If you were a stylish woman in late 19th century New York, a collection of fashionable hats was a must—the more elaborate and feathered, the better.
And the Hill Brothers, importers and manufacturers headquartered first at 564 and 566 Broadway at the corner of Prince Street, seemed to be the leaders in their field.
An 1888 guidebook called Illustrated New York: the Metropolis of To-Day had this to say about the Hill Brothers and their millinery emporium:
“This firm have long enjoyed a national reputation as importers and manufacturers of millinery goods, while all the partners bring practical experience to bear, coupled with an intimate knowledge of every phase and feature of the wholesale millinery trade.”
By 1902, Hill Brothers had moved up to 806 and 808 Broadway, closer to the rest of the Ladies Mile shops and department stores.
When and why they disappeared is a mystery—but images of their creations and elegant sales floor live on in these advertisements.
Tags: fashion in 19th century New York City, Hat shop New York City, Hill Brothers Millinery Goods, Milliners 19th century New York City, Milliners Broadway NYC, vintage hat ads
Ephemeral New York 
May 20, 2017 at 10:12 pm |
I have a silver toned pendent, top is 3D rose and back of second piece of pendent is engraved Souvenir Hill Brothers 564 & 566 Broadway New York. Any information about this type of item. It measures 2.25″ x 1.25″ and there are two silver toned pieces and between these pieces are three or four pieces of waxy paper with pencil writing.