and describes a Spring and Summer fashion book containing contemporary styles in cloaks, mantles, suits, dresses, gowns, millinery, neckwear, hosiery, and other apparel.
Best & Co. promotes both foreign and domestic fashions and calls itself:
“THE GREATEST STORE OF ITS KIND IN THE WORLD.”
A blank order section provides spaces for the customer's name, street, city, and state.
This is an appealing piece of New York retail and fashion history, preserving an early mail-order marketing method used by a prominent Fifth Avenue retailer. It has crossover interest for collectors of vintage department-store advertising, women's fashion, New York City ephemera, catalogues, retail history, and postal stationery.
The unused condition is particularly nice because the advertising and catalogue request form remain fully visible.
Original period advertising postal card, not a reproduction.
Item Specifics
Type: Advertising Postal Card
Denomination: 1 Cent
Postal Subject: William McKinley
Advertiser: Best & Co.
Location: Fifth Avenue at 35th Street, New York City
Subject: Fashion Catalogue / Department Store / Retail Advertising
Theme: Fashion, Advertising, Retail History, New York City, Postal History
Era: Early 20th Century
Postage Condition: Unposted
Usage: Unused Catalogue Request Card
Image Color: Red & Black Printing
Original/Licensed Reprint: Original
Vintage: Yes
Material: Paper/Card Stock
Features: Catalogue Advertisement / Order Form / McKinley Postal Indicia
Framing: Unframed
Unit of Sale: Single Unit
Number of Items: 1
