David Mason Fine and Rare Books

(CANADIAN ADVERTISING/ST. CATHARINES). Oak Hall Canada’s Best Clothiers. 103 St. Paul St., St. Catharines. C.E. Kendall Manager. Selling W.E. Sanford Mfg. Co., Famous Clothing (cover title).

(NP: no publishers, 1905). 12mo., orig. flexible cloth (faux leather) covers, (36)pp. A multi-purpose advertising booklet with 8pp. with illustrations and descriptions of clothing sold at the Oak Hall stores, the remaining pages are blank lined paper of which 12 of the rectos have been used for writing down recipes, and there is a 1904/1905 calendar printed on the inner rear wrapper. The lettering on both covers is extremely difficult to read, not due to wear or rubbing but rather a poor printing/design choice, otherwise this is a fine copy. We were unable to locate copies of this in either Voila or OCLC.

In 1881, relying on his extensive background in clothing manufacture, William Sanford [1838-1899] founded Oak Hall. With the aim of selling ‘clothes of good quality and moderate price’, the first of his chain of retail outlets opened in Toronto and Hamilton, with other stores following--St. Catharines (1888), London (1892), and Windsor (about 1895). He also had agencies in Winnipeg, Toronto and Victoria. By the early 1880s ‘the original three-story stone warehouse had given way to a four-story building. The working part of it was equipped with the latest machines and labour-saving instruments....The stockrooms were filled with a large assortment of men’s, boy’s, and youths’ clothing....’ Sanford also secured contracts for the production of military garments such as greatcoats and attempted to break into the export market. Sanford was also involved in politics (appointed to the Senate in 1887), real estate, as well as philanthropic ventures.

This little booklet depicts styles of men and boys’ fashions offered by Oak Hall, with tag-lines such as ‘she’ll be pleased’ and ‘boy-proof.’