03289-M1194ASHR- Trade Directory- THE COMMISSION
AGENT, London, England. March 17, 1876. "A Monthly Medium for
the promotion of Wholesale Business between Foreign & Colonial Merchants
and British Manufacturers. Forms an index to export trade in articles for some
twenty-one different industries. Includes raw materials, machinery, hardware;
work in wood, stone, etc.; food products, drugs, recreations, woven goods,
leather and more. Numerous ads for everything imaginable from soda water
machinery to hats to corsets to sewing machines to lamps to safes and you name
it! Commercial news from around the world, prices current, manufacturers
indexes, etc. Encyclopedic in scope. Quite fragile, chipped, age toned.
Pictures clipped from two pages. Rare and valuable reference. 8-1/2" x
11" x 172pp. $80.00 06447-M0499ELEE-
Store Chronicle- H. P. KING CO., Bristol, TN. Traces growth from 1899
to 1947. Lots of pictures-- principals, personnel, store exteriors and
interiors, street scenes, shoppers, etc. On coated stock. Fascinating
history!
Light creases, light cover soil, otherwise very good. 7"x
10"x 14pp. $32.00 00424-B0990EUKE- Catalogue- LYON BROS. Chicago,
IL ca 1900 (It's after they started using a lion's head in the logo).
Large pink broadside measuring 15" x 22" when unfolded. ''Special
Circular of Popular Priced Watches." Twenty large scale engravings of
gold plated and gold filled pocket watches from $2.10 to $8.95. Excellent
condition. $34.00 00425-B0990QRT- Flier- LYON BROS. Chicago, IL
1900. Flier, printed one side, of Men’s' and Ladies' Mackintoshes, 6
styles shown in line art on models. 11" x 8-1/2" when unfolded. Very
good condition. $12.00 00282-
Catalogue- JOHNSON BROS. Baltimore, MD. 1900. "The Leader.
The Catalogue House. Wholesale to Merchants Only." Wholesaler of
general merchandise. Under and outer wear for the whole family, corsets,
collars, cuffs, leather novelties, buggy whips, perfumery, toilet goods, pens,
pencils, slates, needle items, buttons, thread, brushes, optical goods, mirrors,
pipes, jewelry, lace, etc. Well illustrated. Slight chipping on spine, otherwise
very good condition. 8" x 11" x 144pp. $75.00 00108-B0990CEKO-
Catalogue- LONG & RIDDICK, Richmond, VA, 1900. "Cheapest House in
America, Our Trademark: Underbuy, Undersell. Talk is cheap, 'Truth is mighty
and will prevail.' We will not blow our
trumpet too loud,
but let stern, irrepressible, and relentless facts do their work. We invite
comparison!", etc. etc. Advertising puffery at its very best! Wide range
of notions, personal items, linen
collars and cuffs, pipes,
stationery supplies, cutlery, purses and pocket books, clothes, umbrellas,
spectacles, lace, fish hooks, studs, razors, polishes, mantle clocks--much
more. Front cover chipped, back cover missing. Lower margins on about the last
ten pages have soaked up an ink spill. 9" x 11-1/2" x 106pp.
$42.00 00925-0491EUEE- Catalogue- CASH BUYERS UNION,
Chicago, IL. 1901. ''Special Bargain Sheet" tab1oid, "with
the choicest se1ection of our catalogue." Furniture, dinner sets,
toilets, hanging lamp, stoves, ice box, sewing machines, prams, musical
instruments, box cameras, clocks, watches, other jewelry, driving harness,
buggies, bicycles. Large sized and detailed engravings. Some staining
throughout, light chews at extremities. 9-3/4" x 14-3/4" x 16pp. $55.00 06194-M0498CUEE-
Catalogue- JOHN M. SMYTH CO., Chicago, U.S.A. 1905. Sample
Bargains. "Our 1100 Page Great Dictionary Of Economy For Fall
& Winter 1905-6 Is Now Ready. We have Reserved A Copy For You.
Send For It To-day." Charming and well preserved, closely trimmed
catalogue crowded with copy and illustrations representing a good cross
section of their product line. They were well on their way to rivaling Sears
and Wards at one time, and outsold them in furniture in the Chicago market.
We'll include the story of this company with this selection. Catalogue is
chock full of inserted materials with delightful graphics and typography: 1)
3" x 4-3/4" post card; 2) 3-3/8" x 6" reply envelope showing
baby carriage, chair, and buggy; 3) 3-3/4" x 5-3/8" circular with
very elaborate ladies' hats; 4) 3-5/8" x 7" circular on paints and
wallpaper; 5) 8-1/2" x 71/2" x order blank w/How-To-Measure
instructions and illustrations; 6) 8-3/4" x 5-3/4" circular of grocery
bargains. Catalogue contents include guns and sporting goods, clothing and
shoes for family, harness, notions, furniture, farm goods, cider mills,
windmill, safe, farm bells, pocket knives, remedies and drugs, books, Odell
and Simplex typewriters, fancy stoves for heat and cooking, buggy, house wares,
sewing machine, watches, cameras, talking machine, musical instruments (even a
strange 'blow accordion'!), much more. Excellent condition. 7-1/2" x
10-1/4" x 24pp. Catalogue and six inserts. $63.00 04063-M0895ASCL- Catalogue- E. E. KIRN,
Henderson, MI. ca 1912. "The Price Gauge." Curious mix of
goods: Wood, coal, gas, gasoline, and oil ranges & heating stoves (18pp);
paints, building materials, fencing; harness, saddles, collars (11pp); sewing
machines, telephones, telegraph outfits, fan, medical battery, etc; clocks,
sweepers, kitchen utensils, gas and electric irons; full page of bells (5 shown,
28 offered); Safes(4 pictured); farm tanks, corn bins, windmills, pumps,
Pullmore gas engines(4 shown); feed cutters, grinders, carriers; planters,
potato digger, shellers, haying equip, stump pullers, fanning mills, tents,
paulings, nets & seines, firearms, wood ice boxes, forges & other
blacksmithing equip & shop tools, woodworking equip includes treadle power
saws & lathes, mitre planer, boxes, carving tool sets; timber saws,
wheelbarrows, bicycles(4pp); buggies, surreys, wagons, etc.(22pp); walking
& riding plows of all kinds (18pp); cream separators, more. Light stain throughout,
one page torn out, staples rusty. Stiff, 2-color covers, semi-coated stock. 8"
x 10-1/2" x 168pp. $67.00 06598-M0499EUEE- Catalogue- ISAAC DREYFUS COMPANY
, Pine Bluff, Arkansas. S/S 1914. A wholesale dry goods and sundries
house. They supplied many small general stores. Engraving on page one of their
building in Pine Bluff. Unusually cosmopolitan business in this relatively
rural area. The Dreyfuses no doubt had good buying connections in Chicago and
New York. Full lines of yard goods, men’s and women’s hosiery, cloth and
leather gloves and gauntlets, automobile gloves, smoking pipes, toilet and
shaving soaps, colognes, powders, combs, pins, thread and thread cabinets
(nine pictured), yarns, playing cards, dice, brushes of all kinds, French
harps, drawer supporters (as in underwear), cuff holders, bachelor buttons,
pearl buttons, collar buttons, celluloid and linen collars, pencils and pens,
Carter’s ink, pocket books, hand bags, crepe and tissue paper, corsets, rain
clothing, shoe polish and supplies, Cones Boss overalls, jumpers, rompers,
alarm clocks, garters, (The men’s garter industry was pretty well wiped out
by the invention of elasticized socks), suspenders, shirts, Union suits, BVD
underwear, much more. A few pages in color. A scarce one. Coated stock pages,
red heavy stock covers. Pencil scribbles on several pages. Some wear and rubs
to cover, last few pages have clear damp stain upper right of page. Edge tears
in two or three pages. 8" x 11" x 176pp. $78.00 05257-M0896CCLR-
Catalogue- THE PLAIN PRICE STORE, Harriman, Tenn. ca 1915.
"Everything to Eat and Wear. Profit Sharing Catalog, Premiums Absolutely
Free to Our Customers. Your Patronage Appreciated." Harriman is about 30
miles down the road from us, between here and Knoxville. A premium company sold
these small town merchants on these programs, similar to the trading stamp
programs. This one used little coupons in 5, 10 , 25 and $1.00 denominations.
These companies furnished the catalogues with the local participating
merchant's name imprinted. Quite comprehensive. Toys, dolls, personal
furnishings, toiletries, jewelry, pocket knives, sports items, emblem buttons,
fobs, guns, baskets, kitchen ware, Buster Brown umbrella, sidewalk scooter,
piano, victrolas, clocks & watches, cut glass & other glassware, mesh
purse, shaving sets, baby chickens, luggage, Irish Mail car, wood stoves,
furniture, rattan, sew mach, safe, hall clock, farm wagon, buggies, and even
the "Latest Model Five Passenger Ford Automobile, for 35,000
certificates." (it's a Model T). Some cover stains and worn corner. Rusty
staples. Pages clean. 6" x 9-1/8" x 64pp. $63.00
06398-M0299CKSS- Catalogue- THE
THOMAS MFG CO., The Great Wholesale Supply House. From Factory To Home.
Dayton, Ohio. U.S.A. 1916. Tipped in message, "To Our Agents" indicates the
marketing method was house to house. Very large half-tones and engravings, some
full page, are meant to impress the families to whom agent was pitching. Cover
vignettes depict salesmen and saleswomen calling on homes. A real trip down
memory lane! Complete lines of general merchandise-- silverware, aluminum ware,
kettles, vacuum washers, all kinds of kitchen ware; shaving goods including
more than 10 pages of straight razors, brushes, strops, etc. Mops, lace
curtains, cutlery, 4 pgs of pocket knives, clocks, rugs, stereoscopes, rubber
sundries, vacuum cleaner/sweeper, lots of gray enamelware, tools, cobbler
outfit, many beautiful scissors for every use, spice cabinets, fly traps,
purses, jewelry, lanterns, silver service sets, hosiery, Tomancophone (a disk
record player). Much, much more. In the message to agents they mention 3000
items! Front cover has a narrow 4" long abraded gap and a 1" gap in
lower margin; first and last few pages have dog ears and stains on corners.
Worn spine
ends. Generally the contents are in good shape. Coated stock paper
pages. A hefty 9"x 12"x 280pp. $94.00
06751-M0495EEUO- Billhead- BERRIAN
BROS. COMMISSION MERCHANTS, Brooklyn, N.Y., 2/21/1923.
They sold 30 dozen eggs for a customer in Harrisonburg, (VA) @ 42 cents a dozen
for which they received a commission of 63 cents and collected freight of
$1.03.
Beautiful steel engraved cut of fruit and nice logo. Excellent
condition. 8-7/8”x 6-3/4”. Old envelope is present with figuring all over
it in pencil.
$8.00 02258-M1293EUEE- Journals- LA REVUE
DU TOURING CLUB DE FRANCE, Paris, France. Four issues: Aug/Sep 1922, Dec
1922, Jan 1923, Apr 1923. All in French. Delightful touring accounts from
around the country. Nice ads on wide variety of products such as automobiles,
accessories, sporting clothes, bicycles, motor bikes and accessories, electric
foot warmers, cameras, carbide lamps, canoes, glyphoscopes, bathtubs, tour
busses, two wheel trailers, razors, touring club premiums and much more of
general interest. Line art and half-tones. Sepia tone covers. Light vertical
fold, otherwise very good condition. Ea. 8" x 10" x 40 to 50pp. All. $48.00 07011-M1102LAEE- Catalogue- LARKIN
CO., INC., Buffalo, NY. 1927. Wide variety of items including
clothing, furniture, kitchenware, clocks, house wares, lace curtains, bedding,
toys and dolls, lamps and lighting fixtures, tools, toiletries, handbags,
flatware, jewelry, small appliances, etc. Fully illustrated in black/white and
a few color pages. John Durrant Larkin’s first product in 1875 was
golden-yellow laundry soap he called "Sweet Home Soap". It’s still
offered here in this catalogue of 1927. Elbert Hubbard was Larkin’s
brother-in-law and his first soap salesman. (Remember him…the Roycrofter
founder?) The premium merchandising method Larking grew was a remarkable
success. The company ceased operation in 1967. Cover edges have some gaps and
chips, tears in page edges last 40 pgs or so, worn page corners first and last
several pages. Everything is intact. 8-5/8"x 10-7/8"x 224pp. $73.00 05279-M0996EHAK-
Journal- DRY GOODS REPORTER, Pub. by Textile Pub. Co., Chicago. Vol. 57,
No. 9, Sep 1928. Some cover foxing and corner chip, last few pages have
corner chew (3/4” x 2-1/2"). Otherwise very good. 9-3/4" x 13"
x 122pp. $28.00
02486-M0394EAHE-
Catalogue- THE POHLSON GALLERIES,
Pawtucket RI, ca 1930. Established
1895. Personal, family, household gifts. B/W half-tones, 3-color covers. Very
good condition. 6” x 9” x
64pp. $32.00 01700-M0593EKEE- Book- MARSHALL
FIELD & CO, Chicago, IL, 1933. THE STORE BOOK. VIEWS AND FACTS OF THE
RETAIL STORE OF MARSHALL FIELD & CO INCLUDING ALSO BRIEF REFERENCE TO THE
MANUFACTURING, WHOLESALE, CONVERTING AND IMPORTING INTERESTS OF THIS WORLD-WIDE
ORGANIZATION. Visitors’ Edition. High quality presentation. Lots of nice
pictures. Some cover edge chips, otherwise very good condition. 9-1/2" x
12-5/8" x 48pp. $48.00 07017-M1102CAEAE-
Catalogue- BUTLER BROTHERS, St.
Louis. Mid-Spring 1934. “National
Wholesaler of General Merchandise”. NRA imprint. Butler Bros eventually
became Benjamin Franklin Stores. Comprehensive offerings of dry goods, clothes
for entire family, notions, buttons, garters, luggage, leather goods, large
selection of harmonicas, hair goods, sewing needs, umbrellas, silk hose,
bathing suits (nice accented color), much more. No glassware or toys in this
one. Unused reply envelope and order blank laid in, as well as a folded flyer
of handbags. Bad stain on lower free corner, especially last half of catalogue.
Some spine wear and edge chips. 9-1/2”x 13-1/2”x 172pp. $58.00 04188-M0995EREE-
Book- TALES OF THE OBSERVER by Richard H. Edwards, Jr. Published by
Jordan Marsh Co, Boston, MA. 1950.
1st ed. A self-published chronicle of the New England institution, Jordan Marsh
Department Stores. Commemorates their centennial, 1851-1951. Told through the
eyes of an advertising persona called “the Observer”. Has list of Half and
Quarter Century Club Members, (50 & 25 years of employment, some deceased),
and Centennial Associates whose products and services Jordan Marsh had used
through the years. Good history here! Hardback. Light cover faded area,
otherwise excellent condition. 5-3/4” x 8-1/2” x 116pp.
$32.00 04189-M0995EREE-
Book- TALES OF THE OBSERVER by Richard H. Edwards, Jr. Published by Jordan
Marsh Co, Boston, MA. 1950. 1st ed.
2nd copy. A self-published chronicle of the New England institution, Jordan
Marsh Dept Stores. Commemorates their centennial, 1851-1951. Told through the
eyes of an advertising persona called “The Observer.” Has list of Half and
Quarter Century Club Members (50 & 25 yrs of employment, some deceased),
and Centennial Associates whose products and services Jordan Marsh had used
through the years. Good history here! Hardback w/original tissue dust jacket
and cherry colored ribbon book mark. The first sale transaction of the Jordan
Marsh Co. was the sale of one yard of cherry colored ribbon by Eben Jordan, its
founder, to Louisa Bareiss, his friend. Book in excellent condition, dust jacket
has some edge tears. 5-3/4” x 8-1/2” x 116pp.
$32.00 04596-M0196EHEE-
Book-
WILLIAM HENRY BELK, MERCHANT OF THE SOUTH by LeGette Blythe,
University of North Carolina Press, Chapel Hill, NC. 1950. 1st ed. The country boy who eventually built the Belk Stores
into the retailing force they became.
Illustrated, index, hardback. Minor board spots. 6-1/4” x 9” x 225.
$36.00 06188-M0498CLEE- Catalogue- L.
L. BEAN, INC., Freeport, ME. Fall
1954. All the great products for which Bean
has become known. Picture of Mr. Bean with his famous shoe inside front
cover. Colorful covers. Excellent condition. 7-1/2" x 8-3/4" x 104pp.
$58.00
01840-M0693EEOC- Catalogue- OKLAHOMA
TIRE & SUPPLY (OTASCO), imprinted for two stores in Hot Springs, AR. Summer 1958. “Leadership Sale Celebrating 40 Years of Better
Values”. Lawn & garden, bikes, sporting goods, outdoor items &
camping items, paint, tools, auto sundries, swing sets, baseball items, home
appliances, laundry goods, household sundries, etc. Two-color and sepia tone.
Very good condition. 10-1/2” x 7-1/4” x
32pp.
$24.00 06842-M0302ECEE- Catalogue- THE
FULLER BRUSH CO., Hartford, Conn. We think this is from the late 1950s
but can not be sure. It seems to be before 1963, as there is not a zip code in
the address. They call this the Fuller Brush Magazine and it was left by the
Fuller Brush man for the household to make selections and he would pick up
order on his next trip to the home.
Actually it’s a very colorful catalogue of all the many products of
the Fuller Co.—all kinds of brushes, mops, brooms, perfumes, cosmetics, gift
sets, waxes, cleaners, vitamins, etc. The pictorial theme throughout is Cypress
Gardens in Florida. Bug chews on lower spine and corner creases, otherwise very
good condition. 8-1/2”x 10-1/4”x 42pp. $28.00 01842-M0693EEOC-
Catalogue- OKLAHOMA TIRE & SUPPLY (OTASCO), imprinted for two stores
in Hot Springs, AR. Fall 1960. “Leadership Sale Ends Oct 8th”. Lawn
& garden, bikes, sporting goods, outdoor items & camping items, paint,
tools, auto sundries, swing sets, baseball items, home appliances, laundry
goods, household sundries, wheel goods, some toys and electric train, etc.
Two-color and sepia tone. Very good condition.
10-1/2” x 7-1/4” x 32pp. $27.00
04327-M1095EKEE-
Catalogue- MILWAY, INC., Milwaukee,
WI. 1966 Yearbook. Complete lines for
home, auto, sport, personal, toys, trains, Christmas decor, jewelry, etc.
Catalogue/Retail house. Lots of color. Corner cover stain, otherwise very good.
8-1/4” x 11” x 480pp. $48.00
04184-M0995EHEE-
Book- MACY’S, GIMBLES, AND ME
“by Nobody but Bernice Fitz-Gibbons who revolutionized department store
advertising.” Simon and Schuster, NY. 1967. Should be read by anyone
who aspires to persuade others through advertising. 1st printing. Hardback,
Taped dust jacket, illustrated. Very good. 5-3/4” x 8-1/2” x 381pp. $30.00 02028-M0893EELK-
Catalogue- BENNETT BROTHERS, New York & Chicago. 1969. Blue
Book Of Quality Merchandise. Constant Service For Nearly 70 Years. Catalogue
Showroom company. Apparel, books, cameras, clocks, diamonds, electric ware,
furs, garden tools, giftware, house wares, jewelry, leather goods, linen,
musical instruments, office goods, optical goods, phonographs, radios,
silverware, soft goods, sporting goods, tools, toys, watches. Colorful
hardback.
Excellent condition. 8-1/2" x 11" x 810pp. $40.00
04330-M1095ECEE-
Catalogue- CENTURY HOUSEWARES, INC., Buffalo, NY. 1973. Gifts and
Housewares. Catalogue Showroom operation, 29 locations. Very colorful. For
home, personal, toys, 2pp pool tables, 2pp Coleco sport action games, sporting
goods, tools, jewelry, much more. Mouse chew at spine head and onto front cover.
Soiled across cover top. 8-1/2” x 11” x 258pp. $14.00 04185-M0995EHEE-
Book- MINDING THE STORE by Stanley Marcus. Little, Brown & Co., Boston,
Toronto. 1974. 3rd printing. A
memoir of one of the greatest merchant princes of all time. Hardback, dust
jacket, index, illustrations. All near fine. 6-1/2” x 9-1/2” x 383pp.
$34.00 06671-M0900ECUU- Catalogue- WESTERN AUTO
ASSOCIATE STORES, W. W. "Billie’ Reed, Pikeville, TN. S/S 1976.
Wide selection of goods for home, auto, sporting, bicycles, toys, boating,
beauty needs, baby, cameras, home electrics, fishing, hunting, appliances,
fans, garden, lamps and lanterns, radios, pools, lawn, sewing, tools, much
more. Very good condition. 8"x 10"x 274pp $22.00
00946-M0891EEKE- Catalogue- LYNCHBURG HARDWARE &
GENERAL STORE. Lynchburg TN, 1980. This catalogue was primari1y a
public re1ations part of the Jack Daniels operation. So far as I know, they
still have the store there, but discontinued the catalogue operation in the
mid-1980s when mail order businesses fell on hard times. They did a right nice
little catalogue -color photography, on heavy buff stock- lots of Jack Daniels
items, country foods, collectibles, country stuff. This one was originally
mailed to a Louisiana customer. Very good. 5-1/2'' x 8-1/2" x 96pp. $12.00
06967-M0902EEEE- KINCAID’S, Fairfield, IL. 1980
Gift Ideas (Supplement to Wayne County-Press). Holiday Shoppers
Headquarters. Colorful presentation on semi-coated stock paper of toys (24pp),
household gifts (7pp) and 1p of Christmas decorations. Color cover of cows in
snow eating hay by creek. Has mildew spots on cover. 8-3/8"x
10-3/4"x 32pp. $22.00 05550-M0197EOOS- Book- THE MAKING OF A GREAT
MERCHANT, Raymond A. Young and TG&Y Stores by Odie B. Faulk. Published
for the Oklahoma Heritage Assoc by Western Heritage Books, Oklahoma City, OK. 1980.
1st ed. End notes, indexed, illustrated. Hardback, dust jacket. Like new and
excellent condition. 5-3/4" x 8-1/2" x 284pp. $42.00
00947-M0891EELK- Catalogue- LYNCHBURG HARDWARE &
GENERAL STORE, Lynchburg, TN, 1982. See description for No.946.
Good condition. 5-1/2" x 8-1/2" x 112pp. $12.00
00065-B0990CLEE- Catalogue-
NEIMAN-MARCUS XMAS BOOK, Dallas, TX 1983.
Colorful stylized Santa cover by Al Hirschfeld. Goods for the shockingly
rich! Let’s
see--here’s a teddy bear for $400; ruby ring for $44,000; Piaget watch for
$3,690; Russian Lynx coat for $125,000; Shar-Pei puppies for $2,000; even a
dog house for $2,750; bath robe for $350; hand worked needlepoint monopoly
hoard for $350; Lasma Arabian horses beginning at $5,000, etc. Lots of other
nice gifts don’t seem that expensive now, but in 1983 they did.
Shall we do all our shopping from this one?
Beautiful color photography throughout. Very good condition. 9” x 10-3/4” x 122pp. $48.00 00893-B0990QRT- Catalogue- MARSHALL FIELD &
CO.. Chicago, IL. Christmas, 1983. Very nice gifts for the
entire family. 10-3/4" x 11" x 74pp. $30.00 00894-B0990QRT- Catalogue- MARSHALL FIELD &
CO.. Chicago, IL. Christmas, 1984. 11" x 11" x
72pp. $30.00 00895-B0990EOKE-
Cat- MARSHALL FIELD & CO. Chicago, IL. Christmas, 1985. Very
nice gifts for the entire family. Old tape repair to small edge tear on cover,
otherwise excellent. 11" x 11" x 74pp. $30.00 05537-M0197ECSH- Catalogue- SERVICE
MERCHANDISE CO., Nashville, TN. 1992-93.
Colorful jewelry and general merchandise catalog. Excellent condition. 8"
x 10-1/2" x
562pp.
$18.00 06468-M0599EEEE-
Catalogue- SERVICE MERCHANDISE, Nashville, TN. Vol.27, 1996-'97.
"A Catalog Of 8,856 New, Innovative And Classic Ideas For Jewelry, Gift
And Home." Very colorful. Very good condition. 8-1/4"x 10-1/2"x
634pp. $14.00
Stanley Marcus spoke at a seminar several years ago. Among many other
things he shared with those present was one story that really stuck in my
mind. It
went something like this: “We always talk about returning to ‘normal
times’ and by that we mean ‘good times.’ Consider this, however: ‘bad
times’ are normal, ‘good times’ are the exception! The Golden Age of
Greece lasted only thirty years and directly affected only about 30,000
people.” Kind of'
sobering, isn’t
it!?
Pictures