Catalogue of Old Cataloguestm
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In date order.
National Cloak & Suit was founded about 1888. Around 1910 a reorganization brought about National Bellas Hess, into which Charles Williams stores were merged in late 1929. Bellas Hess survived until the late 1970s. Their name has been in the news within the last few years because of a case before the U.S. Supreme Court. In 1968 the Court decided in the company's favor against the state of Illinois. This landmark case declared that Illinois could not cause Bellas Hess to collect taxes on sales in the state unless they had a "nexus" (physical presence) in the state. Until the last few years, this has been the guiding principal for mail order companies. The state bureaucrats are now so desperate for revenues that they brought another case to the court in 1992 in Quill vs. South Dakota. The Court again confirmed the major part of the Bellas Hess decision on the grounds that to require out-of-state firms to collect sales taxes interfered with interstate commerce. In essence, the Court handed the problem to the Congress. Something seems to be a little out of kilter in all this sales tax controversy. In our humble opinion, no state official should have the authority to go after a company, mail order or otherwise, on fishing expeditions, just because their state coffers are empty.
At one time National Bellas Hess was one of the top five mail order companies in the country, but slid into bankruptcy in the late 1970s. In the 1960s it did about $250-million a year with 25 million catalogues mailed annually. Former employees attribute their demise to the fact that the company more or less abandoned its mail order mission in favor of discount retail stores and supermarkets. A look at these following catalogues shows that there was nothing cheap about their wares in 1909 to 1918. The quality stands out!
04579-M1295LHKE- Catalogue- NATIONAL CLOAK & SUIT CO., NYC. Fashions for 1909. Nice color cover art of elegant lady by Howard Chandler Christy especially for Company. Color illustration of building on back cover. Some of the most beautifully detailed black and white illustrations we’ve seen. Fashions for ladies and girls: suits, coats, skirts, dresses, elaborate hats, belts, plumes, kimonos, house dresses, dressing sacques, shirt waists, petticoats, corset covers, jackets, evening capes, automobile coats, tourist coats, drawers, gowns, union suits, corsets, hosiery, collars, cuffs, bows; little boys’ suits; infants’ dresses, bonnets, etc. Fine materials made up into very elegant fashions. Cover has a light crease, otherwise excellent condition and very clean. 7-1/4" x 9-1/2" x 120pp. $157.00
02691- Catalogue- CHARLES WILLIAMS STORES, NYC. 1916. Standard Automobile Supplies. All the parts and supplies for these old cars: Tires, pumps, chains, jacks, several type of horns, auto clocks; electric, oil, & gas lights; tools, gas storage system, flashlights (7 shown in large engravings), goggles, touring conveniences, wood spoke wheels. Lots of items for "the Ford Car," trailers, robes, Ford bodies, cameras, men’s & women’s automobile clothing. Yes, you had special clothes for automobiling then! Great art. Catalogue is becoming fragile, edges chipped and cover stained. 8-1/4" x 11" x 48pp. $65.00
01531- Flyer- NATIONAL BELLAS HESS, NY & KC, 1953. Clearance sale flyer. Clothes, shoes for family. Nice black and white half-tone illustrations on coated stock. Light corner stain. 6-1/4" x 9-1/2" unfolds to 25" x 19". $14.00
07187-0793ELHU-
Catalogue- NATIONAL BELLAS HESS, NY & Kansas City. 77th
Anniversary Sale, 1965.
Household textiles, gifts, early transistor radios, reel tape recorders,
record players, guitars, British Enfield rifle and two more firearms, tools,
clothing shoes, etc.
Excellent condition. 6-1/2”x 9-3/8”x 100pp. $14.00
07188-0793ELHU-
Catalogue- NATIONAL BELLAS HESS, NY & Kansas City. F/W Sale1966-67.
Clothing, shoes, household, super 8 movie outfits, musical instruments, cotzens’
band walkie-talkies, wristwatches, 1pp of toys, rifles and shotguns, etc. Very
good condition. 6-5/8”x 9-3/8”x 124pp. $14.00
07189-0793ELHU-
Catalogue- NATIONAL BELLAS HESS, NY & Kansas City. Spring Sale
1968. Clothing, shoes, household, barber set, etc. Very good condition.
6-5/8”x 9-3/8”x
80pp. $14.00
07190-0793ELHU-
Catalogue- NATIONAL BELLAS HESS, NY & Kansas City. Summer Sale
1968. Clothing for entire family. Some pages in nice color. Wrist watches,
rings, ESKA outboard motor, transistor radios, record players, fishing outfit,
.22 Ithaca lever action rifle, cameras, portable reel tape recorders, barber
outfit, lawn and home decorations, tools, more. Very good condition. 6-1/2”x
9-3/8”x 124pp. $14.00
07191-0793ELHU-
Catalogue- NATIONAL BELLAS HESS, NY & Kansas City. Sensational
Summer Sale 1968. Different than #07190. Clothing and shoes for family, home
goods, wristwatches, transistor radios, cordless radio phono, reel-to-reel
5-transistor recorder, barber outfit, Ithaca .22 caliber Saddlegun, wigs, more.
Color & black/white. Very good condition. 6-1/2”x 9-3/8”x 80pp. $14.00
Picture
07192-0793ELHU-
Catalogue- NATIONAL BELLAS HESS, NY & Kansas City. Spectacular
Fall Sale, 1968. Fashions and shoes for family, household/kitchen goods,
barber outfit, tools, rifles, transistor radios, reel-to-reel tape recorder,
portable record player, wristwatches, more. Excellent condition. 6-1/2”x
9-1/2”x 124pp.
$16.00
Pictures
07194-0793ELHU-
Catalogue- NATIONAL BELLAS HESS, NY & Kansas City. Winter 1969.
“596 Price Cut to Celebrate Our 81st Anniversary”.
Clothing, household goods, tools, wristwatches, more. Excellent
condition. 6-1/2”x 9-3/8”x 100pp. $14.00
07195-0793ELHU- Catalogue- NATIONAL BELLAS HESS, NY & Kansas City. Mid-Winter Inflation Smashing Sale 1970. Clothing, house wares, kitchen wares, tools, cassette and reel tape recorders, movie outfits, portable record players, transistor radios, drum outfit and guitars, tires, etc. Excellent condition. 6-5/8”x 9-3/8”x 144pp. $16.00 Pictures
07193-0793ELHU-
Catalogue- NATIONAL BELLAS HESS, NY & Kansas City. V.I.P. Spring
Sale 1970. Fashions of family, home textiles, carpet, exercise equipment,
home barber outfit, kitchen wares, TVs, transistor radios, portable record
player, cassette tape recorder, Polaroid cameras, dual 8 movie projector, tools,
tires, tiller, lawn mower, playground equipment, Huffy bicycles, fishing and
camping equipment, outdoor living, etc. Color & b/w presentation. Excellent
condition. 6-1/2”x 9-3/8”x 164pp. $16.00
Pictures
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