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The Catalog Blog

Cool things from 20th-century American Catalogs

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Category: Tools of the Trades

Music-Making by Mail
Posted on September 10, 2019

U.S. School of Music, 1947
Music-Making by Mail

You can learn to play an instrument at home, and once you do, your social life will improve, you’ll earn more money, and you’ll look like a young debutante in a low-cut dress… Continue reading Music-Making by Mail

Three great things that don’t go great together
Posted on July 23, 2019July 23, 2019

Sears Roebuck, 1923
Three great things that don’t go great together

When you sell as many things as Sears used to, you end up with pages like this: Vibrators, Medical Batteries, and Butcher Supplies. Yuck. Continue reading Three great things that don’t go great together

Reaping what you sow
Posted on July 9, 2019July 8, 2019

Walter A. Wood Mowing and Reaping Machine Company, 1912
Reaping what you sow

Look at that monstrous factory. It’s a classic example of successful American industry – thousands of men in buildings hundreds of feet long churning out tens of thousands of prize-winning farming machines yearly. Continue reading Reaping what you sow

Hello, Central? Give me Mr. Stromberg or Mr. Carlson!
Posted on June 18, 2019June 17, 2019

Stromberg-Carlson, 1921
Hello, Central? Give me Mr. Stromberg or Mr. Carlson!

A long, long time ago, when you wanted to make a phone call you couldn’t dial the telephone number yourself. Actually, you haven’t really “dialed” a number in ages either Continue reading Hello, Central? Give me Mr. Stromberg or Mr. Carlson!

The Golden Ages of Hollywood
Posted on May 13, 2019

Films, Incorporated, 1977
The Golden Ages of Hollywood

All sufficiently old catalogs are textbooks – time capsules of a cultural fragment, frozen at moment in time. Some catalogs try to BE textbooks. Continue reading The Golden Ages of Hollywood

Art (Deco) Supplies
Posted on April 15, 2019April 15, 2019

Dick Blick Co, 1933
Art (Deco) Supplies

During most of the 20th century you could earn a decent wage drawing hand-lettered advertisements. These 18 Show Cards are small masterpieces of Art Deco design which framed hand-lettered sales messages… Continue reading Art (Deco) Supplies

Three Chairs
Posted on March 25, 2019March 26, 2019

Sweet's Interior Design File, 1970
Three Chairs

Three groups of chairs by three different designers, from three different eras, yet all irresistibly modern… Continue reading Three Chairs

A Gaggle of Groovy Guitars
Posted on February 18, 2019February 17, 2019

Bennett Brothers, 1969
A Gaggle of Groovy Guitars

We’ve got groovy guitars…and dynamic drums…for your rock and roll combo. Continue reading A Gaggle of Groovy Guitars

Mad Skils
Posted on February 11, 2019

SkilTools, 1947
Mad Skils

Unabashedly and unashamedly industrial, this 1947 catalog. Aimed at men who get things done. Continue reading Mad Skils

“Our popular priced home vibrator”
Posted on February 7, 2019February 6, 2019

Sears, 1917
“Our popular priced home vibrator”

In case there were any body parts, you know, which need to be vibrated… Continue reading “Our popular priced home vibrator”

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We're celebrating all the abundance and excitement found in vintage 20th century American catalogs: the exotic, the fashionable, the surprising, the latest, the coolest, the cheapest, the oddest, the choices.

Not just Sears and Montgomery Wards, You could buy anything from a catalog in the 20th century: from a box of raisins to a house, from a computer to a car, from a billy club to an inflatable brassiere. The old-time printed catalogues which arrived in the mailbox showed the 20th-century American Consumer just how to consume.

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