Guide to the Papers of Abe Grubère ( 1899-1970), 1843-1966 (bulk 1930-1959)

Processed by Yakov Sklyar

Yeshiva University Museum

Center for Jewish History

15 West 16th Street

New York, NY 10011

Phone: (212) 294-8330

Fax: (212) 294-8335

Email: YUMinquiries@cjh.org

URL: http://www.yumuseum.org

© 2005 Yeshiva University Museum. All rights reserved.

Center for Jewish History, Publisher.

Machine-readable finding aid was created by Yakov Sklyar as MS-Word document in November 2005. Electronic finding aid was converted to EAD version 2002 by Yakov Sklyar in April 2006. Description is in English.

Biographical Note

Abraham Gruber, who later changed his name to Abe Grubère, a designer in the women's fashion, was born on November 25, 1899. He had a long and illustrious career as a coat and suit designer and worked as a consultant to many leading coat and suit manufacturers. From 1938 to 1945, he worked for Morris W. Haft & Bros., the country's largest manufacturer of women's and misses' coats and suits. During the same period Grubère was elected President of the Guild of Designers (1943) and also served on Mayor La Guardia's Committee on Creative Industry.

In the year 1940 Grubère took part in an exhibit at the Brooklyn Museum of Art along with Alice Perkins, Elizabeth Crawford and Michelle Murphy (Curator of the Industrial Division of the Brooklyn Museum). Costumes from the collections from BMA frequently served as an inspiration for Grubère's designs, most notably in his Fall, 1947 collection of coats, suits, and furs.

In addition to his involvement with the field of fashion as a designer he was also involved in teaching. Between 1943 and 1944 Grubère helped to organize and became the first director of a two-year course at the Straubenmuller Textile High School. The course, the first of its kind in New York, was designed for high school graduates. Studies included practical dress designing, sketching, technical and historical studies of costumes, textiles, and colours.

In 1945 Grubère left Morris W. Haft & Bros., before opening his own couture firm of Grubère, Inc. in July of 1945. Grubère, Inc. served as a model house for the coat and suit trade. Later it was expanded to include fur and then to include the dress industry. Models were produced in each of these types of garment and then presented in fashion showings.

The firm Grubère, Inc. was liquidated in January 1948, when Abe Grubère re-joined Morris W. Haft & Bros., and was in charge of designing of all fashions for Swansdown. At the same time Morris W. Haft & Bros., gained the rights to use the name 'Grubère originals'. After Morris W. Haft & Bros.,Grubère joined the Youth Guild division of Jonathan Logan.

Grubère also worked for other companies, such as Gru-Bo-Mode of Memphis, Tennessee, Marcus-Grubère of New York, and Kanowitz Brothers.

Abe Grubère died in Brooklyn on August 2, 1970.

Scope and Content Note

The Abe Grubère Collection is composed of materials pertaining to Grubère's professional and business activities. This collection documents the work of one of the major American Jewish garment industry designers during the time period between early 1920s to the and 1960s and provides a very extensive artistic record.

By and large the collection consists of original designs done in ink, pencil, or watercolour created by Abe Grubère at various fashion studios, either under his name or under the name of the fashion studio. (Series I, Subseries I)

Additionally, there is a wealth of original designs done by other studios such as Du Barry Fashion Studios, Andre Studio, Berley Studio and other studios and designers active in the field of coats and suits fashion (Series II).

Other materials found in the collection include account ledger books, certificates, correspondence, patents, patterns, photographs, and student papers from the Textile High School. Clippings, fashion magazines, and scrapbooks are separated into a different series that consists of materials collected and compiled by Grubère as well as scrapbooks compiled by others.

Gru-Bo-Mode and Kanowitz Brothers, (some of the companies that Grubère worked for) are not represented in the collection at all.

Arrangement

This collection is divided into the following three series:

• Series I: Abe Grubère, 1930-1960
  • Subseries 1: Grubère Designs, 1930-1960
  • Subseries 2: Business and Professional, 1942-1959
• Series II: Other Designers, 1922-1960
• Series III: Printed Matter, 1843-1966

Access and Use

Access Restrictions

Open to researchers.

Use Restrictions

There may be some restrictions on the use of the collection. For more information, contact:
Yeshiva University Museum, Center for Jewish History, 15 West 16th Street, New York, NY 10011
email: YUMinquiries@cjh.org

Related Material

Several Record Groups at the Brooklyn Museum of Art are considered to be related records to the Abe Grubère Collection. They are:

• Brooklyn Museum of Art

• Grubère, Abe Papers, [ca. 1928-1948]
• Haas, Harry [Coats] Harry Haas

Custodial History

Grubère papers were donated in 1970 by his firm to the Library of the Brooklyn Museum of Art. In 1996 bigger part of the collection was deaccessioned and transferred to Yeshiva University Museum.

Alternative Form

Most documents in the collection have been digitized

Preferred Citation

Published citations should take the following form:

Identification of item, date (if known); Papers of Abe Grubère; collection number; box number; folder number; Yeshiva University Museum.

Processing Information

The Abe Grubère Papers was originally surveyed and boxed, but not catalogued, by the BMA staff in the 1970s. An initial Box List was created at the same time. Additional physical arrangement was done in January 2006. Further intellectual arrangement, which tries to recreate the logical and intellectual content of the collection, was done in May 2006. Intellectual arrangement included breaking down the folder order and creation of new Series and Sub-Series on intellectual rather than physical level. Processing the collection involved encapsulating photos, photocopying fragile newsprint, refoldering and reboxing using acid-free archival supplies, removing rubber bands, paperclips (and other metal fasteners) where appropriate.

Access Points

• Individuals:

  • Alexander, Pearl
  • Grubère, Abe

• Organizations:

  • Andre Fashion Studio
  • Berley Fashion Studio
  • Du Barry Fashion Studios
  • Morris W. Haft & Bros
  • Straubermuller Textile High School

• Subjects:

  • Fashion drawing -- United States
  • Fashion designers New York (State) New York
  • Costume -- United States -- History -- 20th century
  • Costume design
  • Fashion--Study and teaching

• Places:

  • New York--United States

• Document Types:

  • Account books
  • Clippings
  • Correspondence
  • Drawings
  • Photographs
  • Programs
  • Scrapbooks

Container List