For Military- We're It! ^® says it all!

We’re one of the oldest military surplus stores in America and the oldest in New York City!

We specialize in original new and used military clothing, equipment and insignia from the United States Armed Forces and many foreign countries.

Military collectors and enthusiasts’ from all over the world are daily visitors to our 42nd Street retail store.

Stop by and see for yourself why SURPLUS* is indeed our middle name!

*Kaufman Surplus Inc. operates as Kaufman’s Army & Navy

For Military- We're It! ^® is a Registered Trademark of Kaufman Surplus Inc., NYC

Great Stuff Priced Right! ^® sums it up best!

We also stock many top brands of casual clothing: Levi’s 501^® jeans, Carhartt and Dickies workwear, Alpha, Schott and Spiewak outerwear and Bates, Corcoran and Magnum footwear.

We carry peacoats, flight jackets, field jackets, flight coveralls, duffel bags, security uniforms and many other popular items.

Our convenient 42nd Street midtown Manhattan location, helpful sales staff and 5 Day Money Back Guarantee* all contribute to an easy-going shopping experience.

*Please click here to read Kaufman’s Refund Policy:

Great Stuff Priced Right! ^® is a Registered Trademark of Kaufman Surplus Inc., NYC

Attention all Stylists, Special Event Coordinators and Moms and Dads too!

Are you outfitting a M*A*S*H ‘theme’ party?   

Or a ‘Top Gun’ event?

Are you supplying the costumes for a video-shoot? 

Or need some military style ‘dog-tags’ custom stamped in a hurry?

Perhaps you’re interested in renting an army jeep?

Or a tank?  (A real one!)

We can help!

Our terrific know-how and helpful every-step-of-the-way assistance can make your plans a reality!

We can also ship your rental or purchase anywhere in the country!

Please visit our store in person to discuss your event or email us your detailed 'List of Requirements' to: info@kaufmansarmynavy.com and include your phone number so that we can call you at a later time to discuss them. 

Our Costumes & Props Rental Department* caters to professional Costume Designers, Set Decorators and Prop Masters working anywhere in the U.S.A.

100’s of varied uniforms, related uniform accessories and props comprise this extensive department, located right here in New York City.

Our uniforms and props can be rented on a weekly basis or for longer production periods.

Although most can be rented or purchased, our rarer items can only be rented.

So- ‘Name an Army’, ‘Choose a Uniform’, ‘Pick a Period’ and tell us what you’re looking for-

In many cases we can create just ‘the right look’ from our stock-on-hand or we may be able to locate a specific item for you.

We’ll try our best to supply everything you need at a cost that’ll fit well within your budget!

We specialize in United States military clothing from WWI, WWII, the Korean War, Vietnam War and Desert Storm up to the present day.

We also stock a wide selection of new and used foreign military uniforms, accessories, insignia, shoes and boots.

Give us a try!

A variety of generic Law Enforcement, S.W.A.T., Public Safety, Emergency Medical and security style uniforms are also available.

Don’t miss our excellent selection of military uniform reference books available for sale at our 42nd Street retail store.

All inquiries are welcome. Just call, fax, email or come in.

Phone: 212-757-5670

Fax: 212-757-9686

Email: info@kaufmansarmynavy.com

*Our Costumes & Props Rental Department is only available to established theatres, schools, television studios and production companies.  Special arrangements and rental procedures apply.

Attention all Costume Designers, Clothing Designers, Photographers and Illustrators:

The Kaufman Military Uniform Reference Collection is comprised of many of the rarest, finest and most interesting military surplus items we’ve stocked over the course of our sixty-plus years in business!

It's quite an impressive array!

Some highlights of our collection include:

  –Outstanding examples of WWII and Vietnam War combat clothing
  –An extensive U.S. military insignia collection
  –Hundreds of one-of-a-kind military collectibles
  -Fine aviation items such as vintage goggles, helmets and flight-suits
  -A fascinating selection of men’s and women’s military issue underwear
  -Dress uniforms of various types
  -Naval uniforms of various types
  -Foreign uniforms of various types
  -Caps, hats and helmets of all types
  -WWI and WWII wool uniforms
  -Our superb collection of WWII issue U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) leather flight jackets
   and hand painted leather squadron patches. Some beautiful examples will be posted on this site at a later time.

As any professional knows, its one thing to see an item photographed in a reference book and another thing entirely to handle and study the original.

Hardly a day goes by that we are not called upon for our expertise or to help supply a theatrical event, a movie or a television show with one item or another from our extensive stock.

Single or multiple items from our collection can be rented* on a weekly basis or for an extended period.

We invite your inquiries by phone, fax, email or in person at our 42nd Street retail store.

What are you looking for?

*This offer is limited to established theatres, bona fide companies and recognized professionals only subject to Kaufman’s approval. Special arrangements and rental procedures apply.

Kaufman’s Army & Navy is one of the oldest military surplus retailers in the United States.

Our original store opened in 1938 on the corner of Cortlandt and Greenwich Streets in lower Manhattan. It was located in a popular bustling commercial district once fondly referred to as Radio Row.

In 1963 our wonderful old store along with the entire district- all sixteen square city blocks of it, is completely closed down and razed to make way for the World Trade Center!

During the 1970’s our warehouse at 623 Broadway opened for retail as the SoHo boom exploded.

Our Broadway store was packed with genuine military surplus and extended the full length of an entire city block back to Mercer Street!

In 1982 our Broadway store and warehouse closes and much of our older surplus inventory dating back to WWII is sold to other leading military dealers across the country.

Our 42nd Street store opened in 1940 on a ‘second floor walk-up’ inside a tenement at 318 West 42nd Street, almost directly across the street from our present location.

In 1946 our store relocates across the street to 319 West 42nd Street.

In 1950 the same two U.S. Army Spanish-American War period Hotchkiss mountain cannon that flank the entrance to our store are placed outside.

In 1969 the entire façade above our store is proudly painted American Flag red, white and blue for the first time!

In 1986 Kaufman’s Wooden Dollar is first introduced.

In 1988 Kaufman’s left-handed and right-handed pencils are first introduced.

Today, Kaufman's is the oldest business in continuous operation on West 42nd Street!

We are pleased to offer a 15% discount to all active duty U.S. military personnel serving in the Armed Forces, the Reserves or the National Guard on any item available for sale at our 42nd Street retail store.

Your current valid military identification is all that is required to qualify.

We're located in midtown Manhattan on legendary West 42nd Street.

World Famous Times Square, the Broadway Theatre District and the Jacob Javits Convention Center are all located nearby.

Although we supply theatres nationwide, we are not a mail order firm, so we do not ship orders to individuals.

If you’re planning a trip to New York City and you’d like us to hold an item for you, please call ahead or email us with your expected time of arrival and we’ll gladly place it aside for you. 

Our street and mailing address:

319 West 42nd Street
New York City, 10036 (We're located between 8th and 9th Avenues, closer to 8th Avenue)

Our phone number: 212-757-5670

Please call us anytime. Our answering machine accepts messages 24/7 whenever our store is closed.

Our fax number: 212-757-9686

We're open Monday thru Friday: 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM

Thursday is our late night: 11:00 AM to 7:00 PM

Saturday: 12:00 noon to 6:00 PM

Sunday: We are closed

Kaufman's Refund Policy has protected our customers for over sixty years.

Click here:  Kaufman’s Refund Policy

Just about every New York City subway line converges at Times Square:  Click here to see

Our store is located across the street from the Port Authority Bus Terminal, the world's largest bus terminal. (42nd Street entrance, 'North Wing')

Please contact us for any further information and a personal reply from 'Mr. Kaufman' (3rd Generation).

info@kaufmansarmynavy.com

-1979: Che, the narrator in Evita modeled on Che Guevara, wears an olive army jacket and black military beret supplied from Kaufman’s.

-1979: Mickey Rooney’s red one-piece long underwear in Sugarbabies is supplied from Kaufman’s.

-1986: Kaufman’s supplies old fashioned underwear for Big River.

-1986: Kaufman’s supplies U.S. Navy officer’s white service caps to Me and My Girl.

-1987: Lincoln Center’s revival of South Pacific* is HUGE and becomes the largest theatrical production Kaufman’s supplies up until that time. Two entirely separate choruses- the women’s ‘U.S. Navy nurses’ and the men’s ‘U.S. Navy sailors’ both require full period ensembles. Kaufman’s supplies all the hundreds of uniforms and uniform accessories complete and on schedule! Included are: chambray shirts, denim bell bottoms, sailor caps, tee shirts, insignia, boots, shoes, ‘dog tags’, packs, helmets and period WWII props. The show is a wonderful success! We still recall our exhaustive nationwide search for original military issue U.S. Navy nurses khaki uniforms in 100% cotton, which as we quickly discover, no longer exist anywhere- so a real coup is scored when we surprisingly locate just the right number of used (but nice) U.S. Army WWII issue W.A.A.C. (Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps) cotton khaki skirts and blouses, that look virtually identical and fit ‘Nellie’ and the other nurses perfectly fine!

-1987: Kaufman’s begins supplying the original production of Les Miserables with lots (and lots) of black coveralls for use by its stage crew during its successful reign on Broadway.

-1987: Kaufman’s supplies all the white nautical uniforms and uniform accessories worn by the Captain, officers and crew in the revival of Cole Porter’s musical Anything Goes* at Lincoln Center.

-1989: Kaufman’s supplies regulation U.S. Marine Corps camouflage uniforms for A Few Good Men.

-1989: Kaufman’s supplies U.S. Navy uniform accessories for Jerome Robbins’ Broadway.

-1991: Suzy Benzinger, the Costume Designer for Miss Saigon* on Broadway, chooses Kaufman’s to outfit the long anticipated New York production, which first opened in London in 1989. Suzy’s decision to use historically accurate U.S. Marine Corps uniforms and original Vietnam War period military surplus wherever possible sets the right course. The number of costumes and props that Kaufman’s supplies over Miss Saigon’s ten-year run is enormous: hundreds of complete olive fatigue uniforms consisting of shirts, trousers, belts, tee shirts, underwear, ‘dog-tags’, utility caps, jungle boots and regulation insignia as well as dozens of sets of military issue combat equipment. The latter include: canvas pistol belts, canteens and covers, bayonets and scabbards, ammo pouches with dummy grenades, genuine U.S.M.C. flak vests and steel helmets with period reversible Vietnam camouflage helmet covers. Even the olive green nylon herringbone-weave flight coverall worn by the pilot during the memorable helicopter scene is U.S.M.C. issue! Also included are fifty N.V.A. (North Vietnamese Army) green pith helmets with gold and red star insignia. While Miss Saigon plays on Broadway, entirely separate touring companies begin to open concurrently across the country; first in Boston, then Chicago and finally Los Angeles. Kaufman’s supplies the military uniforms for each production.

-1991: Kaufman’s supplies The Secret Garden* with British Army style khaki Kitchener (tall high crown) pith helmets and brown colored ‘Sam Browne’ belts with across-the-chest shoulder straps.

-1991: Kaufman’s supplies Levi’s 501^® button-fly jeans for Keith Carradine, who stars as Will Rogers in The Will Rogers Follies.

-1998: Kaufman’s supplies old fashioned three-button Henley undershirts to Ragtime.

-1998: From its very first performance, all the ‘hyenas’ in Disney’s The Lion King on Broadway and the national tour wear black leather military-style side-zipper combat boots supplied by Kaufman’s!

-1998: Kaufman’s supplies the German Army and Hitler Youth uniforms for a major revival of The Sound of Music* at Lincoln Center.

-1998: Kaufman’s supplies black military jackets for Wait Until Dark*.

-1999: Kaufman’s supplies military uniform accessories to Kiss Me, Kate.

-1999: Kaufman’s supplies dozens of WWII military uniform accessories for the spectacular dance numbers in Swing!* Included are regulation U.S. Navy ‘pancake’ navy blue wool sailor caps, the same type that inspired Walt Disney when he designed the cap worn by Donald Duck!

-1999: Kaufman’s supplies The Civil War with almost-impossible-to-find obsolete brass belt hooks used to support the leather accouterments worn with both uniforms, Union and Confederate.

-2000: Kaufman’s supplies dozens and dozens of classic ‘old fashioned’ natural color three-button front Henley style undershirts for the orchestra of The Music Man.

-2000: Kaufman’s supplies baggy military style khaki ‘wind pants’ worn by Jesus in the revival of Jesus Christ Superstar*.

-2000: Kaufman’s supplies police style uniform accessories for The Full Monte.

-2001: All the white regulation U.S. Navy sailor caps worn in the revival of 42nd Street are supplied (and re-supplied) by Kaufman’s!

-2001: Kaufman’s supplies The Producers on Broadway and the national tour with an assortment of military uniform accessories.

-2003: Kaufman’s supplies Billy Joel’s Movin’ Out* with all of its U.S. Marine Corps full dress and camouflage combat uniforms for both Broadway and the national tour.

-2003: Kaufman’s supplies Wonderful Town with regulation U.S. Navy admiral shoulder boards.

-2003: Kaufman’s supplies Urinetown with police style uniform accessories.

-2004: Kaufman’s adds a current issue Russian Federation army officer’s double-headed-eagle cap badge onto a U.S. Marine Corps enlisted man’s full dress brass belt buckle to form an ‘Imperial Russian’ police belt plate requested for Fiddler on the Roof!

-2004: The Wizard of Oz himself wears original Swiss Army goggles while ‘the chauffer’ wears WWII period European military goggles, both supplied by Kaufman’s in Wicked on Broadway, the national tour and the latest English production!

-2005: Kaufman’s supplies Chitty Chitty Bang Bang* with ‘Grandfather’s’ British Army style khaki Kitchener (tall high crown) pith helmet, military ribbons and original WWII issue corporal chevrons as well as ‘The Spies’ unusual German military issue black rubber (swimming) goggles!

-2005: Kaufman’s supplies the U.S. Army military uniforms in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels.

-2005: The traditional navy-blue and white striped sailor shirts worn during the French dance number in Monty Python’s Spamalot are actually original Russian Navy sailor shirts supplied by Kaufman’s.

-2005: When the revival of Sweeney Todd starring Patti LuPone and Michael Cerveris requires original British 'Bobby' Police whistles and its Props Department can't find any anywhere, Kaufman's is relied upon to supply them, and we do!

-2005: Kaufman’s supplies the revival of Mister Roberts* at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. with with an extensive array of U.S. Navy uniforms and uniform accessories.

-2005: Kaufman’s supplies traditional black leather lace-up dress shoes, that happen to be U.S. Navy government surplus, for both Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick in the revival of Neil Simon’s The Odd Couple.

-2006: Kaufman’s supplies original U.S. Navy WWII period regulation insignia and classic U.S. Navy 13-button enlisted men's navy blue wool bell-bottoms for a revival of The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial*.

-2006: Kaufman’s supplies Disney’s Tarzan with khaki colored backpacks and shoulder bags as well as miniature ‘jungle green’ army-style flashlights with red lenses for the theatre’s ushers to seat their guests.

-2006: Kaufman’s supplies military backpacks and shoulder bags as well as black coveralls for the stage crew to wear while they clean up the bloody mess that’s left after each performance of The Lieutenant of Inishmore.

-2006: Kaufman’s supplies The History Boys with a variety of olive army backpacks and black work coveralls for the stage crew.

-2006: Kaufman’s supplies black leather combat boots and uniform accessories to The Wedding Singer.

-2006: Michael Krass, 2006 Tony Award nominee and Costume Designer for The Public Theatre’s Shakespeare in the Park series production of Macbeth, relies on Kaufman’s for numerous military uniforms and uniform accessories.

-2006: The Public Theatre’s Shakespeare in the Park series continues with Mother Courage and Her Children* starring Meryl Streep in the title role and Kevin Kline as the Cook. Record crowds line up early every morning for hours at a time waiting and hoping to obtain two of the limited and much coveted free tickets! Kaufman’s supplies the production with literally hundreds of military clothing items and uniform accessories.

-2006: Kaufman’s supplies Disney’s Mary Poppins with old-fashioned one-piece long underwear, custom-made uniform accessories and 'Admiral Boom's' military ribbons!

-1978: Kaufman’s supplies all the U.S. Army olive-green fatigue clothing worn during the missile hi-jacking scene with Larry Hagman and Valerie Perrine in the original Superman: The Movie.

-1978: Kaufman’s supplies U.S. Army Vietnam War period uniforms and insignia for The Deer Hunter.

-1989: Kaufman’s supplies U.S. Marine Corps Vietnam War period web gear and uniform accessories for Born on the Fourth of July.

-1989: Kaufman’s supplies U.S. Army Vietnam War period uniforms and accessories as well as twenty cases of military-style rations for feeding the lead actors during their ‘Boot Camp’ training exercise, which has been designed to help them establish the proper mind-set for filming Casualties of War.

-1989: Kaufman’s supplies Ghostbusters II with black leather military-style combat boots.

-1989: What begins with a simple phone call to inquire whether Kaufman’s stocks original Vietnam War period military surplus clothing becomes a major film rental with the producers of Jackknife, starring Robert De Niro. Within days of receiving the order, the normal everyday rhythm at our 42nd Street retail store is disrupted and replaced with a buzz of excitement and activity as it becomes the assembly point for organizing and preparing all the military items required for the film. Hours are spent culling through our extensive stock of used jungle fatigue uniforms to select a choice array in the sizes required. Kaufman’s carefully researches any uniform detail in doubt for the purpose of ensuring historical accuracy. Jackknife’s own costume design staff visits the store daily to assist in many ways. Hundreds of insignia are chosen and placement is discussed. Last minute snags are addressed. By week’s end we’ve assembled enough military clothing and equipment to outfit a small army, which as it so happens is exactly what’s required for the film! The rental calls for forty U.S. Army infantrymen complete (quite literally) from head to toe and four U.S. Army helicopter flight crew. All the uniforms look fantastic! Each infantryman’s ensemble consists of a set of olive green jungle fatigues- shirt and trousers, olive jungle boots, olive tee, helmet with camouflage cover, flak vest and a full set of M56 combat equipment that includes: a canvas pistol belt, suspenders, butt pack, canteen and cover, ammo pouches, dummy grenades, period flashlight and bayonet with scabbard. The helicopter personnel are all outfitted with two-piece olive-green Nomex fatigues, jungle boots, SPH (Sound Protection Helmet) helmets with a single lens visor and Vietnam War issue and dated U.S. Army wrist-watches. The order is completed right on schedule! That’s when everything is carefully inspected and counted for the final time and packed and readied for pick up. Once it’s on its way to the location for filming, Kaufman’s work is done and our store returns to business as usual. It’s been a wonderful experience!

-1989: Kaufman’s supplies the distinctive Austrian Army purple and pink pattern camouflage fatigue pants worn by Peter Boyle in The Dream Team.

-1990 Kaufman’s supplies a wide array of U.S. Army Vietnam War period combat uniforms and accessories for Jacob’s Ladder.

-1990: Kaufman’s supplies military issue khaki overseas caps, (the ‘flat envelope’ style cap) and khaki ties to Last Exit to Brooklyn.

-1990: Kaufman’s supplies military outerwear to Presumed Innocent starring Harrison Ford.

-1998: Kaufman’s supplies black army style field jackets for A Perfect Murder, starring Michael Douglas and Gwyneth Paltrow.

-1998: Kaufman’s supplies the Opening Night festivities of Godzilla outside of Madison Square Garden in New York City with loads of camouflage netting and assorted military props and facilitates the rental of privately-owned U.S. Army military vehicles complete with uniformed personnel for the occasion.

-2006: Kaufman’s supplies Julie Taymor’s Beyond the Universe with U.S. Army olive green wool blankets, black leather military-style combat boots and uniform accessories.

-2006: Kaufman’s supplies The Good Shepherd with military naval uniforms; uniform accessories and British Army WWII issue ‘Tommy’ helmets and khaki gas mask bags as props.

-2006: Kaufman’s supplies American Gangster starring Denzel Washington with a number of military props, lots of olive green military issue underwear, various uniform accessories and the Vietnam War style olive green jungle boots worn by Denzel himself!

Other television shows that Kaufman’s has supplied over the years include: All My Children, America’s Most Wanted, Captain Kangaroo, Encyclopedia, Good Morning America, Loving, Nickelodeon, One Life to Live, Ryan’s Hope, Sesame Street, Special Victims Unit, The History Channel…