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The Eaves Costume Company, located in New York, was founded 161 years ago (in 1863) by Harriet Eaves (née Harriet Osborne Jackman; 1849–1885).

History

The Eaves Costume Company was founded in 1863 by Harriet Eaves (née Harriet Osborne Jackman; 1849–1885), who, on February 15, 1866, married Albert Grammer Eaves (1847–1900) in Tradeston, Scotland.

As early as 1879, was located at 856 Broadway – listed as H.J. Eaves, costumer (who resided at 261 Fulton, Brooklyn).^[1]
1890 (to 1901), the Eaves Costume Co. was located at 63 East 12th Street, Manhattan

1884 fire

A fire, Saturday night, March 22, 1884, destroyed an estimated $20,000 (equivalent to $678,222 in 2023) worth of Eaves costumes at 63 East 12th Street, near 4th Street and Broadway, which then was New York's theater district.^[2]

The Estate of Harriet Jackson Eaves, Deceased (1885)

Harriet (Mrs. Eaves No. 1) and Albert Eaves had a son, Colin Eaves. When Harriet died in 1885, Albert took over as head of the firm. Albert re-married, his second of three, on November 19, 1888, to Mary Eaves (née Mary Elizabeth Harwood; 1848–1896) (Mrs. Eaves No. 2). Colin Eaves, in 1892, sued his father, Albert, alleging that he and his stepmother, Mary (Mrs. Eaves No. 2), had robbed him of his birthright, and he sought to recover his birthright and damages. Mrs. Eaves (No. 1 or 2?) was the financial backer of Salmi Morse (1826–1884) in the production of The Passion Play.^[i] The trouble is over a real estate transaction.^[3]^[4]

Mr. Eaves claims to have lost $10,000, and declares that Charles Chrisdie (1843–1915) was a party to the conspiracy by which he lost it. Mr. Eaves is about twenty-five years old. His father is the head of the Eaves Costume Co., a corporation which, the plaintiff claims, was the property of his mother. This claim will soon be the basis for another suit. Young Mr. Eaves has very little property, and he says that his father is in receipt of an income of from $8,000 to $10,000 a year ($10,000 is equivalent to $339,111 in 2023), the proceeds of the thrift and ability of Mrs. Eaves No. 1.

The Cause of Action

The present suit is brought in Westchester County, and the plaintiff's lawyers, Gruber & Landon, served papers on some of the defendants March 15. Gruber & Landon was a firm composed of Abraham Gruber (1861–1915) and Henry Lord Landon (1859–1895).

They are Albert G. Eaves, the father, and administrator of the Estate of Harriet J. Eaves, the plaintiff’s mother: Charles Chrisdie, Joseph Owen Miller (1841–1902), ex-Registrar of Westchester County, and his wife, Elizabeth Miller (née Elizabeth Vail Wright; born 1844) and Mary A. Eaves (née Mary Elizabeth Harwood; 1848–1896), second wife of Albert G. Eaves.

On June 12, 1884, according to the plaintiff, his mother gave a five thousand dollar mortgage on property she owned in the town of New Castle, Westchester County, valued at $10,000 to Charles Chrisdie. Harriet Jackman Eaves died intestate June 15, 1885. Up to the time of the death of Harriet Jackman Eaves, Colin, her son, claimed in the lawsuit that his father did not own any property. But Colin claimed that Harriet did own property. She had been wealthy, but her unfortunate venture, as Salmi Morse's backer, cost her about $75,000 (equivalent to $2,543,333 in 2023).

To Control the Estate

It was after the death of the mother that the effort to obtain control of her estate was made. In August following Harriet Eaves' death, Colin Eaves alleged that Joseph Miller began an action to foreclose the mortgage on the Newcastle property. It was sold under foreclosure for $2,500, and Mr. Miller himself was the purchaser. The suit alleged that Joseph Miller, in lieu money for the transaction, produced only a receipt in the amount of his bid to the referee. Joseph Miller held this property until 1889, when it was conveyed by Albert Eaves' to Mrs. Eaves No. 2. Colin Eaves alleged that Mrs. Eaves No. 2 did not pay Joseph Miller a single cent for the property.

Fraud All the Way Through

The manner in which the property was obtained from Mrs. Eaves No. 1 was, according to the son, one complete line of fraud. He charges that his father and Mr. Chrisdie conspired with Joseph Miller to wrongfully defraud and cheat him out of his inheritance: that Mr. Chrisdie was a dummy who lent himself to the conspiracy: that Mr. Miller was equally guilty, and that Mrs. Eaves, No. 2. Received the deed of the property fully knowing that it was obtained by fraud. The father is accused of having caused the mother to sign the mortgage by means of fraudulent representations and through duress.

1909: Charles Geoly (1880–1959), who began began working at Eaves in 1896 as an errand boy, purchased Eaves Costume Company in 1909.

1909–1914: Eaves Costume Co., 226 West 41st Street, Manhattan

Colin S. Eaves, President

Frederick Yung, Secretary

Capital: $50,000

Directors:

Colin S. Eaves

Joseph Lubin

Frederick Yung

Charles Armstrong

Astor sale

Around 1918 or 1919, Charles Geoly, President of Eaves Costume Company, purchased the property at 148 and 150 West 46th Street at the Baron Astor sale.

Sale for the benefit of Henry Astor (1830–1918), a son of William Backhouse Astor, Sr. (1792–1875) and grandson of John Jacob Astor (1763–1948). The impetus for the sale was the result of a partition suit – a so-called "friendly action" – involving 125 parcels in New York City. Winthrop Astor Chanler (1863–1926), Henry's nephew, was the plaintiff. He was a grandson of Henry's sister, Emily Astor Ward (1819–1941) – a son of Margaret Astor Ward (1838–1875).

In 1922, the Allman Construction Company (Gail Trenn Brown; 1889–1930; President and Chicago-born architect) received a contract to build a 7-story office building, there. The plans were drawn by Gail T. Brown and and Samuel Cohen (1884–1926), associate architects. After completion, several floors were leased by theatrical booking agents.

In 1922, he owned several other properties on West 46th Street, including the lots at 106, 108, 110, and 112 (1175 Sixth Avenue), on which the Allman Construction Company recently (context is 1922) constructed a 4-story mercantile building.

Charles Geoly (1880–1959) acquired Eaves Costume Company in ????
1918: Eaves Costume Co., RTN,^[ii] 110 West 46th Street.
1918: Eaves Costume Co., Inc. (dissolved), 110 West 46th Street.

The Company moved to 151 W. 46th Street, centrally located in the Theater District. It advertised itself as "The World's Largest Rental Costumers" and rented to universities, community theatres, secondary schools, churches, etc.

Eaves acquired the Brooks-Van Horn Costume Company in 1981. The newly merged collection became known as the Eaves-Brooks Costume Company, Inc., re-locating to an 11,000 square foot, six story facility in Long Island City. They also owned a facility on West 26th Street in Manhattan.

The costume plots, or templates, were sent to clients to indicate what a given play or musical might look like using costumes rented from Eaves-Brooks. In some cases the sketches are more or less faithful reproductions of the original Broadway designs. In other cases, they are indicative of what might be pulled from general stock, to costume, for example, a gypsy.

The plates were drawn by costume designers who were closely associated with Eaves in the 1960's and 1970's such as Don Foote and John Boyt. Better-known designers included Robert Fletcher and Lewis Brown.

Dodger Costumes Ltd., affiliated with Dodger Productions, acquired Eaves-Brooks in 1998. Dodger exited the costume rental and manufacturing business when Dodger Costumes closed its doors on February 25th, 2005. They continued on as a producing organization.

Eaves building

The Eaves building is a 14-story mercantile structure located at in Midtown Manhattan at 151 West 46th Street, between Sixth and Seventh Avenues, on the north side of the street and at the eastern edge of the Theater District. It was erected in 1928 and Eaves Costume held grand opening on May 1, 1928. The owner of record when it opened was Costanza Realty Company, the namesake of Charles Geoly's wife, Costanza Ciofano (maiden; 1888–1982).

When is opened, it was considered a skyscraper that added to the Times Square skyline. Designed in Gothic style architecture, DePace & Juster were the architects. Charles Geoly (1880–1959) was president of Eaves Costume Company when the building opened. In 1928, the building was described has having an imposing bronze entrance as a main feature, flanked by ornate bronze work of the show fronts.^[5]

Capitol Studios Studio A (Capitol Records, Inc.), was in the Eaves Building from 1949 to 1961, on the piano nobile, the first floor, one up from the ground floor. During that time, the Eaves Costume Company occupied the ground floor.^[6]

Early theatrical production credits

The Royal Middy, produced by Augustin Daly (1838–1899), was a musical comedy based on Der Seekadet, a German comic opera by Richard Genée (1823–1895) (music) and Friedrich Zell (text). Genée's music and orchestration was reproduced by Edward Mollenhauer (1827–1914), the production's musical director. The text was reproduced by Fred Williams (1829–1900), the production's stage manager. Costumes were by Harriet J. Eaves.

Opened January 27, 1880, to April 9, 1880 (74 performances), Daly's Theatre, Broadway and 30th Street, Manhattan

Other buildings nearby

147-149 West 46th Street, Longacre building, contiguous to the east; built in 1920, 4 stories

This almost 38-foot-wide four-story, 17,217-square-foot commercial building, including a useable basement, has two tenants – in 2010, the Rosie O'Grady restaurant, but, as of 2013, T.G.I. Fridays, has the first two levels and basement, and a recording studio is on the upper floors. The building also has 40,810 square feet in development rights. Roberto's Winds is on the third floor. Michiko Rehearsal Studios are also in the building.

History: Erected in 1931. Maximillian Zipkes (1877–1952), Romanian-born architect.

Recent transactions: The Montague-Lee Limited Partnership, an entity controlled by Korean investor Ui Kun Lee, bought the building that houses the Times Square location of TGI Fridays for $22.5 million, according to records filed with the city on October 30, 2018. The seller was Lake Placid-based New York-based Terra Nova Properties, who acquired the property in 2010 for $18 million.

152 West 46th Street, skinny building, across the street

That is the back (and less impressive) section of the Lyceum Theatre on 45th Street, or the "stage door" entrance. Built by impresario Daniel Frohman and designed by Herts & Tallant; Hugh Tallant (1869–1952) was the designer, and Henry Beaumont Herts was the engineer and business manager. It's a tall brown tall and thin building with a big window in the top. On February 8, 1902, the Real Estate Record & Guide announced that Daniel Frohman purchased Nos. 149 to 157 West 45th Street and 152 West 46th Street and "will erect upon the plot a new theatre to take the place of the Lyceum."^[7]^[8] The skinny brown building is the back of the theater.

Another theatre is to be built in the Long Acre Square district, Charles Frohman has purchased from Flora M. Graves [widow], Nos. 149 to 157 West 45th Street, a plot 85.0x100.5, and from other owners two abutting parcels on 46th Street.^[9]

Note: Flora M. Graves was the widowed mother of Collins Millard Graves (1871–1954) of Pell & Graves. In 1900 Collins exited real estate in New York City and became an attorney in Bennington, Vermont.

1897: Collins was with Pell & Graves, 509 5th Avenue, a real estate partnership composed of Samuel Osgood Pell (1875–1913), father of Isabel Pell, and Collins Millard Graves.

Archival resources

"Eaves-Brooks Costume Company" (New York, N.Y.), New York Public Library, Call number *T-Vim 2005-007

Real Estate Record & Guide, courtesy Columbia University

Other sources

COPARTNERSHIP NOTICE.

Eaves Costume Company Certificate of Continued Use of Partnership Name and Notice of Dissolution of Copartnership.

WHEREAS, the copartnership heretofore existing between Frederick Yung and Charles Geoly under the firm name Eaves Costume Company, transacted business in this State under said name for more than three years; and

WHEREAS, Said copartnership has been dissolved by limitation on June 30, 1915, and said Charles Geoly desires to continue the use of said firm name, Eaves Costume Company;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Charles Geoly, pursuant to the provisions of the Partnership Law, do hereby make and sign this certificate and declares and certify that I, Charles Geoly, intend to transact business under the firm name Eaves Costume Company; that the principal place of business is 110 West 46th Street, Borough of Manhattan, City of New York. And I further declare and certify that my residence is 2303 Belmont Avenue, New York City.

Charles Geoly [L.S.]

STATE OF NEW YORK, : CITY AND COUNTY OF NEW YORK §,

(notarized by Alfred E. Peterson, notary public for Kings County, No. 45)

Certificate filed New York County 47

Register No. 6166^[10]

Notes and references

Notes

^ The Passion Play, by Salmi Morse (1826–1884) was controversial from its inception. It was premiered in New York March 24, 1883, on West 23rd Street, Manhattan – a theater that had been known as "the Armory," an old structure previously used a "Dr. Sause's church," on the north side of 23rd Street, at Sixth Avenue. The building ran through to 24th Street. Morse, in 1882, leased, with two hotel men, the theater and began living there. The building, after a major renovation, became known as Morse's Hall. The premier resulted in the arrest of Salmi Morse, a Jew, on a misdemeanor charge, for producing a play without a license from the New York Corporation Council, headed by New York's first Catholic Mayor, William Russell Grace, who refused to issued the license. Morse argued that it had been a private performance. Morse, in the play, attempted to represent on stage the life, crucifixion, and death of Jesus Christ. But, it came off as a satire on Christian, Jewish, and pagan themes – which in those days was blasphemous. Morse, who objected to calling his play sacrilegious, was found dead, face down, floating in the Hudson River at 88th Street on February 22, 1884. Initially, his death was thought to be suicide. Morse had been lodging at the home of Mrs. Isabella Gault (1826–1896), a former dressmaker, at 65 West 21st Street. Late February 29, 1982, a coroner's jury in the Salmi Morse inquest, after a half-hour deliberation, returned a verdict of "accidental drowning."
notes
^ RTN is an acronym for Registered Trade Name.

References

^ Wilson's Business Directory of New York City New York City Commercial Register (Vol. 31), John F. Trow (publisher & printer) (1878), p. 412
^ "Heavy Losses By Fire – A Three Hundred Thousand Dollar Blaze on the North River – Costumes Valued at $20,000 Burned at Eaves' Establishment – A False Alarm at Ridley's – A Night of Conflagrations," Brooklyn Daily Eagle, Vol. 45, No. 82, March 23, 1884, p. 12
^ "World Players – Colin Eaves," New York Clipper, Vol. 40, No. 3, March 26, 1892, p. 36
^ "Passion Play Finances – The Money Expended and Where it Comes From – Sixty Thousand Dollars in the Venture – Mr. Morse Declared by an Investor Mercely a Figurehead – Proceedings in Special Session," New York Herald, February 28, 1883, p. 5
^ "New West 46th St. Loft – Eaves Building Addes to the Times Square Skyline," New York Times, April 1, 1928, p. RE 15 (accessible via New York Times)
^ The Sound Studies Reader, Jonathan Sterne, ed., Routledge, 2012, pps. 310–311; OCLC 916524063
^ "Gossip of the Week – South of 59th Street" (re: Charles Frohman), Real Estate Record & Guide, Vol. 69, Whole No. 1767, January 25, 1902, p. 160
^ "The World of Buildings – Miscellaneous" (re: Daniel Frohman), Real Estate Record & Guide, Vol. 69, Whole No. 1769, February 8, 1902, p. 157
^ "The New Lyceum Theatre – Daniel Frohman Will Carry the Name of His Old Playhouse Uptown With Him," New-York Tribune, February 6, 1902, p. 2 (accessible via Newspapers.com, subscription required)
^ "Copartnership Notice: Eaves Costume Company," New York Tribune, August 14, 1915, p. 9

[Passion-Play-info-3] The Passion Play, by Salmi Morse (1826–1884) was controversial from its inception. It was premiered in New York March 24, 1883, on West 23rd Street, Manhattan – a theater that had been known as "the Armory," an old structure previously used a "Dr. Sause's church," on the north side of 23rd Street, at Sixth Avenue. The building ran through to 24th Street. Morse, in 1882, leased, with two hotel men, the theater and began living there. The building, after a major renovation, became known as Morse's Hall. The premier resulted in the arrest of Salmi Morse, a Jew, on a misdemeanor charge, for producing a play without a license from the New York Corporation Council, headed by New York's first Catholic Mayor, William Russell Grace, who refused to issued the license. Morse argued that it had been a private performance. Morse, in the play, attempted to represent on stage the life, crucifixion, and death of Jesus Christ. But, it came off as a satire on Christian, Jewish, and pagan themes – which in those days was blasphemous. Morse, who objected to calling his play sacrilegious, was found dead, face down, floating in the Hudson River at 88th Street on February 22, 1884. Initially, his death was thought to be suicide. Morse had been lodging at the home of Mrs. Isabella Gault (1826–1896), a former dressmaker, at 65 West 21st Street. Late February 29, 1982, a coroner's jury in the Salmi Morse inquest, after a half-hour deliberation, returned a verdict of "accidental drowning."
notes

[RTN-info-6] RTN is an acronym for Registered Trade Name.

[Wilson's-Biz-Directory-NYC_1878-1] Wilson's Business Directory of New York City New York City Commercial Register (Vol. 31), John F. Trow (publisher & printer) (1878), p. 412

[Brooklyn-Eagle_1884_Mar_23-2] "Heavy Losses By Fire – A Three Hundred Thousand Dollar Blaze on the North River – Costumes Valued at $20,000 Burned at Eaves' Establishment – A False Alarm at Ridley's – A Night of Conflagrations," Brooklyn Daily Eagle, Vol. 45, No. 82, March 23, 1884, p. 12

[NYClipper_1892_Mar_26-4] "World Players – Colin Eaves," New York Clipper, Vol. 40, No. 3, March 26, 1892, p. 36

[NYHerald_1883_Feb_28-5] "Passion Play Finances – The Money Expended and Where it Comes From – Sixty Thousand Dollars in the Venture – Mr. Morse Declared by an Investor Mercely a Figurehead – Proceedings in Special Session," New York Herald, February 28, 1883, p. 5

[NYTs_1928_Apr_1-7] "New West 46th St. Loft – Eaves Building Addes to the Times Square Skyline," New York Times, April 1, 1928, p. RE 15 (accessible via New York Times)

[Sterne_2012-8] The Sound Studies Reader, Jonathan Sterne, ed., Routledge, 2012, pps. 310–311; OCLC 916524063

[Record-&-Guide_1902_Jan_25-9] "Gossip of the Week – South of 59th Street" (re: Charles Frohman), Real Estate Record & Guide, Vol. 69, Whole No. 1767, January 25, 1902, p. 160

[Record-&-Guide_1902_Feb_8-10] "The World of Buildings – Miscellaneous" (re: Daniel Frohman), Real Estate Record & Guide, Vol. 69, Whole No. 1769, February 8, 1902, p. 157

[NYTribune_1902_Feb_6-11] "The New Lyceum Theatre – Daniel Frohman Will Carry the Name of His Old Playhouse Uptown With Him," New-York Tribune, February 6, 1902, p. 2 (accessible via Newspapers.com, subscription required)

[NYTribune_1915_Aug_14-12] "Copartnership Notice: Eaves Costume Company," New York Tribune, August 14, 1915, p. 9

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