Archival Anecdotes: Turn the Page

I have deep recollections of the sharp aroma of the glossy pages of the mail order catalog, as well as an unnatural willingness to wait 4-6 weeks for shipping of any of the items featured in the huge department store catalogs. It is an experience that faded out of our culture in the early 1990s, and was quickly replaced by the world of online shopping.

The first print mailers made their way into the world via the hands of Richard Sears. As far-fetched of an idea as it might have seemed at the time, mail order merchandise took off from coast to coast. Its success was fueled not only by the Homestead Act of 1862, but also America's westward expansion. For folks who were far from department stores, the Sears catalog put an array of items right at their fingertips.

By 1895, the page count totaled 322, and the offerings had expanded from watches and jewelry to a variety of merchandise such as sewing machines, sporting goods, musical instruments, firearms, bicycles, baby carriages, clothing, and even eyeglasses.

The first color pages of the catalog appeared in 1897 and included shoes in black, red and brown. In 1905, the Sears and Roebuck catalogs featured full color as well as samples of textured wallpaper and swatches of material used in men's suits.

Among the catalog giant's astounding range of offerings were house kits, which the company began making in 1908. The kits came in 447 different designs, most costing just a couple thousand dollars. From 1908 to 1940, Sears sold between 70,000 and 75,000 home kits.

Societal and economic changes came with the rise of the automobile, resulting in a more active consumer base. In response, Sears opened its first department store in Chicago in 1924. Within the next five years, Sears opened more than 300 stores across the country.

In 1993, Sears announced the closure of the catalog division, just two years prior to the point when Amazon.com shipped its first book.