1897 Sears, Roebuck & Co. Catalogue

by Sears Roebuck and Co.

Imagine it's the end of the nineteenth century, and, with one catalog, you can buy everything from beds and tools to clothing and opium. (Yes, opium.) Not to mention ear trumpets, horse buggies, and Bibles. The 1897 Sears, Roebuck & Co. Catalogue is both a wonderfully fascinating collector's item and a valuable piece of American history. For every recognizable item included, there are plenty of others guaranteed to confuse or interest 21st century readers—like Bust Cream or Food and Sweet Spirits of Nitre . What was once standard household fare is today a sometimes strange, often funny look at what life was once like for the average American family. It's amazing to see that a Princely Shirt for Princely Men cost $0,95 or three for $2,75 or that a Complete Violin Outfit (with bow and case) cost only $2,00.

Genres: History, Reference, Nonfiction, Archaeology, Art

720 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1968

About the author

See author Sears for product manuals (i.e. Kenmore) and cookery books.

Reviews

[Pan Kajzerka · Rating 5 out of 5]

Zdecydowanie najlepsze źródło wiedzy o garderobie przełomu XIX i XX wieku. Ilość rycin jest czasami aż przytłaczająca ale dział są rozpisane klarownie, jeśli chodzi o garderobe męską to jestem usatysfakcjonowany ale mogłoby być troche więcej. Wydruk czytelny i zrozumiały ale trzeba sobie samemu przetłumaczyć (niektóre słowa są dosyć specjalistyczne i trzeba zajrzec do słownika) Zdecydowanie polecam dla rekonstruktorów albo Poprostu dla innych ludzi, którzy upadli przy porodzie.
Pozdrawiam

[Harmony · Rating 5 out of 5]

In 5th grade, I would check out this book from the school library almost every visit. It drove my mother insane. I now own my own copy and still find it very interesting. Especially interesting if you have an inflation calculator, so you can compare prices to today's items.

[Brandi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Skyhorse Publishing's reproduction of the 1897 Sears Roebuck & Company Catalogue! It is a wonderful way to get a glimpse into the past. I really enjoyed seeing the pharmaceuticals as well as the section offering carriages, horsewares, etc. I wonder if any of my ancestors ordered anything from this catalogue.

It is a great way to get a glimpse of history without having to read second-hand information provided by another party. It is fun to see the assortment of goods people in Victorian times shopped from and get a glimpse into how they lived. I would recommend this to any history buff as well as anyone curious about anyone curious about how people lived at the turn of the last century.

[T.G. Campbell]

The Argos catalogue of the late 19th century. A friend bought this for me as a birthday present and it blew my mind to see what someone could actually order through the mail in 1897 America: Arsenic wafers for your face, perhaps? How about a piano for your parlour? Or are guns more your thing? Then, of course, there is the "chest enhancer" for the ladies...basically a wooden plunger. There's so much more to find in this book.

[W Rubinstein]

Was a Christmas present. Yes, I liked it. Yes, I am that lame. xD

[Cedarlakeinn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This catalog reprint is AMAZING! I can't say I've actually "read" the whole thing (that would take about a year or so), but it gives you one hell of a detailed glimpse into late Victorian America.