100 Years Ago - Have it shipped direct and save 70 percent off new fiction!
I’d previously linked to the 1912 Sears Roebuck & Company General Catalog — currently available for viewing and download from Archive.org — 1200 or so pages of pure retro consumerism.
It’s a beautiful artifact. They should make it assigned reading for some university-level U.S. History courses — and if they don’t have an applicable course yet I could probably have a syllabus whipped up by next Tuesday.
Before, I only linked to the catalog to make a casual comparison between Amazon.com and mail order. Now, I’d like you to actually look into the thing.
I found it easiest to download the PDF, though the book is available to be viewed in browser as well. Whatever method you employ — go right now to page 942:
Let’s look at what you could get from SR&Co in the way of books way back when.
“The Best, Newest, and Most Popular Books at Ridiculously Low Prices.” — The sales pitch is the same, anyway.
Just 45¢! Why, that’s 70% off the cover price! How can they afford to do that? They’re going to put me out of business.
I want every last book on both these pages:
I wonder if I fill out the form and send it, will Sears ship me the advertised Book & Stationary Catalog?
