Neiman-Marcus, 1959
The First Christmas Fantasy

Neiman-Marcus, 1959 NM’s Christmas catalogs are celebrated for their outlandish “His and Her” offerings and their “fantasy gifts.” Their first such stunt appeared in this 1959 holiday catalog. Stanley Marcus had been overseeing company Christmas catalogs since the 1920s, but in 1950s the mystique of larger-than-life Texas was growing in the public eye. How to … Continue reading The First Christmas Fantasy

RCA Victor, 1932
The Birth – and First Death – of the Long-Playing Vinyl Record

RCA Victor Dealer Catalog, 1932 Even in this digital age, vinyl records continue to appeal, both for their sound quality and the delight in their sheer physicality – a 12-inch disc in a colorful cardboard sleeve with liner notes and musical information. Audiophiles know how the 33 RPM long-playing “LP” was introduced in the late … Continue reading The Birth – and First Death – of the Long-Playing Vinyl Record