Arthur Weiss (1875-1942) was born in Hungary to Simon and Rosa Weiss. Simon Weiss was a shirt manufacturer in New York in 1900 and Arthur was working for him at this time as a shirt salesman.
Per a 1909 city directory, Arthur was running his own business from headquarters at 315 W. Adams Street in Chicago, IL. The first advertisements found for Arthur Weiss & Co date from 1914, at which time the business address was 327 W. Adams Street, Chicago, IL. Records from the 1910 census show that Arthur Weiss continued to work as a salesman – his occupation was given as “Commercial traveller – shirts”, so he was possibly selling his father’s shirts in the Midwest.
Arthur Weiss’ WWI draft registration confirms that he owned his own business with his occupation noted as “Ladies Garment Manufacturer”. It is also noted at this time that Arthur had married. He and wife Ethel had three sons, Sidney, Jerome and Robert.
After WWI, Arthur continued as a dressmaker in his own factory. Later advertisements list Arthur Weiss & Co.‘s address as 315-27 W. Adams, and one reference noted the company was also in New York and Chicago.
By 1923, Arthur Weiss & Co. was noted as being the largest maker of dresses in the Midwest. They merged with G.M. Piermont & Co., another prominent dress manufacturing concern. This merger was said to have made the “resultant firm the largest manufacturer of dresses in the United States.” The Arthur Weiss label was still in existence at least through 1941, per an ad in Vogue magazine.
In December 1942, Arthur Weiss died of a heart attack at the age of 68. The Arthur Weiss & Co. firm was liquidated in 1955.
Written by cat123creative
from a 1917 dress
Courtesy of pastperfectvintage
from a 1920s dress
Courtesy of dorotheascloset.com
from a 1950s dress
courtesy of dorotheascloset.com