Kovács Ferenc et al.: Fardagály és kámvás rokolya. Divat és illem a 19. században (Budapest, 2010)
Magyar divatáru-kereskedők Pesten (1840 - 1900)
Hungarian Fashion Merchants in Pest (1840-1900) 135 nőidivatáru-kereskedő működött a fővárosban. Ifjabb Geszler a Szervita tér 8. szám alatti üzletbe megy át, majd 1910-ben Altschul Adolfhoz társul be a Váci utca 12. szám alatti üzletbe. 1922-ben aztán végleg megszűnt a Krúdy írásaiban is gyakran feltűnő Monaszterly és Kuzmik. Holzer Simon Holzer Simon szabómester 1869-ben a Kígyó tér 2. szám alatt nyitotta meg konfekcióüzletét, ahol saját készítményeit kezdte árulni. Rájött, hogy a drága és egyedi készítmények mellett egyre nagyobb jövője van az olcsóbb konfekciónak A szerényebb kezdet után igen nagy sikereket ért el, és hímévre tett szert, aminek köszönhetően a Kossuth Lajos utca 9. szám alatti palotában nyi-HOLZER SIMON, női diratterme Kossuth Lajos utcza 9 sz. o' Kinyi-tér 2 sz. Alapíttatott 1809-ben Holzer Simon által, a kinek elhuny-Iával 1894-ben Holzer Sándor vette át az üzletet. Ez az ország legnagyo és legtekintélyesebb női felöltő-üzlete. Az összes készítmények csín, szau... „nriiit ritkítok és mindenki által a legnagyobb Hirdetés, Holczer Simon áruháza, 1890-es évek Advertisement, Simon Holezer’s store, 1890s court). In addition to their clientele, their range of stock also broadened, and they began selling sportswear, riding tennis and bicycling outfits as well as swimwear. They won a gold medal at the 1885 National Exhibition, and were also present at the Millennium exhibition, exhibiting simple English and sports clothing in addition to their more decorative court and evening dresses. Let us look for a moment at how the three business partners got on with each other and what is known about the three managers ot the company. From the diaryjózsef Geszler left behind for us, we know that he was born in 1838 into a family who originated from Sopron. His German-speaking parents sent him to a Hungarian school to help him on his way to becoming Hungarian. He is aged seven when his father dies and is raised by his mother. He graduates from Sopron’s school of commerce in 1856. After his mother’s death, he “hitch-hikes” by horse and cart to Pest in the hope of finding greater opportunities. Monaszterly and Kuzmik employ him in 1861. Through the shop window he saw Ferenc Deák in the middle of the cheering crowd after he was voted Representative of the City. Geszler soon became shop manager together with Béla Pertik and József Reisztán. József Reizstán died on May 30, 1891. He and Geszler didn’t get on, and in fact were always nagging at each other. After lengthy negotiations, the Reisztán heirs were eventually paid off in January of 1894. Béla Pertik was a widower and had various affairs and also enjoyed gambling and so was always asking to take more and more from the till. This led to arguments between the two partners and Geszler even considered leaving the company and setting up his own business. Finally, in 1900, Geszler passed on his responsibilities as partner to his son, József and lived alone and in seclusion until his death in 1917. It is also worth mentioning thatjózsef Geszler published a fashion album entitled Fashion in theXIX Century. On March 25,1908, Béla Pertik - the partner who had caused such problems - passed away, and so the business finally became the sole property of the Geszler family, but unfortunately closed down not long after. A combination ofvarious factors caused its demise. First of all the Holzer shop, which had opened close by, proved to be an unbeatable rival, and secondly the adverse economic conditions and diminishing orders began to adversely affect business. Tо provide a feeling ofhow difficult competition must have been at the time: in 1898 there were 135 registered ladies’ fashion traders in the capital. Geszler junior moves shop to 8 Szervita Square, then in 1910 becomes partners with Adolf Altschul in his shop at 12 Váci Street. In 1922, the Monaszterly and Kuzmik so often mentioned in the works of Hungarian bon viveur and writer Gyula Krúdy, finally shut its doors.
