Hillcrest Books, Catalogue of Old Catalogues

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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

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

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

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

07411-M0311ERCRU- Catalogue- F.W. WOOLWORTH CO., Celebrating Woolworth’s First 75 Years, 1879-1954. This is a real milestone publication. Woolworth’s was one of the original five-and-dime stores in the US. Frank Winfield Woolworth’s one store became 2,000 by the date of this catalogue in 1954. Thumbnail of company’s history is given on back wrap. The five-and-dimes are generally no more but the legacy is still evident today in the American entrepreneurial spirit that drives the business of the world. This catalogue has family clothing, Easter rabbits, and other toys, candy containers chocolate goodies, Easter egg coloring, baskets, Easter grass, books, cards, shoes, buttons, tools, birdseed, jewelry, much more. Very good condition. &-1/4”x 10-1/4”x 56pp. $120.00 Pictures

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

07413-M0411EORS- Catalogue- WHOLESALE CATALOG DIRECT SALES CORP., St. Louis 18, Missouri. Perhaps 1960 (?), at least before inception of Zip Code in 1963. Perry Como’s LP album “So Smooth” is pictured on front and we believe it came out in 1955. This company was one of the early “wholesale” type catalogue houses selling directly to the consumer. They were joined by other well known merchants, Service Merchandise, Best Buy, Circuit City, and many others. This type warehouse type merchandising finally gave way to the Internet and the big box merchants by the 1990s. This catalogue features jewelry, watches, Kodak, Argus, Bell-Howell, Polaroid, Revere, Keystone, baby goods, family clothing, 12” record players, record albums from numerous producers, radios, Remington guns, Daisy air rifles, camping gear, ice skates, tricycles, wagons, bicycles, fishing equipment, baseball and other sports equipment, all sorts of kitchen small appliances and cookware, tableware, luggage, wallets, typewriters, electric razors, Ronson lighters, much more. 2-color newsprint. Light wear but very good condition. 8-1/2”x 11”x 48pp. $29.00

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

07399-M0910EHEE- Catalogue- JOHN PLAIN AND COMPANY, 444 West Washington Street, Chicago, Illinois. S/S 1967. By this time they no longer claimed to be “wholesale distributors to dealers only” but they still have the price code in the item number as well as the “regular price”. This practice projected the idea that the customer was somehow privy to a secret price. The human mind is an amazing study. They went out of business in 1972. Colorful presentation of clothing for family, rings, watches, beauty aids, binoculars, golf clubs and equipment, sleeping bags, tents and camping gear, fishing rods and gear, outboard motors and boats, water skis, BB guns, exercise equipment, Norge appliances, bicycles, playground equipment, swimming pools, baby buggies, projectors and cameras, lawn & garden equipment, lawn mowers, radios, musical instruments, fans, air conditioners, small appliances, furnishing sundries, adding machines and typewriters, home textiles, and much more. Very colorful catalogue with slight handling soil on cover edge, one rusty staple, otherwise excellent condition. 8-1/4”x 10-7/8”x 200pp. $42.00

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

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

07266-M0607ELOU- Catalogue- CABELA’S, Sidney, Nebr., F/W 1979. Nice array of sporting goods, clothing, gifts for which Cabela is noted. Another nice feature of this catalogue is the address label to the famous Cumberland General Store, once here in Cumberland County. The address label is taped on, presumably by the post office. Cumberland General Store property was sold around 2005 to make room for a highway expansion. The business was moved down to Atlanta area but it appears to be mail order only and an abbreviated version of the original operation. There was a time when Cumberland General Store shipped to every state in the Union and some 20 other countries. Well...back to this Cabela catalogue... Excellent condition with signed cover art by "Adams". See scan. 8-3/8"x 11"x 97pp. $24.00 Pictures

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

07378-M0607ELOU - Catalogue- CHRIS CRAFT, Algonac, Michigan. 1980. Colorful offering of higher end clothing, gifts, bar items, games, etc. for sea, shore and home. Excellent condition. 8-/2 x 11” x 51 pp. $18.00 Picture

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

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!?

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- Catalogue- 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

07160-M0697EEEE- Catalogue- ALBERT E. PRICE, INC., Bellmawr, NJ. 1997 Dealers Wholesale Catalog. Gifts, decorating items, picture frames, toys, nick-knacks, plaques, seasonal items (Easter, Halloween, Christmas), figurines, porcelains, board games, canes, chess sets, lamps, vases, crystal items, ceramics, miniature doll furniture, dolls, and a whole lot more. All in color. Bound-in price list. Excellent condition. 8-1/2”x 10-7/8”x 87pp plus price list. $28.00
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