136

Keller's.

T-shirt and matchbook from "New York's oldest leather-front bar." Circa mid 1970s.

Black T-shirt reading simply "Kellers" with no label (size medium?), minor wear, small stain near left arm. With matchbook illustrated with man in bondage gear on one side and bar address on the other; unused, minor wear. New York, circa mid-1970s?

Keller's was long known as New York's oldest leather bar, opening on the ground floor of an old waterfront hotel at the corner of West and Barrow in 1956, and remaining in business until 1998. Some say the Village People's 1977 debut record was photographed outside Keller's. We can't confirm that, but the album does credit "Ron Nickolson from Keller's" on tambourine.

The matchbook uses New York's old-fashioned letter telephone exchange: "CH.3-1907." We find that Keller's was using this number in 1976; this form of the telephone number was phased out from Manhattan's telephone directories after 1978, after which Keller's used 243-1907. The T-shirt is undated but could date from the same period.
T-shirt: 23 x 28 in. (58.4 x 71.1 cm.); matchbook: 1 3/4 x 1 1/2 in. (4.4 x 3.8 cm.)

  • Provenance: Keller's was long known as New York's oldest leather bar, opening on the ground floor of an old waterfront hotel at the corner of West and Barrow in 1956, and remaining in business until 1998. Some say the Village People's 1977 debut record was photographed outside Keller's. We can't confirm that, but the album does credit "Ron Nickolson from Keller's" on tambourine.

    The matchbook uses New York's old-fashioned letter telephone exchange: "CH.3-1907." We find that Keller's was using this number in 1976; this form of the telephone number was phased out from Manhattan's telephone directories after 1978, after which Keller's used 243-1907. The T-shirt is undated but could date from the same period.
  • Condition:
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August 21, 2025 10:30 AM EDT
New York, NY, US

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