Synopses & Reviews
A complete replica of the consumer's guide that revolutionized America.
This facsimile of the entire 1897 Sears, Roebuck Catalogue brings to life a bygone era. Originally called the Consumer's Guide, the catalogue features illustrations of more than 6,000 items, from abdominal corsets to zulu guns, and more than 700 pages of delectable copy that, according to legend, was written entirely by the company's founder, Richard Sears.
Millions of Americans in 1897 considered the Sears, Roebuck & Co. Catalogue required reading, its pages filled with the stuff of dreams. Nearly a century later, the Sears, Roebuck & Co. Catalogue remains, like a treasured family album, a browser's delight.
Review
"Here, in the Sears catalogue, was a fairyland for kiddies from nine to ninety, a garden of wonders appealing to every taste." S. J. Perelman, from the Introduction
Review
"A dazzling trove for students of Americana, it is certainly one of the happiest publishing ideas in years." Time
Table of Contents
Preface v
Browsers' Delight by S. J. Perelman ix
What America Was Like: 1895-1905 xv
Ordering Instructions 1
Groceries 8
Drugs 26
General Hardware 38
Tools 64
Refrigerators 104
Bells 106
Cutlery 107
Stoves and Household Utensils 115
Agricultural Implements 148
Men's and Boys' Clothing 166
Boots, Shoes, and Rubbers 190
Men's and Boys' Furnishings 210
General Accessories 225
Trunks 250
Dry Goods 254
Women's and Girls' Clothing 268
Carpets, Curtains, and Linens 284
Women's Accessories 301
Books and Stationary 336
Watches and Jewelry 362
Silverware 438
Clocks 457
Optical Goods 462