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Creator
Eaves-Brooks Costume Company (New York, N.Y.)
Call number
*T-Vim 2005-007
Physical description
2.6 linear feet (3 oversized boxes)
Language
English
Preferred Citation

Dodger / Eaves-Brooks Costume Plots, *T-VIM 2005-007. Billy Rose Theatre Division, The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts.

Repository
Billy Rose Theatre Division
Access to materials
Request an in-person research appointment.Restrictions apply

These black and white illustrations are representations of original Broadway costume designs, as well as drawings of similar stock pieces, that were sent to clients (universities, community theatres, etc.) to indicate what a given play or musical might look like using costumes rented from Eaves-Brooks. The Eaves-Brooks Costume Company (New York, N.Y.) was sold to Dodger Costumes, Ltd., affiliated with Dodger Productions, in 1998. The costume construction and rental business was disbanded in February 2005.

Biographical/historical information

The Eaves Costume Company was founded as a family-owned company in 1863 and was originally located in lower Manhattan. 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.

Scope and arrangement

The costume plots, or templates, are on 17" x 22" paper, and are line drawings of the costumed characters in the play. Each figure is about 6 inches tall. Some templates include a dressing list on the reverse side.

The Dodger / Eaves-Brooks costume plots are arranged in two series:

  • Series I: Production templates
    ca. 1947-1965
    3 boxes

    The costume plots, or templates, are on 17" x 22" paper. The drawings listed as annotated have explanatory notes about the designs; some describe the historical context. Most productions are on one sheet, while more complex shows, notably those by Shakespeare, are on two to three sheets.

  • Series II: Period style sheets
    ca. 1600-1900
    1 folder

    Four style sheets, drawn by James Hart Stearns, with historical notes.

Administrative information

Source of acquisition

The Dodger / Eaves-Brooks costume plots were donated by the Dodger Costumes division of Dodger Productions in March 2005.

Processing information

Processed by: Whitney Blausen; Machine-readable finding aid created by: Barbara Knowles.

Processed by Whitney Blausen; Machine-readable finding aid created by Barbara Knowles.

Separated material

29 plates from the Sartorial Art Journal, showing multiple illustrations of men's fashions, ca. 1944-1954, were removed due to their fragile condition. The full run of the Sartorial Art Journal, call number 3-VLVA+ (Sartorial art journal) may be viewed at the Science Industry and Business Library, a research center of the New York Public Library.

Using the collection

Location

Billy Rose Theatre Division
New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Center
40 Lincoln Center Plaza, New York, NY 10023-7498
Third Floor

Conditions Governing Use

For permission to publish, contact the Curator, Billy Rose Theatre Division.

Access restrictions

Library policies on photocopying apply.