YEARS OF SEARS CATALOGS REFLECT SLICE OF LIVE IN AMERICA

"Make a spring wagon from an old Model "T" Ford chasis."

"Build Your own Tractor at low cost."

"Select, order and wait for the boxcars."

"Available now, monument and tombstone catalog."

"Black or brown leather harness, adjustable to fit horses weighing up to 1,700 pounds."

Advertisements such as these are familiar ones to Americans who have followed the Sears & Roebuck catalog through the years.

The Sears catalog is not the oldest mail-order catalog Montgomery Ward predates Sears by 20 years but Sears is the best known and the most honored institution of its kind in America.

The Sears "Big Book," or "Wish Book," as it is commonly referred to, was selected for the book, "100 Greatest Advertisements."

The firm began as a part-time enterprise of Richard Warren Sears in watch retailing in Stewartville, Minn., in 1886, and eventually become the top retail establishment in the nation, an honor it held until two years ago. It was surpassed by Wal-Mart and Kmart.

The Sears internationally-famous catalogs revolutionized the world of mail order sales, offering Americans a "wish book" of goods that could see them from birth to death.

"Baby buggies to tombstones, violins to wedding gowns, bust developers to patent medicines,' Sears & Roebuck catalogs claimed to have had them all.

The Sears "Big Book" will become history after 1993. Sears announced earlier this week that it was discontinuing the "Big Book" and that catalog sales would cease after this year.

The "Big Book" became a "hot book" immediately following the announcement.

Customers around the country are rushing to get their hands on the latest general catalog, which became an instant collectors' item following the Monday announcement.

Thousands of complaints about the demise of the 104-year-old catalog have flooded the company's suburban Schaumburg headquarters, a Sears spokesman said, adding that people bought more than 200,000 of the catalogs Tuesday.

The catalog are sold for $5 each, but a coupon inside allows a $5 credit on purchases.

"You can understand people's feelings in rural areas," said the spokesman. "It touches home a bit more there. In many areas, the catalog offers the only full-service operation."

Folks in the urban areas, however, were hoping to make a little money off the catalog's demise. People are purchasing them at the rate of 4 to 10 issues each. The newest issue consists of 1,555 pages.

One antique store owner said she doesn't expect the latest one to increase in value rapidly since there are about 13 million copies in circulation. "You may find desperate people who will pay up to $10 during the first week for a copy," she said, "but if you're looking for any more than that you should be ready to wait 30 years or more."

A 1899 issue of the Sears general catalog has been valued at from $250 to $400, but a 1912 general issue is valued at $100 to $150.

Getting into the 1950s, which is 40 years ago, the antique value of the general catalog drops to $14 to $20.

Through the years, Sears has introduced many special interest catalogs, such as the Honor Bilt Modern Homes issues of the 1920s, consisting of 100 to 140 pages, or the farm buildings (barns) editions of about 70 pages during the 1920s, or the farm equipment catalogs consisting of about 32 pages.

"Select, order and wait for the boxcars" was the promise from one "Modern Homes" Sears catalog of 1908.

It was an American dream by mail order, and it couldn't have been more simply put. You selected your house, placed your order, and waited for the boxcars to arrive.

Sears' entry into the home business was a boost to Southern Illinois. A Sears home factory was located on a 40-acre tract north of Cairo alongside the Illinois Central Railroad's main line.

Switch tracks allowed railroad cars to pick up homes for delivery to other towns. Sears offered two types of homes "pre-cut" or "pre-fab."

Sears offered everything needed lumber, shingles, roofing, millwork, flooring, doors, windows, paints for the pre-cut homes.

The pre-fab homes were constructed at the factory and shipped out in sections.

Another popular do-it-yourself project was the spring wagon project.

All the parts necessary to convert a Model "T" car chassis into a roller-bearing spring wagon were available. Sears proclaimed "no holes to bore all parts fit perfectly." The project included wheels, other parts and instructions, all at a cost of less than $25 in 1937.

Another item available was a do-it-yourself tractor unit.

Utilizing an old Model "T" or Model "A" Ford or a 1926 through 1931 Chevrolet and a Sears "Thrifty Farm Tractor" kit, farmers could build their own tractors.

The kit included iron tractor wheels and axles, and was "built to wear out several auto engines." The conversion kit sold in the 1936 catalog for $94.95 to $107.50.

A look back

Following is a sampling of Sears Catalogs through the years.

1899 General catalog, illustrated.

1902 Bicycles, 16 pages.

1902 Drugs, chemicals & medicines, 240 pages.

1902 General catalog, 1,162 pages.

1904 Harness catalog.

1907 General catalog, 1,200 pages.

1910 Marine supplies, motor boat accessories.

1912-13 General catalog, 1,200 pages.

1916 Farm implements.

1918 Honor Bilt Modern Homes, 144 pages.

1920 Spring and summer, general catalog.

1921 Wallpaper.

1925 - Honor Bilt Homes.

1925 Farm buildings (barns).

1928-29 Fall and winter catalog, 1,102 pages.

1935 Christmas catalog, including toy section.

1936 Monument and tombstone catalog.

1945 Spring and summer, 1,002 pages.

1940s, 1950s, 1960s, etc. Spring and summer, fall and winter, and Christmas catalogs.

1993 Final general catalog, 1,555 pages.