In addition to the array of merchandise available, consumers also had choices to make about specific items. and Montgomery Wards were two of the largest commercial operations thriving in Chicago, but hundreds of other Chicago businesses, large and small, advertised merchandise such as bicycles, roller skates, prefabricated houses and furniture, suits, furs and veterinary supplies. As a result, they were available to consumers nationwide, including rural customers.Īided by a flourishing railroad system and the 1893 introduction of rural free delivery, as well as the advent of parcel post in 1912, Chicago soon became the hub of mail order business. By the 19th century, advances in printing technology made trade catalogs easier to produce and accessible sales tools for a wide range of businesses. 1 These booklets and sales sheets were generally published by manufacturers or retail outlets to advertise their products and designs. Trade catalogs began appearing internationally in the early 18th century and some scholars cite Benjamin Franklin’s catalog of books, first published in 1744, as the beginning of America’s culture of mail order and trade catalog advertising. The product categories include agriculture, amusement, apparel, appliances, automotive, bicycles, construction, education, furniture, hardware, housewares, jewelry, machinery, medicine, music, printing, publishing, sporting goods and general merchandise. The collection consists of catalogs and advertisements for goods and services produced or sold by Chicago’s manufacturers, retail stores, wholesale houses and other businesses. Updated and ingested into ArchivesSpace by Michelle McCoy, 2022 Added entries made by Glenn Humphreys, 2003 and by Sarah Zimmerman, 2004, 20.

When quoting material from this collection the preferred citation is: Trade Catalog Collection,, Special Collections, Chicago Public Library Please consult staff to determine ability to reuse materials from collection.

Materials are primarily in English with a couple titles in Spanish and Polish. Additions to the collection are made on an ongoing basis. The Special Collections and Preservation Division began collecting trade catalogs of Chicago-area companies in 1995. 29 linear feet in 34 boxes, includes 88 bound volumesĬhicago Public Library, Harold Washington Library Center, Special Collections, 400 S.

Brunswick phonograph model 117 value