Old catalogs

We are in the process of building a new house. I have been tossing out lots of valuable treasures (aka, accumulated junk). Among other things, I discovered I have more old catalogs than I realized. From the late 1950s and early 1960s - REI, Holubar, Gerry, The Ski Hut, Stephenson, several from England and France, Sporthaus Schuster (Munich), Dolt, Chouinard, The North Face (it says it is their first catalog)... Many of those are long gone. But the prices were really interesting - expedition weight down bags for $50 to $75, and expedition tents for under $100. Chouinard aluminum carabiners were $3.15 each, with discounts for large quantities (25 was considered a large quantity, since only a big wall climber would carry that many).

Do you save old catalogs? Do you ever look back at them?

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Catalogs no, Magazines yes!
Backpacker
National Geographic
SC Wildlife
Pop Mechanics
Field & Stream

One of my most prized possessions (oddly enough) is an old Telephonica phone card I found in a used backpack along with ten dimes taped in a strip, and the former owners name and address in Denmark.

I often go back and re-read articles, especially in Backpacker.
Remember the Taco Pack from Eureka? May 1998 issue.

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I have a number of old catalogs from the 70s -- REI, Sierra Design (the great one at the ghost town in the Sierras, which name escapes me), early Lowe Alpine and a few others.

There are some nice ones thae got away, like the classic Chouinard catalog (with the article on nutcraft) that I loaned out. (If you have a surplus one of those, Bill, you can send it my way!

I think some of the old gear from 60s- 70s is, for me, like a '56 Chev to some other folks!

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It’s amazing how much stuff (JUNK) one can accumulate over the years. When I was tasked with cleaning out my moms place after she died I came across a lot of junk and some treasures never seen. From her place I found the original receipt from when she was born in the 1930’s. Cost was $34.00 for a one week hospital stay. What does it cost now?

My personal favorite is actually a service manual for an old Table Saw from the Callander Foundry and Mfg Co. out of Guelph, Ontario, Canada. Best guess is from the back of the manual it reads 3M-2-51. I like to think that it is from 1951. Anyway this has a price list for all the parts for the Table Saw. The base would be $17.60, the lowest price is for pins or screws 5 cents each.
Anyway I also have a few Beaver Magazines from the 1980’s Wood Working magazines, and other assorted magazines. Yes once in a while I do look at them, or reference them.

I also have an old pamphlet from an old Logging Mill at Lake Cowichan that describes an old mining town that died out. How I got that one I cant tell. Enjoy the treasures.

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As long as we are on the subject of older stuff, A friend gave me this funny looking army stove made by Coleman, dated 1965.
We thought it might be a two burner field crock pot or something.
Turns out it is actually a Medical Instrument Sterilizer.
It still works.
Here is a picture of one, scroll down to the 5th picture.
http://terrence.marsh.faculty.noctrl.edu/lantern/colestovespost1945.html

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Would be interested in buying any old Jansport cat.---The Alpine Phantom

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Sorry, folks, none of my old climbing or camping catalogs are for sale or trade. Lots of other stuff I am getting rid of, but not the outdoor catalogs.

Now, I might consider getting rid of some of the gear itself. We don't need a half dozen sleeping bags each, or almost 30 packs between the two of us (mostly worn-out summit packs and daypacks). But the 4 oldest Thermarests are in very good condition (all post-brass valve models, no leaks). We also don't need 3 bicycles each plus the shared tandem, but neither of us could bear to part with our Masis.

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I collect the old Field & Stream, Outdoors, Field and Forest, Hunting and Fishing, etc. The cover paintings are great, the articles are better. See http://overmywaders.com/index.php?adsthumb for some of the ads - and covers - back to 1927.

When I really want to indulge, I get out a 1962 copy of Herter's Catalogue. I spent thousands of hours as a kid fantasizing about purchases. How that ol' Geo. could write copy!

Remember the old Stephenson's Warmlite catalogue? Those lads and lasses could never keep their clothes on! Even recent catalogues are naturist -- http://www.warmlite.com/cat-web.pdf .

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I should have mentioned that my grandfather had bought it new and now I own the table saw. It still runs well. Only one minor, newer, part. Not that this really fits in with hiking. Good Luck in building your new home Bill.

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overmywaders said

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Remember the old Stephenson's Warmlite catalogue? Those lads and lasses could never keep their clothes on! Even recent catalogues are naturist

A lot of the photos in the current Stephenson's catalogs are the same ones in the 1950s and 1960s catalogs. Add about 50 years to the ages of "those lads and lasses".

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I am a huge catalog fan, and yes I look at them with some regularity. Bill, please do not ever dispose of your catalogs as someone such as myself will want them. I threw out my original catalogs many years ago and have been buying replacements via ebay for some years. The collection has become respectible once again. I especially enjoy the lesser known brands; Rivendell, Yak Works, Class 5, Hine Snowbridge, .........

In addition to catalogs I collect magazines; I've got the first 11 years of Backpacker (I don't bother with the later years), all of Wilderness Camping except 1977, and most of Backpacking Journal.

Send me a list of gear you may wish to part with, I may be interested.

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