Three Grocery Catalogues from Sprague-Warner & Co. of Chicago, 1880s
Sprague-Warner & Co. was found in the 1860s and grew to become one of the largest wholesale grocers in the United States. This grouping includes two catalogues of "fancy groceries," one dated 1884 (6.25" x 4.25", 54 pp + [23] pp of ads and index), the other (6.75" x 4.25", 32 pp) undated, but roughly contemporaneous. The third (6.75" x 4.25", 24 pp) is devoted tobacco (plug, smoking, fine cute, chewing), cigars, cigarettes, and pipes. Wrappers detached on 1884 catalogue, otherwise all are in very good condition. Prices are included only sporadically. Other than the display advertising in the 1884 catalogue, these are not illustrated. Grocery offerings include pickles, olives and olive oil, capers, sardines, pate, mustard, fruit preserves, potted meats, picked oysters, chocolate, Italian sausage, condensed milk, flavoring extracts, and more. Laid into the first catalogue is a small circular advertising Choclatina, a chocolate-based beverage with "decided nourishing qualities" manufactured by J.O. Schimmel Preserving Co. of Philadelphia and sold by Sprague, Warner.
Item #23728
Sold