Trade Catalog Collection

Special Collections & Archives has a rich and diversified collection of trade catalogs covering a wide array of subject areas, including agriculture, textile manufacturing, hardware and machine tools, railroads, automobiles, aviation, consumer products, household furnishings, leisure goods, and scientific and optical instruments. The collection dates from the early nineteenth century through the first half of the twentieth century, with the greatest concentration of materials falling between 1870 and 1900. There is a strong representation of New England industry and trade, particularly in eastern Massachusetts.

Trade catalogs are cataloged in the Harvard Library catalog HOLLIS. Catalogs available online through HOLLIS are tagged Online Access. To search for trade catalogs in HOLLIS, use keywords such as "trade catalogs" and the business, product, or industry of interest, and narrow your search to the holdings at Baker Library.