A Typical Day On Fifth Avenue -1891
Here are two views of Fifth Avenue from the 1891 book History And Commerce Of New York (American Publishing and Engraving).
In our first illustration above we are looking north along Fifth Avenue towards The Hotel Brunswick (with flag on the roof) at the corner of 26th Street.
The second illustration below, also looking north on Fifth Avenue from 46th Street shows the Windsor Hotel.
The only mystery is who are the artists who drew these charming scenes. The credit on the bottom left reads Flintoff & Breslin. A contemporary search of 1890s artists reveals nothing. Are Flintoff & Breslin the copyright holders or a tandem of two artists?
They are most likely artists. The 1900 United States census has 35-year-old Englishman Robert Flintoff living on West 22nd Street with his wife and son. Robert’s brother, 37-year-old Philip E. Flintoff residing in Kearney, NJ with his wife and four children. Both Flintoff’s have their occupation listed as artist. In the 1880 census their father John Flintoff is an editor, possibly giving the entrée to his sons for illustrating a book. Unfortunately the 1890 United States Census was lost in a fire so we cannot check those records.
As far as Breslin, nothing yet. But we will keep looking.
