Edward and Gertrude Dewey collection of Gage & Tollner records
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Date
Creator
Extent
Language of Materials
Abstract
The Edward and Gertrude Dewey collection of Gage & Tollner records consist of materials from the Gage & Tollner restaurant located at 372-374 Fulton Street in the Downtown Brooklyn neighborhood of Brooklyn, dating from 1888 to 2004. The materials were mainly collected and compiled by the Dewey family who owned the restaurant from 1919 to 1988. The records primarily document the business operation under the Dewey family's management. The Dewey family sold the restaurant to Peter Aschkenasy in 1988 and the restaurant was later closed in 2004. The highlights of the collection include photographs of the landmark building and celebrities, as well as the anniversary menus and other memorabilia that marks the significance of this 125 year-old restaurant food and dining venue in the heart of Downtown Brooklyn.
Historical note
Charles Gage and Eugene Tollner opened the restaurant at 372-374 Fulton Street in 1892. The restaurant was sold to A.H. Cunningham and Alexander Ingalls in 1911 and then to the Dewey family in 1919. The restaurant's interior was landmarked in 1975 and the building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982. John and Gertrude Dewey sold the restaurant in the 1980s to Peter Aschkenasy. Joseph Chirico owned the restaurant from 1995 to 2004. At that time the restaurant closed and the building was sold to the Jemal family.
Arrangement
The collection is organized into four series:
Series 1: Business Records
Series 2: Photographs
Series 3: Audio recordings
Series 4: Memorabilia
Scope and Contents
The collection contains papers, photographs, audio recordings, and memorabilia of the Gage & Tollner restaurant, dating from 1888 to 2004. The collection's paper records, including ephemera, ledgers, journal books, and correspondence, document the restaurant's business and operations. The photographs in this collection depict the interior and exterior of the restaurant's landmark building, events at the restaurant, as well as its owners and employees. The collection also contains an assortment of artifacts, such as a fake mustache (part of the restaurant's branding), a light bulb, an ashtray, anniversary calendars, matches, toothpicks, pins, cardholders, and two pitchers.
Subjects
Organizations
Genres
People
Topics
Conditions Governing Access
Open to researchers without restriction.
Conditions Governing Use
While many items at the Center for Brooklyn History are unrestricted, we do not own reproduction rights to all materials. Be aware of the several kinds of rights that might apply: copyright, licensing and trademarks. The researcher assumes all responsibility for copyright questions.
Preferred Citation
Identification of item, date (if known); Edward and Gertrude Dewey collection of Gage & Tollner records, 2016.034, Box and Folder number; Brooklyn Public Library, Center for Brooklyn History.
Material Specific Details
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift of Janet Dewey Pawlukiewicz, 2016.
Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements
If digital surrogates exist, they should be used in place of the originals whenever possible.
About this Guide
Processing Information
The records were processed, arranged, and described by Yingwen Huang under the supervision of John Zarrillo, January-March 2017. The collection is minimally processed to the series level. Parts of the collection were originally housed in acid free folders, which were retained during processing.
Repository
Series 1: Business records, 1919-2004, inclusive
Extent
Scope and Contents
Series contains business records of the Gage & Tollner restaurant, including two folders of awards and certificates, two folders of building related files, approximately one box of anniversary and special event files, one folder of correspondence, eight folders of operations records, eight folders of ephemera, two accounting ledgers and journal books, and approximately one box of press clippings. Oversized materials are stored in Box 8. The series also contains different versions of the restaurant's menu, postcards, artworks, various promotional materials, and other items.
Arrangement
The series is partially arranged by subject, which reflects the records' original order. Other materials were arranged by subject and then chronologically by the processing archivist.
Business records
Business records
Business records
Business records
Business records
Business records
Series 2: Photographs, 1888-1989, inclusive
Extent
Scope and Contents
Series contains one box of photographic prints, slides, and negatives depicting the restaurant owners, employees, various events, as well as its landmark building dating from 1888 to 1989. Oversize photographs are stored in Box 8. Photographs related to the restaurant's 75th anniversary can be found in Series 1: Business Records.
Arrangement
Arranged chronologically.
Photographs
Photographs
Photographs
Photographs
Series 3: Audio recordings, 1972-1985, inclusive
Extent
Scope and Contents
Series contain two quarter inch magnetic tapes and one cassette tape about the history of the restaurant dating from the 1980s.
Arrangement
Arranged alphabetically by title.
Brooklyn Dodgers Come Home (Audio Cassette), 1985
Existence and Location of Copies
This cassette has been digitized and is available on the Center for Brooklyn History's Internet Archive account. Listen to the audio here.
Gage & Tollner Restaurant "Information" (1/4 inch Open Reel), 1977
Existence and Location of Copies
This film has been digitized and is available on the Center for Brooklyn History's Internet Archive account. Listen to the audio here.
The McCanns Program: All About Gage & Tollner's, Excerpt (1/4 inch Open Reel), 1972
Existence and Location of Copies
This reel has been digitized and is available on the Center for Brooklyn History's Internet Archive account. Listen to the audio here.
The McCanns Program: All About Gage and Tollner's, Full Audio (1/4 inch Open Reel), 1972
Existence and Location of Copies
This reel has been digitized and is available on the Center for Brooklyn History's Internet Archive account. Listen to the audio here.
Series 4: Memorabilia and Menus, circa 1930s-1984, inclusive
Extent
Scope and Contents
Series consists of menus and memorabilia from Gage & Tollner restaurant, dating from circa 1930s to 1984. The menus include luncheon, dinner, dessert, and drinks. The memorabilia include two Vintage Benedict Indestructo pitchers, an original electric bulb from the restaurant, a fake mustache (part of the restaurant's branding), an ashtray, a bottle stopper, matches, pins, cardholders, toothpicks, and an oversize poster board with signatures of retired Brooklyn Dodgers baseball players (circa 1980s).
Arrangement
This series has not been arranged by an archivist.
