Aaaaand we’re back after a long hiatus! In this post, we’re talking about Sinclair, Rooney & Co (SR&Co from here on out) and taking a look at their ads from The Illustrated Milliner.
SR&Co. were “jobbers”, or “importers, manufacturers and wholesalers of millinery, ribbons, flowers, feathers, silks, and velvets.” Their namesakes are Edward A. Rooney, the General Manager, and John Sinclair, the President. Also mentioned in their ads are Henry C. Gerber, the Vice President, and Dean R. Nott, the Secretary and Treasurer. I’m not sure when they became a company, but they’re mentioned as early as 1902*. In 1905, Gerber and Nott splintered off and formed their own company, Gerber, Nott & Co. They were located at 492 Washington street (which is sadly now a parking lot), down the street from where SR&Co’s new building would be.
SR&Co’s first office was located downtown at 34-36-38 E Eagle Street, with a factory located at 361-363-365 Washington Street. They later built a new building (which is now on the National Register of Historic Places) at the corner of Washington Street and East Mohawk in 1909, and stayed there until 1926. Here’s a note of it in the July-Dec 1909 issue:
The last ad of theirs that I could find was in an edition of The Illustrated Milliner from July 1922. I couldn’t find any info on whether SR&Co. moved from their Washington Street building in 1926, or if they closed. I can find SR&Co ads from 1902, but they don’t show up again until 1915 (not counting the fact that there are no available issues from July 1902-1906 or 1912). It seems like SR&Co was one of the largest millinery supply houses in Buffalo, so I’m intrigued as to why I can’t find any info that would make sense of the disruption in advertisements or when they closed. I’m wondering if the library downtown has any info. If I ever make it there and if they have info, I’ll be sure to update this post! On to the ads…
1902
1902
1902
August 1915
September 1915
February 1916
February 1916
March 1916
March 1917
August 1917
November 1917
1917
1917 || See a larger image of this window display HERE
1917
January 1918
May 1918
July 1918
January 1920
January 1920
March 1920
March 1920
April 1920
April 1920
April 1920
January 1921
January 1922
January 1922
July 1922
Weren’t those darling?! I love seeing the progression of the designs, typography, and illustrations as they move from the turn of the century into the 1920’s.
|| Unrelated to millinery but still interesting, was a mention of the men from SR&Co contributing to the WWI effort by building a community farm:
In addition, an issue from October 1918 noted that SR&Co had twelve men fighting on the front lines. ||
Well, that wraps up this post! Thanks for reading!
-Monica
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*According to HathiTrust.org, The Illustrated Milliner was published in NY, NY from 1900-1934. The earliest volumes available are from 1902, so SR&Co may have been mentioned in those volumes.
Sources:
The Illustrated Milliner on HathiTrust.org | LINK
Palmer’s Views of Buffalo | LINK
NPS.Gov | LINK
