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Smithsonian Libraries and Archives

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Ascending Pikes Peak in a Locomobile

Over 120 years ago, two men climbed Pikes Peak in a new kind of steam-powered vehicle - the locomobile

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Saving Time in the Garden in the Early 20th Century

Creating a beautiful garden takes time, energy, and patience. This labor and time-saving implement might have caught the attention of gardeners in the early 20th Century

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Celebrating Success With Award Designs From the Past

If you were lucky enough to win big in 1924, you might have proudly displayed one of these designs on your mantle

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Trotting Out the Best for a 19th-Century Horse Sale

Whether you were in the market for a new trotter or a "gentleman's roadster," this special sale of horses from 1896 had a mount for every equestrian

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Taking Vintage Library Shelving for a Spin

A late 19th century library supply catalog provides a glimpse into how libraries might have dealt with space issues over a century ago

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How To Take a Product Line on the Road in the Early 20th Century

In the early 20th century, selling tonics and tinctures door-to-door meant having well-appointed wagons and cases for your wares

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Find Organization Inspiration in Old-Fashioned Filing Systems

If one of your New Year's resolutions was to finally organize that paper pile, take a look at the 19th-century devices used to store and protect important documents

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Dashing Through the Snow in Vintage Sleighs

Whether you were headed over the fields of snow with family or prepping deliveries with Rudolph, this early 20th century catalog from Sturtevant-Larrabee Co. had the perfect sleigh for your winter activities

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Cooking Up Oven Innovations in the 1860s

As we prepare to spend a lot of time in the kitchen, we're thankful that appliances have come a long way since these models from 1866

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Expressing Elegance in a Funeral Procession

A vintage trade catalog illustrates horse-drawn hearses from long ago, providing a glimpse at funeral processions of the past

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A Diary Hidden in a 19th Century Trade Catalog

Hand-written notes in the back of a cruise souvenir offer a passenger's perspective

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Saving Waste to Win the War, One Grocery Store at a Time

Get the scoop on how bulk grocery systems were marketed during World War I

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Pedalling Through Time With Davis Sewing Machine Company

An 1896 trade catalog in our National Museum of American History Library explains how the Davis Sewing Machine Company pivoted to bike sales at the turn of the 20th century

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Cementing Your Home Plans in 1909

Walkthrough a cement house from 1909 via this Radford Architectural Co. trade catalog.

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The Intricacies of a Paper-Based Library System

For National Library Week, explore the tools of a vintage library circulation desk. In 1918, they might not have had computers to circulate and track library books, but their paper-based systems were well-thought out. Listening carefully and you can almost hear the "ca-thunk" of the due date stamp!

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Mid-19th Century Reactions to a Laundry Invention

This mid-19th century advertising circular proposes a new idea for doing laundry. What it lacks in detailed description, it makes up for with powerful testimonials.

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What Mail-Order Catalogs Reveal About the Fashions of the 1910s

"Sports suits" and "suspender skirts" might not be the focus of New York Fashion Week but we're enjoying the vintage charm found in a Smithsonian Trade Literature Collection from the early 20th century

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19th-Century Furniture Options for Style and Storage

Form meets function with these decorative storage options found in a Lazier Brothers trade catalog from the 19th century. Discover the possibilities of interior decorating with cloverleaf stands, corner whatnots, and more.

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Holiday Decorating Inspiration From a 100-Year-Old Catalog

Tissue paper can be used for more than just gift wrapping. Flip through this Dennison Mfg. Co. trade catalog from over a century ago to learn the possibilities of making paper flowers and even landscape scenes out of crepe and tissue paper.

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Kitchen Essentials From Centuries Past

Take a trip back to the 19th Century for a glimpse into kitchens. Burdett, Paris & Co. manufactured stoves such as "Our Old Home" and other household items like the Dial iron heater in this 1868 trade catalog.

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