1955 Sears Camera Catalog scan posted

[Blake Werts]

Blake...just wanted to say Thanks for doing this; it is much appreciated.

~ Hibbs

Sure thing. I love helping out. I knew when I started scanning this thing that others would get a kick out of it... just part of my "giving back to the community"...

I'll check some of the other catalogs that I have to see if there are any that would be good additional information--like earlier years or later years, etc...

Blake

 

[Blake Werts]

That's great! Mind if I share these links? 🙂

Share them! Copy the files! These are for all of us to enjoy.

;-)

 

[Blake Werts]

On a lot of those cameras the prices are the same. I'm surprised at how much the Kodaks cost -- more expensive that I realized.

Thanks!

Yes, when I look at the prices then and try to imagine just how expensive these cameras were in the 50s, I shake my head wondering why I balk at spending $50 or $60 for an example in excellent shape today! These gems are essentially steals, today, right?

😀 Blake

 

[Blake Werts]

others...

others...

Other catalogs that I have include:

1949 Montgomery Wards catalog (116 pages)
1952 Montgomery Wards vatalog (104 pages)
1956 Washington Camera Mart catalog (52 pages)
1958 Montgomery Wards catalog (104 pages)
1960 Montgomery Wards catalog (104 pages)
1963 Montgomery Wards catalog (60 pages)

Of these, the 1949 and 1952 Wards catalogs have a very nice layout with well presented images and texts. The 1960 Wards is nice as well. The others don't compare, really...

If any of these sound interesting to you, let me know and I can try to get it scanned, etc...

- Blake

 

[rbiemer]

Thankks for these scans, Blake!
Rob

 

[Burlap Jacket]

Thanks for sharing these!

 

[notraces]

Blake -- thanks -- I just turned 50 -- and these remind me that I wish I would have known then - what I know now 🙂

 

[Leica0Series]

Very cool, thanks. My parents got married in 1955 and got an Argus C4 as a wedding gift ... they still have it. I used to shoot with it now and then but now the shutter has seized. Maybe I'll get it CLA'd someday.

 

[RichC]

Thanks - very timely! 😎

I spent all morning building a working Weston Meter II out of a pile of duds, and wondered how much it cost new - Googling failed...

I now know it's about $31.50 - or about $250 today!

 

[Keith]

There used to be a very good british TV show called 'goodnight sweetheart' ... I think. The main character had a time portal at the end of a lane where he had an antique shop, that only he could slip through that took him back to wartime Britain. Of course he was stocking the shop via the portal with as new items and curios from the forties that had people mystified with their apparent 'newness!' ... and trippinng over themselves to pay big money for them of course.

I want such a time portal that emerges in the back of a Sears store ... ! 😛

 

[Al Kaplan]

I had a pair of Weston Master V meters rebuilt by Quality Light Metric a few months ago. The selenium cell Weston meters are great!

 

[Al Kaplan]

Keith, when you get that time portal thing working I want one that leads to Spiratone in the late 1960's.

 

[rbiemer]

Blake,
I would really like to see/have a scan of the 1960 catalog; that was the year I was born. It might help me focus my G.A.S. a bit!😀
Thanks,
Rob

Other catalogs that I have include:

1949 Montgomery Wards catalog (116 pages)
1952 Montgomery Wards vatalog (104 pages)
1956 Washington Camera Mart catalog (52 pages)
1958 Montgomery Wards catalog (104 pages)
1960 Montgomery Wards catalog (104 pages)
1963 Montgomery Wards catalog (60 pages)

Of these, the 1949 and 1952 Wards catalogs have a very nice layout with well presented images and texts. The 1960 Wards is nice as well. The others don't compare, really...

If any of these sound interesting to you, let me know and I can try to get it scanned, etc...

- Blake

 

[sienarot]

If you want to have a bit of fun with the pricing,

$1 in 1955 = $7.92 in 2009 😀