153 W. 27th St. (2002)

Down this wall one can make out:

Hirsch & Bro / Cloaks & Suits (click for image): Max Hirsch and Samuel Hirsch were "cloaks" manufacturers from around 1895 downtown on Clinton St., East Broadway and Canal St. (at the foot of Greene St.) until moving in 1904 to 145 Greene St. and then in 1909 to 826 Broadway (near 12th St.). They moved to 153 W. 27th St. in 1913 and stayed at this location until 1924 (click for "Capes" ad from 1923). Samuel was the elder of the brothers, born Austria 1869, immigrated 1885-7. Max was born 1870, immigrated 1888-90. In 1925 Hirsch & Bro moved to 463 7th Ave. (click for coat ad from 1925) and was renamed Hirsch & Bros. when Benjamin B. Hirsch joined the firm. They went out of business around 1927-28.

B. Geller & Sons / Mfg / Furriers (click for image) The B in B. Geller & Sons was Barnett Geller (1860-1925). He immigrated from Galicia, Austria in 1892, then in 1898 brought over his family that included 3 of the 4 sons who later became the "sons" in B. Geller & Sons. Barnett Geller established himself as a manufacturing furrier around 1900 at 43-45 Bond St. By 1905 his sons, Samuel Geller (1887-1947) and Harry A. Geller (1888-1965), had joined him in the business now located on Bleecker St. The business became B. Geller & Sons around 1908, was located on University Place for a few years, then moved to 153 W. 27th St. in 1913. This ad for B. Geller appeared in Fairchild's Women's Wear Directory, July, 1919. By the time of their World War I draft registration in 1917, two younger sons, Morris Geller (1896-1965) and Max Geller (1899-1988), were working in the business. Morris listed himself as a salesman, and Max as an "operator." The family were all immigrants, except Max who was born in New York. Samuel Geller's obituary in the New York Times reads in part: "Born in Austria, Mr. Geller was brought to this country as a youth. At the age of 13 he joined the fur organization which his father, Barnet, had founded on Bleeker Street. When his father died in 1925, Mr. Geller became president of the firm." B. Geller left 153 W. 27th St. in 1924, then remained in business under this name until the late 1970s. At that time the name changed to Geller Bros. Inc. Geller Bros. went out of business around 1985.

Cass & Rosenthal / Infants Childrens Junior / Coats (click for image): the principals were Israel Cass (1873-?), born in Russia 5 June 1873, arrived in the US at Boston, Mass. 6 Sep 1890, and became a naturalized citizen in New York 31 Dec. 1898, and Max Rosenthal (1874-?), born in Wetzlar, Germany, registered for the World War I draft age 44, born 26 May 1874, listing his occupation as "Clothing Jobber, 153 W. 27th St., New York, NY." These two constituted the original Cass & Rosenthal partnership manufacturing coats at 266 Canal St. in 1904. The firm moved to Wooster St. in 1907, then to 153 W. 27th St. in 1913 (click for "Coats" ad from 1918). They stayed in business here until 1924. Meanwhile, the original partners were joined ca. 1918 by Harry Cass (1886-?), born Russia, immigrated 1889. (It is not clear how he was related to Israel Cass). This ad for Cass & Rosenthal appeared in Women's Wear, 24 February 1926, when they were located at 1351 Broadway.

Kreitman / & Newman / Furs / Ready to / Deliver (click for image) : This business opened here in 1921. Both partners had prior associations in the fur industry. Louis H. Kreitman (1894-1944) was in business with Morris W. Brick on W. 26th St. in 1920 (see write-up at 15 W. 26th St.). Samuel S. Newman (1895-1959) was a salesman at Jobbers Clearing House around the same time. The Kreitman-Newman partnership lasted from 1921 to 1929. They were located here from 1921 to 1926, then at 151 W. 30th St. from 1926 to 1929. Newman was born in Austria and immigrated to the U. S. in 1901. Louis Kreitman was born in Setauket, Long Island.

Wallman (click for image): The Wallman that first moved to 153 W. 27th St. around 1913 was called Wallman Bros. & Galuten, Furriers. The Wallman brothers were Harry Wallman (1885-?) and Samuel (or Solomon) Wallman (1881-?), and Galuten was Max Galuten (1882-?). All were immigrants from Russia in the time period 1895-1906. Max Galuten withdrew from the partnership around 1915 and formed Galuten Bros., Furs, with his brother Isidor Galuten (1892-?). The Wallmans continued as Wallman Bros., Furs. In the early 1920s Harry and Sol Wallman were joined by a third brother, James Wallman (1891-1966). He was also from Russia and immigrated 1911. Wallman Bros. continued at 153 W. 27th St. from 1915 until 1924. They were in business under this name until the early 1950s, when apparently only James remained. The company name changed to J. Wallman around 1951, then to J. Wallman, Levy & Geltman in 1956, and then to J. Wallman & Levy from 1957 to 1967.

Also, at the bottom Rich Skirt Co (click for image). Morris Rich was involved in dress and skirt manufacture through three companies: Rich & Sayles, Skirts (1907-1913), the Rich Dress & Skirt Co. (1913-1920), and the Rich Skirt Co. (1920-1925). Morris Rich (1876-?) was an immigrant from Hungary in 1891. Isaac Sayles seems to have served Rich & Sayles as a traveling salesman and to have had no permanent address in New York (I found only references to the Imperial Hotel). Beginning around 1916, Rich was a partner in his businesses with John B. Hulse and James C. Miniszek, who, in turn, were partners at Hulse Bros. & Daniel, umbrella manufacturers on W. 22nd St. For more on Hulse and Miniszek, see their stories under Hulse Bros. & Daniel. Another partner ca. 1915 was Herman Daniel (1882-?), Rich's brother-in-law, who was the son of Isidor Daniel of Hulse Bros. & Daniel. At the time of the US Census of 1930 both Isidor and Herman Daniel were living with Morris Rich in Far Rockaway, Queens. Rich Skirt Co. went out of business around 1925, having been located here at 153 W. 27th since 1914.

Also, near the top A Ettenson & Co / Cloaks & Suits and M Gootman & Co / Waists & Dresses (click for image).
In Jan. 1910 Moses Gootman (1850-1910) was murdered at his home in an early morning fight with a burglar. As reported in the New York Times 31 Jan. 1910, p. 1, Gootman was killed and his son Isaac wounded "by a burglar surprised at his work in the Gootman dining room on the first floor of 16 East 109th Street." The story continues: "Asleep in the Gootman apartment at midnight were Mr. Gootman and his son, Isaac Gutman, who spells his name unlike his father's; Louis Gutman, a brother; Mrs. Gootman, the mother, and the daughter, Henrietta. Mrs. Gootman and Henrietta slept in the front room, overlooking 109th Street. Mr. Gootman, the father, occupied a couch in the dining room. He had not been sleeping well for some time, for he had been troubled over the shirtwaist strike. His factory, at 476 Broome Street, was one of the first to be deserted by the striking shirtwaist makers."

Gootman was an immigrant from Russia / Poland in 1866. M. Gootman & Co. began on Spring St. around 1899/1900. Gootman's partner at that time was his son-in-law, Jacob Ettenson (1871?-1952). (He married Gootman's daughter Frances.) Also in the business was Abraham Ettenson (1876-1932), who was probably Jacob Ettenson's brother. Another in-law was William Gordon (1879-1965), who married Gootman's daughter Anna. Moses Gootman appears in the U. S. Census of 1880 living at 95 Forsyth St. when Frances was 9 years old, Isaac 7 and Annie 5. Gootman's profession is given as Manufacturer, Furniture.

After Moses Gootman's death the business was run by Abraham and Jacob Ettenson and by Moses Gootman's son, Louis Gootman (1878-1926). They re-located to 16 W. 19th St. around 1911, then to 153 W. 27th St. in 1913. These signs date 1913 to 1915, because both businesses moved to 29-31 W. 30th St. by 1916. Around 1915 A. Ettenson & Co. became Ettenson & Goldstein when Abraham Ettenson was joined by Monte Abraham Goldstein (1886-1965). In 1918 this company name changed to Ettenson, Zalud & Co.. This ad for Ettenson Zalud Co. appeared in Fairchild's Women's Wear Directory, July, 1919. Zalud was George Theodore Zalud (1888-1943). George Zalud registered for the World War II draft in 1942 as born "Samarkand, Asia Minor."

M. Gootman & Co. survived until around 1922. The Ettensons, Goldstein, Gordon and Zalud continued in a variety of businesses well into the 1940s. Abraham Ettenson was in business with William Gordon as Ettenson & Gordon, then as A. Ettenson & Co. at 15 W. 30th St. from around 1923 to 1925. Jake Ettenson became president of the Esco Dress Co., which was in business approximately from 1918 to 1927. Monte Goldstein was sec-treas at Empire Laboratory Supply Co. from 1922 into the 1930s. William Gordon was a partner at Greenberg & Gordon, pajama & shirt manufacturers, 33 Greene St., then 40 W. 25th St. from around 1925 into the 1930s. After a number of partnerships in garment manufacture and interior decoration, George Zalud started a company for design and manufacture of marine interiors, Zalud Marine Corp. in 1934. This company also manufactured fireproof bulkheads from locations on Staten Island and on the East River. Employees in the Timekeeping Dept. at Zalud Marine Corp. noted with sorrow the passing of their employer in 1943 (New York Times, 29 Dec. 1943, p. 17). Photographs of the Lillian II workshop barge used by Zalud Mobile Marine Inc. are available in the Library of Congress's Prints and Photographs Division (go to LC Prints & Photographs Online Catalog and enter "Zalud" in the search box).

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