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| The Kansas City warehouse was the gateway to the West. For typewriters from this catalog and additional back story, visit http://vintagetechobsessions.blogspot.com/2012/02/montgomery-wards-1912-typewriters.html |
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| Just think how much ink one one of the glass pens would hold. |
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| I like the fact that some of these brands are still around today. "Blue Black" is still common nomenclature as well. |
Interesting. I like the prices in the old catalogs. If only we could get such good prices at our wages rather than the wages of 1912.
ReplyDeleteI still need to plug some of these prices into an inflation calculator.
DeleteAh, a cornucopia of paper and ink! Love it. The graphics are great.
ReplyDeleteWe are especially intrigued by the glass pens since they would hold tons of ink.
DeleteI love the growing GROWING... headline!
ReplyDeleteTwo years' supply of stationery for $1.98, can you beat that.
The graphics in this section of the catalog are pretty straightforward. The clothing and electrical therapy sections are less sedate. That is something you can look forward to!
DeleteNote that Arizona had just become one of the United States, transitioning from a Territory to a State in 1912. Back then, I imagine that the Monkey Ward and Sears catalogues were basically the equivalent to the Internet in those days, and probably were the primary source for exotic luxuries like stationery and typewriters. It was still pretty old-westy out here up until the '40s.
ReplyDeleteKansas City was very much a cow town and part of the West when this catalog came out. I'm adding a link to the first entry I did on this catalog.
DeleteOh man, I am practically drooling over this stuff! How fun. Is the catalog an original or a reprint? (My Dad used to collect reprints.)
ReplyDeleteThis is all original catalog goodness and a local flea market find at a ridiculously low price. It is large format and contains a number of color pages.
DeleteNice to know they had fountain pens 100 years ago. I wonder if teachers and adults in general bemoaned the ruinous affect they were sure fountain pens (as opposed to dip pens) would have on students' penmanship.
ReplyDeleteObviously, the fountain pen marked the beginning of the decline of America. The children became progressively less coordinated and their sloth in the written word permeated every corner of our society. So sad :-(
DeleteThanks all for the comments. I must sheepishly admit that I loaded the photos and hit post instead of saving it as a draft. Thanks for appreciating the photos without my commentary!
ReplyDeleteThanks for this fascinating glimpse into the past!
ReplyDeleteThe top graphic of Monkey Ward's in Kansas City reminds me of that cartoon map with NYC in great detail and everything west of that, insignificant.
Me like!
ReplyDeleteI have a 1912 and a 1917 catalog I got at a garage sale. Could not pass them up. Amazing pictures back then and so much detail.
ReplyDeleteI have a 1912 and 1917 catalog I got at garage sale. Could not pass them up. Very cool!
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