Historic Archived Catalogs & Brochures

This is one of the greatest resources you can possibly have!  There are catalogs of builders materials like doors and light bulb fixtures, house styles and house plans popular during that year, interior decoration and wallpaper, plumbing supplies, fashionable clothing, etc. etc. If you want to see what your house looked like when it was built, there is a good chance you will find it.

One thing to keep in mind. Let’s use wallpaper as an example. Arts & Crafts wallpaper came out in the 1890’s. It went out of style about 1920. This paper was more popular when it was going out of style and at that time only about 20% of homes used Arts & Crafts style wallpaper.  So a catalog may show a new style but that doesn’t mean it was accepted for ten years later.

Have fun with this. I have been collecting these for many years and it takes a lot of time to search and weed through them. I will still be adding to it so keep checking back. You can download and print them. Beware this can be addicting.

A decorated 1914 Craftsman interior.

Original Archived Historic Catalogs in Date Order.