Archives West Finding Aid
Table of Contents
Sears, Roebuck and Company records, 1897
Overview of the Collection
- Creator
- Sears, Roebuck and Company
- Title
- Sears, Roebuck and Company records
- Dates
- 1897 (inclusive)Date of CollectionDate of Collection
- Quantity
- .45 cubic ft. (1 box)
- Collection Number
- 01061
- Summary
- Sears, Roebuck and Company was established in 1893 by businessman Richard W. Sears after he sold a previous watch and jewelry business that he ran with Alvah C. Roebuck as an employee. Collection contains television slides and a script, glossy prints of merchandise, rolls of microfilm, and a press release.
- Repository
-
American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming
American Heritage Center
University of Wyoming
1000 E. University Ave.
Dept. 3924
Laramie, WY
82071
Telephone: 3077663756
ahcref@uwyo.edu - Access Restrictions
-
There are no access restrictions on the materials for research purposes, and the collection is open to the public.
- Languages
- English
Historical NoteReturn to Top
Sears, Roebuck and Company was established in 1893 by businessman Richard W. Sears after he sold a previous watch and jewelry business that he ran with Alvah C. Roebuck as an employee. The new company operated under the same premise until 1895 when Julius Rosenwald bought out the company’s interest and reorganized it to accommodate his clothing manufacturing background.
Sears, Roebuck and Company advertised to a market consisting of isolated farms and villages that relied on not only affordable goods, but also mail-order merchandise. Sears served as president of the company until 1909 when Rosenwald succeeded him. The first Sears retail store opened in 1925 after Robert E. Wood came aboard and took great interest in the automobile, and other storefronts opened in quick succession thereafter. Sears’ success grew exponentially after the conclusion of WWII during the era’s economic boom—becoming the largest retailer in the country--and experienced very little competition until the 1980s.
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
Collection contains ten television slides; glossy prints which include an 1897 catalog and watch, talking machine, ladies’ shoes, washer, dog-power, ladies’ suit, and baby carriage advertisements; three copies of a television slide script; five copies of background for catalog microfilms; sixty-two rolls of microfilm; and a basic news release with corrections.
Use of the CollectionReturn to Top
Restrictions on Use
Copyright InformationThe researcher assumes full responsibility for observing all copyright, property, and libel laws as they apply.
Restrictions on Use
Statement on Potentially Harmful Language and Images Found in CollectionsThe American Heritage Center aspires to approach all areas of our work in ways that are respectful to those who create, use, and are represented in our collections. For a variety of reasons, however, users may encounter offensive or harmful language or images in some of our finding aids, catalogs, and collection materials.
Note that the AHC does not censor or alter contents of the collections as they provide context and evidence of a time, people, place, or event. Therefore, we encourage users to bring questions and concerns about descriptions in our finding aids to our attention via email or anonymous web-form. For more information, read our full statement.
Preferred Citation
Item Description, Box Number, Folder Number, Collection Name, Collection Number, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming.
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
InventoriesReturn to Top
The American Heritage Center is in the process of converting its older container lists to a more accessible format. This link is to an older version of a container list for 1 box.
| Container(s) | Description |
|---|---|
| Box | |
| 1 |
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Advertising.
- Mail-order business.
- Microfilms.
- Retail stores.
- Slides (Photography).
- Television scripts.
Form or Genre Terms
- Press releases.
- Sales catalogs.
