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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
J. Peterman Booty, Spoils & Plunder, 1992 It takes real chutzpah to sell something in a catalog and admit it’s a forgery, but John Peterman did it in this 1992 catalog. Then again, J. Peterman “Booty, Spoils & Plunder” was no ordinary catalog, and John Peterman is no ordinary copywriter. Not only are these Chinese … Continue reading Forgeries and Treasures
Give Him a Collection of Cliches for Christmas! Continue reading Duds for Dad
Was “Information Overload” a thing in 1973? Neiman-Marcus thought so, and commissioned a retreat that you could escape into… Continue reading A Brave New World of your own… for $80,000
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
I wish I could show you the cover of this 2010 Crutchfield catalog in person. Because it’s lenticular – 3D, like one of those funny old souvenir postcards. Continue reading 3DTV – Fad? Or Fad?
A gallery of all the most popular musical instruments from the 1920s…some of which are still popular today… Continue reading Sweet Sounds for Spring
Who doesn’t love the idea of getting the latest tech as a holiday gift? And yet… Continue reading The Trouble with Tech
I hadn’t realized Sears sold fruitcakes at Christmas as late as 1992… Continue reading Where are the fruitcakes of yesteryear?
In 1976, the year of America’s bicentennial, Neiman-Marcus hit a perfect note for their his and hers gift – real live Buffalos. Continue reading His and Hers, Hides and Furs
