CO-OPERATIVE DRESS ASSOCIATION Stock 1881 New York City Pres Kate Field SIG VF++

Description

Co-Operative Dress Association Limited. Stock issued July 1, 1881 at New York City. Incorporated in April 1881 in the State of New York.
Gold embossed company seal lower left. Certificate No. 4879 was issued to E. A. Fisher for one share of Preferred stock ( per share). Company capital was
0,000
. Hand signed by company
president Kate Field
and treasurer B. Y. Pippey. Certificate is about 7.5” x 10.” Black print with brown borders and under print.
Vignette with an early version of the seal of New York City.
The Co-operative Dress Association of New York City was founded by Kate Field in 1881 at 31 and 33 West 23rd Street. Mary Katherine Keemle Field (aka Kate Field) (1838-1896) was also an American journalist, author, lecturer and actor. Field was a keen advocate of women's rights and of spiritualism. Kate Field was born in St. Louis, Missouri in about 1840, was educated in Massachusetts at various seminaries, and later gave particular attention to musical studies.
The Co-operative Dress Association, incorporated in April 1881 with 5,000 stockholders, was established to provide clothing "articles of fine quality at fair prices" without the "inducement for illegitimate gain to women of limited incomes.” The cooperative, its necessity criticized by advocates for the New York City retail dry-goods trade, operated until 1882-1883 when placed under receivership. An early advertisement for the Co-Operative Dress Association describes the company’s products as “Dry goods of all kinds, house-keeping goods, ready-made dresses, cloaks, and wraps at all prices, ladies, girls and boys suits, upholstery, millinery, stationery, china, glass, and plated ware, boots, shoes, and hair goods,” “Holiday Goods – Fancy Goods,” and “Visit Every Floor in the Six Story Building.”
Kate Field paid several visits to England (where her father Joseph Field was born in 1810 in London) where she met Wilkie Collins, Charles Dickens, and James Whistler. She is said to have had a romantic involvement with Anthony Trollope. Her publications include Adelaide Ristori (1867); Extremes Meet. A comedietta; The history of Bell's Telephone (1878); Pen Photographs of Charles Dickens' Readings (1868); Taken from life (1868); Planchette's Diary (1868); Ten Days in Spain (1875); Charles Albert Fechter (1882). In London in June 1871, Field stayed at Aubrey House, Notting Hill. She visited James Whistler with a friend in July 1873. “He was very cordial, showed me over his charming house - delighted with his pictures. Hennessy said he had never seen Whistler so radiant. We remained two hours. Dined at Hennessy's, met Appleton of 'the Academy'.' In 1893 Field was among 74 notable Americans to contribute an essay to the American Press Association for the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago, predicting what life would be like in the 1990s. Hers was entitled, 'All Depends on Our Women.'
Condition:  Very Fine++
, light folds, very minor creasing, no tears, light signs of wear/handling/toning (see photos),
uncancelled.
Printer:
American Bank Note Company Lith., New York.
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