H. Freeman and Son?

[maleofglory]

I assume 'H. Freeman and Son' is a past incarnation of Hickey-Freeman.. Does anyone here know about the quality of H Freeman and Son's suits/blazers?

 

[j]

It is unrelated to Hickey-Freeman, but the quality is generally on a similar level, compounding the confusion.

 

[Tomasso]

H-F and H.Freeman have no affiliation. Both at their best are fully canvased with H-F having more extensive hand finishing. L&S in NYC uses H.Freeman for it's MTM, begins around $850.

http://www.hfreemanco.com/

 

[AlanC]

I think that H. Freeman generally is considered a bit below Hickey in general. H. Freeman used to do more of a 'Trad' 3-button sack than Hickey, I believe.

I got some nice horn buttons off a couple of thrift H. Freemans recently.

 

[maleofglory]

Thanks guys. The other day, I ran across a nicely fitting H Freeman and Son sportcoat at a local thrift store amidst the hordes of Botany 500 blazers. For $15 it is kind of hard to go wrong...

 

[Horace]

Botany 500 and H. Freeman in thrift-stores should be a pretty good deal. Botany was a well-known "Campus Shop" brand 'back in the day', as the kids used to say.

 

[j]

Originally Posted by Horace

Botany 500 and H. Freeman in thrift-stores should be a pretty good deal. Botany was a well-known "Campus Shop" brand 'back in the day', as the kids used to say.
Yeah, I've seen canvassed Botany 500 suits. Construction okay; the fabrics were never very good though.

 

[tradlybradley]

I picked up a Botany 500 grey herringbone tweed recently. Narrow lapels, true 3-button, undarted. In beautiful condition. Can anyone hazzard a guess how old it might be ?

 

[Millerp]

Originally Posted by tradlybradley

I picked up a Botany 500 grey herringbone tweed recently. Narrow lapels, true 3-button, undarted. In beautiful condition. Can anyone hazzard a guess how old it might be ?


In the 1960's and 1970's, Botany 500 supplied clothing for
a lot of television shows

Credits for the old Dick Van Dyke and Danny Thomas TV shows
always gave wardrobe credit to Botany 500 -tailored by Daroff.

Not exactly sure what "tailored by Daroff" actually meant.
Dick Van Dyke's suits looked custom tailored.

Found this with Google. Hard to read smaller print.
Background looks psychedelic. Would suggest late 1960's.

 

[Millerp]

Is there nothing one can't find with Google?

Jun. 15, 1953
For a year, stockholders of Botany Mills, Inc., have had only bad news. President C. F. H. Johnson Sr., who built up the famed textile company, died in April 1952. The annual report for 1952 showed a deficit of $5,509,434, worst in the company's 64-year history. No dividends have been paid on common or preferred stocks since last fall. Last week the stockholders finally heard what sounded like good news: control of the company was being bought by Philadelphia's Bankers Securities Corp., headed by Albert M. Greenfield, who has made a specialty of buying sick companies and making them well.

The deal involved the sale of approximately 200,000 shares (out of 513444 outstanding), at an estimated price of $900,000, by Johnson's widow and son, C. F. H. Johnson Jr., who succeeded his father as Botany's head. At that price, control of Botany seemed a bargain, even though it is short of working capital. It has up-to-date plants and a five-year contract with Philadelphia's H. Daroff & Sons, makers of "Botany Brand 500" suits. Daroff agreed to buy 15 million yards of woolens at a cost of approximately $75 million.

Greenfield is still president of Albert M. Greenfield & Co., the realty firm which started him on his way in big business. His Bankers Securities Corp. also controls Loft Candy Corp., Hoving Corp. (Bonwit Teller), seven Philadelphia hotels and City Stores Co., (twelve stores). As if to show that one big transaction a week was an inadequate measure of his talents, Greenfield also announced a $4,000,000 modernization program for his Bellevue-Stratford Hotel.

 

[RJman]

I believe Botany 500 suits are sold in the John Blair catalog...

 

[tradlybradley]

Thanks for the info Millerp and RJman. Looking at the pic you posted I reckon my jacket may be slightly older, early 1960's perhaps. The label says: 'Botany' 500 Tailored by Daroff, below that: Schippers, Holister, California. I guess that is probably the retail store. I remember as a youngster watching the Andy Williams Show and seeing Botany 500 come up in the credits as supplying his wardrobe.

Thanks
Chris

 

[maleofglory]

Originally Posted by maleofglory

Thanks guys. The other day, I ran across a nicely fitting H Freeman and Son sportcoat at a local thrift store amidst the hordes of Botany 500 blazers. For $15 it is kind of hard to go wrong...

Well I didn't buy the H Freeman and Son coat, but it was gone the next time (a couple of days later) I made a trip to that Goodwill. Interesting, because at $15, it was twice as expensive as all the other coats they had. I also had found a Brioni Roma suit for $30 at a different thrift store, but the pants where too big for me (size 36) and it had a broken button on the coat, so I passed it up! Its gone as well, oh well..

PS - Agreeing with J, almost every Botany 500 suit/coat I have ever found had terrible fabric.

 

[Horace]

What about the fabric was terrible (I don't dispute that it was), I just don't really recall it being so. Had some nice worsted navy and grey as I recall.

 

[maleofglory]

I recalled Botany 500 suits using a lot of weird synthetic fabrics. Perhaps I found lower end Botany 500 suits or I am thinking of a different brand like Towncraft?