Imagine holiday shopping in the early 20th Century. What types of gifts did people give? What was on a holiday wish list? Perhaps these Christmas advertisements from the early 1900s more »
Author: Alexia MacClain
While shelving, retrieving, or searching for trade catalogs, it is not unusual to come across one that makes you pause for a moment. This may be for various reasons including vibrant colors, unique illustrations, interesting subjects, age, or even its shape. This time an early 20th Century catalog caught my eye. Its colorful front cover brought back memories of snow days as a child, and the image was so inviting that I had to take a closer look.
Searching the Trade Literature Collection for music related material will likely result in many records. This being the Smithsonian Year of Music, I decided to browse those trade catalogs. One in particular caught my attention. Why? Because of its shape.
With the arrival of September, students are back in the classroom. For many students throughout the decades, the school bell has signaled the beginning or end of the school day or class period. Let’s take a trip back in time, via this trade catalog, to learn more about late 19th Century bells.
Washing clothes is a common, everyday task, and modern washing machines and dryers have made this chore much quicker. With the aid of the Trade Literature Collection, let’s go back to the late 19th Century for a small glimpse into the types of machines they used for laundry back then.
Would you guess burglar alarms existed in the 19th Century? Though not as sophisticated as those of today, burglar and fire alarms did exist, as we can learn from this trade catalog.
This year, 2019, is the Smithsonian Year of Music, so how about looking at some music-related material in the Trade Literature Collection? In February, we highlighted mandolins and harmonicas. This month, let’s look at a trade catalog advertising harps.