I thought I'd post a few scans I've been doing of my catalog collection. I have around 80 catalogs from Sears, Woolco, The Bay, Eatons, Consumers Distributing, Canadian Tire and others. If anyone wants to see more let me know.  :)  This one is an Eatons flyer from 1983.

http://i326.photobucket.com/albums/k439/me1987_3/old%20scans%20-catalogs/scan0001.jpg
http://i326.photobucket.com/albums/k439/me1987_3/old%20scans%20-catalogs/scan0002.jpg
http://i326.photobucket.com/albums/k439/me1987_3/old%20scans%20-catalogs/scan0003.jpg
http://i326.photobucket.com/albums/k439/me1987_3/old%20scans%20-catalogs/scan0004.jpg
http://i326.photobucket.com/albums/k439/me1987_3/old%20scans%20-catalogs/scan0006.jpg
http://i326.photobucket.com/albums/k439/me1987_3/old%20scans%20-catalogs/scan0007.jpg
http://i326.photobucket.com/albums/k439/me1987_3/old%20scans%20-catalogs/scan0008.jpg
http://i326.photobucket.com/albums/k439/me1987_3/old%20scans%20-catalogs/scan0009.jpg

That is awesome.  An old Eaton's Catalog 8)

I had all those He-Man figures, but not Grayskull.  I also had that same Power Play hockey table for $29.99.  It has the Colorado Rockies logo on the side.

It was because of that Hockey game actually that I now proudly own a Rockies jersey, cap and 2 touques with the logo.  I never really watched hockey, but seeing that logo on the side always fascinated me for some reason.

Wow Atari was so cheap back then,Who thought of paying $100 for it?  :o

Wow Atari was so cheap back then,Who thought of paying $100 for it?  :o


Actually, $100 in 1983 dollars is approximately $223 in 2011 dollars (inflation is up some this year if you haven't noticed).

Actually, $100 in 1983 dollars is approximately $223 in 2011 dollars (inflation is up some this year if you haven't noticed).


$200 is not bad but $100 is not bad either,I'd pay that much for an Atari.

Wow Atari was so cheap back then,Who thought of paying $100 for it?  :o


That isn't an Atari though.  It's an Intellivision lol

That isn't an Atari though.  It's an Intellivision lol


Nope.  It's a Coleco Gemini.  After Atari lost their lawsuit in 1982 for Coleco's expansion module (for the more widely-known Colecovision system) that supported 2600 cartridge, Coleco made a full-on 2600 clone, which is the item shown in the catalog.  Sweet find!

I thought I'd post a few scans I've been doing of my catalog collection.


Oh yeah.  Karma for posting these, and if you get the time to scan in anything involving the Vectrex, Intellivision, Magnavox, 2600, or other 8-bit systems, please do.  There aren't many copies left of Canadian catalogs featuring both pricing and available 8-bit systems back then.

Nope.  It's a Coleco Gemini.  After Atari lost their lawsuit in 1982 for Coleco's expansion module (for the more widely-known Colecovision system) that supported 2600 cartridge, Coleco made a full-on 2600 clone, which is the item shown in the catalog.  Sweet find!


I should have known that.  I have a Coleco Gemini packed away in a box somewhere LOL

Oh yeah.  Karma for posting these, and if you get the time to scan in anything involving the Vectrex, Intellivision, Magnavox, 2600, or other 8-bit systems, please do.  There aren't many copies left of Canadian catalogs featuring both pricing and available 8-bit systems back then. 



Thanks! Glad you guys liked them. I'll try to see what I can find on the systems you mentioned. I know I have stuff on the Intellivision and 2600, it will just be a matter of finding time to scan this weekend. Here's a few more I have done already..A Canadian Tire catalog from 1988  and a Woolco flyer from 1984! I miss Woolco, so I added a photo of the Red Deer Woolco sign as it was taken down in 1994.
http://i326.photobucket.com/albums/k439/me1987_3/old%20scans%20-catalogs/ct1988008-1.jpg
http://i326.photobucket.com/albums/k439/me1987_3/old%20scans%20-catalogs/woolco84-2.jpg
http://i326.photobucket.com/albums/k439/me1987_3/old%20scans%20-catalogs/woolco84stereos.jpg
http://i326.photobucket.com/albums/k439/me1987_3/old%20scans%20-catalogs/woolco84toys.jpg
http://i326.photobucket.com/albums/k439/me1987_3/old%20scans%20-catalogs/y1pZ1-xZ1rRqR6X_l7adAdc0LHDcliEJRLPU-moiF30ASOfJv_gD6RZRxkf00SCttSl4DKPiWWXGSo.jpg
http://i326.photobucket.com/albums/k439/me1987_3/old%20scans%20-catalogs/rdold024.jpg
http://i326.photobucket.com/albums/k439/me1987_3/old%20scans%20-catalogs/ct1988007.jpg
http://i326.photobucket.com/albums/k439/me1987_3/old%20scans%20-catalogs/ct1988005.jpg
http://i326.photobucket.com/albums/k439/me1987_3/old%20scans%20-catalogs/ct1988006.jpg

I was born in 1978 and seeing these old catalogs brings back so many memories of toys I used to play with from the 80's.I had some of the original cabbage patch dolls.

Looking at those tv's,vcr's and CD/record/cassette players,I think how far we have come in terms of technology since then.We now have digital tv's,DVD players,mp3 music players.Those items were quite expensive back then too.

That isn't an Atari though.  It's an Intellivision lol


I think I had an Intellivision. ???

Wow boomboxes for $109? That's pretty good,Too bad boomboxes are obsolete today.

Good golly miss molly.  A Toploader VCR for $548? :o
The remote for it looks like it has a cord.  That's so old, it's awesome.  Love it.

I'd forgotten about Sectaurs.  Good stuff! 8)

I sure miss those days when wearing a walkman was cool. :)

Thanks! Glad you guys liked them. I'll try to see what I can find on the systems you mentioned. I know I have stuff on the Intellivision and 2600, it will just be a matter of finding time to scan this weekend. Here's a few more I have done already..A Canadian Tire catalog from 1988  and a Woolco flyer from 1984! I miss Woolco, so I added a photo of the Red Deer Woolco sign as it was taken down in 1994.


Nice stuff.  On the computing side, everyone remembers the Amiga.

But to see Yorx, another forgotten consumer electronics brand of the era, was a trip.

Nice stuff.  On the computing side, everyone remembers the Amiga.

But to see Yorx, another forgotten consumer electronics brand of the era, was a trip.


I remember Yorx,That was an old brand.

You know it's old when you see a GE brand Walkman.  Man, does that take me back

You know it's old when you see a GE brand Walkman.  Man, does that take me back


makes me wish I still had a walkman again,Damn these Ipods are annoying.

I remember getting my first walkman when I was 10 years old back in 1988.I thought it was so cool being able to listen to my music anywhere.Now I have an ipod and I could never go back to listening to my music on cassette lol.

I remember getting my first walkman when I was 10 years old back in 1988.I thought it was so cool being able to listen to my music anywhere.Now I have an ipod and I could never go back to listening to my music on cassette lol.


I miss the walkmans and boomboxes of yesteryear.

I can't recall what book my daughter was reading recently when she looked up to ask me what a Walkman was.  She'd never heard of them! 

Earlier this week I saw one in a museum!  :o

I'd flip through the latest insert of Best Buy over the weekend and can't help but cry where there is no section on "stereos" or even "Cds for sale!" And to whoever posted about "would never go back again", why don't you do so if you FEEL nostalgic! I much rather listen to new wave on vinyl or cassette because that was THE REAL THING that people listened to when it was current, not on stuff made of ones and zeros!

I'd flip through the latest insert of Best Buy over the weekend and can't help but cry where there is no section on "stereos" or even "Cds for sale!" And to whoever posted about "would never go back again", why don't you do so if you FEEL nostalgic! I much rather listen to new wave on vinyl or cassette because that was THE REAL THING that people listened to when it was current, not on stuff made of ones and zeros!


I'd rather buy a walkman than listen to music on an Ipod.

I remember Yorx,That was an old brand.


My friend still has his Yorx system and it still sounds great! And I'm the same , I'd still rather listen to a tape or record then an Ipod. I feel bad for kids nowdays. Looking at the cool stereos we had back then compared to what they have now...no contest.
Here's a few more scans...first from the 1978 Sears wishbook...an Sears Video Arcade (Atari ) for 339.98...works out to 1137.08 today  :o In the second photo..we had the Blip and the Electronic Quarterback..I loved both of them. The third photo is from the 1981 Sears wishbook...VCRs for 1149.97...2860.55 today..
http://i326.photobucket.com/albums/k439/me1987_3/scan7001.jpg
http://i326.photobucket.com/albums/k439/me1987_3/scan7003.jpg
http://i326.photobucket.com/albums/k439/me1987_3/scan7004.jpg
http://i326.photobucket.com/albums/k439/me1987_3/scan7005.jpg
http://i326.photobucket.com/albums/k439/me1987_3/scan7006.jpg
http://i326.photobucket.com/albums/k439/me1987_3/scan7007.jpg


http://i326.photobucket.com/albums/k439/me1987_3/scan7008.jpg
http://i326.photobucket.com/albums/k439/me1987_3/scan7009.jpg

I'll post more later...:)

My friend still has his Yorx system and it still sounds great! And I'm the same , I'd still rather listen to a tape or record then an Ipod. I feel bad for kids nowdays. Looking at the cool stereos we had back then compared to what they have now...no contest.
Here's a few more scans...first from the 1978 Sears wishbook...an Sears Video Arcade (Atari ) for 339.98...works out to 1137.08 today  :o In the second photo..we had the Blip and the Electronic Quarterback..I loved both of them. The third photo is from the 1981 Sears wishbook...VCRs for 1149.97...2860.55 today..
http://i326.photobucket.com/albums/k439/me1987_3/scan7001.jpg
http://i326.photobucket.com/albums/k439/me1987_3/scan7003.jpg
http://i326.photobucket.com/albums/k439/me1987_3/scan7004.jpg
http://i326.photobucket.com/albums/k439/me1987_3/scan7005.jpg
http://i326.photobucket.com/albums/k439/me1987_3/scan7006.jpg
http://i326.photobucket.com/albums/k439/me1987_3/scan7007.jpg


http://i326.photobucket.com/albums/k439/me1987_3/scan7008.jpg
http://i326.photobucket.com/albums/k439/me1987_3/scan7009.jpg

I'll post more later...:)



Wow an Atari for almost $400.00,that seems like a bargain in 2011.

Here's a few more scans...first from the 1978 Sears wishbook...


An original Millennium Falcon for less than $50?  I just checked eBay, there's one for $260 with 17 hours left.  Star Wars toys were as good a hedge against inflation as gold!

I can't believe all the fun stuff we used to play back then,kids today don't know what they're missing.

I can't believe all the fun stuff we used to play back then,kids today don't know what they're missing.


I agree.We had so much back then.There always seemed to be something new and cool coming out.If you go through toy stores now you pretty much see the same stuff we had back then..Star Wars, GI Joe, Transformers, Barbie, Easy Bake Ovens etc. Very little new comes out anymore other then the odd movie themed toys but even they are usually based on a show from the 70s or 80s. I know a lot of people blame it on video games but we had video games back then to. IMO it has more to do with less retail stores competing and thus less push for something new. In the 70s, 80s and even 90s you had 10 stores plus a bunch of small stores( drug stores) competing. There was always the need to have something new and cool to draw customers in. Now you have Walmart and Zellers. They can both bring in the same items and what other choice do consumers have. The same thing has happened to toy companys, Hasbro and Mattel bought everyone else out and now continually release the same stuff they did 30 years ago. Why spend money then you have to if you have no competition? 

I have a keychain version of that Matell Electronic Football game

$340 for an Atari 2600.  That's quite costly, even for back then cause when you think about it, most of the games relesed on Atari give you at most 5 minutes of enjoyment lol

The 1980 Atari game Dragster, I finished it in under 10 seconds

I have a keychain version of that Matell Electronic Football game

$340 for an Atari 2600.  That's quite costly, even for back then cause when you think about it, most of the games relesed on Atari give you at most 5 minutes of enjoyment lol

The 1980 Atari game Dragster, I finished it in under 10 seconds


I was on my Atari for an hour and wound up with blisters. :P

Seeing those old toys makes me miss being a kid.The 80's had the best toys.

http://www.wishbookweb.com/1983_SearsWishbook/images/SearsWishbook-1983-P003.jpg

This was from a 1983 catalog from Sears.^

http://www.wishbookweb.com/1983_SearsWishbook/images/SearsWishbook-1983-P003.jpg

This was from a 1983 catalog from Sears.^


  Its amazing how much those handhelds were back then. No wonder my parents refused to get us one. We did get an Atari around 1981 though. Only had Space Invaders but the neighbours had a ton of games that they'd bring over. Here's a few more scans.

http://i326.photobucket.com/albums/k439/me1987_3/scan7018.jpg
http://i326.photobucket.com/albums/k439/me1987_3/scan7015.jpg
http://i326.photobucket.com/albums/k439/me1987_3/scan7022.jpg
http://i326.photobucket.com/albums/k439/me1987_3/scan7023.jpg
http://i326.photobucket.com/albums/k439/me1987_3/scan7021.jpg
http://i326.photobucket.com/albums/k439/me1987_3/old%20scans%20-catalogs/eatons86-1.jpg
http://i326.photobucket.com/albums/k439/me1987_3/old%20scans%20-catalogs/searscanada85c.jpg
http://i326.photobucket.com/albums/k439/me1987_3/old%20scans%20-catalogs/thebay84.jpg
http://i326.photobucket.com/albums/k439/me1987_3/old%20scans%20-catalogs/thebay84a.jpg
http://i326.photobucket.com/albums/k439/me1987_3/old%20scans%20-catalogs/eatons86f.jpg

http://i326.photobucket.com/albums/k439/me1987_3/scan7016.jpg

 Its amazing how much those handhelds were back then. No wonder my parents refused to get us one. We did get an Atari around 1981 though. Only had Space Invaders but the neighbours had a ton of games that they'd bring over. Here's a few more scans.

http://i326.photobucket.com/albums/k439/me1987_3/scan7018.jpg
http://i326.photobucket.com/albums/k439/me1987_3/scan7015.jpg
http://i326.photobucket.com/albums/k439/me1987_3/scan7022.jpg
http://i326.photobucket.com/albums/k439/me1987_3/scan7023.jpg
http://i326.photobucket.com/albums/k439/me1987_3/scan7021.jpg
http://i326.photobucket.com/albums/k439/me1987_3/old%20scans%20-catalogs/eatons86-1.jpg
http://i326.photobucket.com/albums/k439/me1987_3/old%20scans%20-catalogs/searscanada85c.jpg
http://i326.photobucket.com/albums/k439/me1987_3/old%20scans%20-catalogs/thebay84.jpg
http://i326.photobucket.com/albums/k439/me1987_3/old%20scans%20-catalogs/thebay84a.jpg
http://i326.photobucket.com/albums/k439/me1987_3/old%20scans%20-catalogs/eatons86f.jpg

http://i326.photobucket.com/albums/k439/me1987_3/scan7016.jpg



Wow Mitch $60.00 for a walkman now that's not bad,I still have a few walkmen laying around somewhere but they rarely work now.

yeah $60 wasn't too bad at that time. I had the Sanyo stereo in the second last scan but I bought it at Woodwards in about '88 for 299.99....A great little unit, used it like crazy until I bought a Scott stereo from the Brick a few years later. Paid $800 for it which at the time was more then I made in a month lol. Its crazy how much we use to spend on electronics!

yeah $60 wasn't too bad at that time. I had the Sanyo stereo in the second last scan but I bought it at Woodwards in about '88 for 299.99....A great little unit, used it like crazy until I bought a Scott stereo from the Brick a few years later. Paid $800 for it which at the time was more then I made in a month lol. Its crazy how much we use to spend on electronics!



Now everybody is spending money on PS3's,Xboxes,and Wii's

Thanks for sharing these scans!

Wow,Masters Of The Universe,I used to play with those dolls almost everyday. ;D

Wow,Masters Of The Universe,I used to play with those dolls almost everyday. ;D


Dolls?  Action figures!

http://i326.photobucket.com/albums/k439/me1987_3/scan7004.jpg


My grandfather (RIP) had a VCR/Video Camera combo very similar to this (could be the same one).  Hope one day again I can see those old videos he used to take of us as kids.

seeing those old phones bring me back.

My grandfather (RIP) had a VCR/Video Camera combo very similar to this (could be the same one).  Hope one day again I can see those old videos he used to take of us as kids.

  Nice...I wish we had video of us as kids but just a ton of slides. I stil lfind it amazing that blank Beta/VHS tapes are so expensive. No wonder we see very little early stuff taped from TV.
Woodwards 1984
http://i326.photobucket.com/albums/k439/me1987_3/old%20scans%20-catalogs/woodwards84stereos.jpg
http://i326.photobucket.com/albums/k439/me1987_3/old%20scans%20-catalogs/woodwards84.jpg
http://i326.photobucket.com/albums/k439/me1987_3/scan7006.jpg
http://i326.photobucket.com/albums/k439/me1987_3/scan7012.jpg
http://i326.photobucket.com/albums/k439/me1987_3/gijoe012.jpg

seeing those old phones bring me back.


  All these catalogs bring me back. hard to believe we used the old rotary phones.  I remember my first cordless phone..I think it had a 3 foot antenna and so did the base..and it always sounded like you were in a wind tunnel lol.

  All these catalogs bring me back. hard to believe we used the old rotary phones.  I remember my first cordless phone..I think it had a 3 foot antenna and so did the base..and it always sounded like you were in a wind tunnel lol.


Do rotary phones still exist in 2011? ???

  Nice...I wish we had video of us as kids but just a ton of slides. I stil lfind it amazing that blank Beta/VHS tapes are so expensive. No wonder we see very little early stuff taped from TV.
Woodwards 1984
http://i326.photobucket.com/albums/k439/me1987_3/old%20scans%20-catalogs/woodwards84stereos.jpg
http://i326.photobucket.com/albums/k439/me1987_3/old%20scans%20-catalogs/woodwards84.jpg
http://i326.photobucket.com/albums/k439/me1987_3/scan7006.jpg
http://i326.photobucket.com/albums/k439/me1987_3/scan7012.jpg
http://i326.photobucket.com/albums/k439/me1987_3/gijoe012.jpg


Holy smokes,Betamax for $900,that's cheap.

 All these catalogs bring me back. hard to believe we used the old rotary phones.  I remember my first cordless phone..I think it had a 3 foot antenna and so did the base..and it always sounded like you were in a wind tunnel lol.


Now you've got me wondering - not about cordless phones (whole 'nother story which I can't research tonight in my present condition :) - but that VHS-vs-Betamax battle stuff makes me remember laserdiscs.  Got any pages featuring (1980-1984ish?) Magnavox gear?

Now you've got me wondering - not about cordless phones (whole 'nother story which I can't research tonight in my present condition :) - but that VHS-vs-Betamax battle stuff makes me remember laserdiscs.  Got any pages featuring (1980-1984ish?) Magnavox gear?


I can't quite recall the date now, but some time ago the university department I worked for invested in a collection of about 24 laser discs (and a laser disc player).  It was a foundation physics course - mini lectures and demos.  It would have been purchased slightly later than the dates you mentioned, more around the early 90s I would say.  Probably around the time laser discs went completely out of fashion!

Wow,I'm suprised of seeing space phones,haven't seen those in almost 30 years,way before the cell phones.

Holy smokes,Betamax for $900,that's cheap.

  In 83-84 that wasn't too bad! I love that you can get a machine with wired or wireless remote. And I don't think you can buy rotary phones anymore...unless its a novelty item. Ah the old days of dialling the first 5 or 6 numbers and then wondering if you'd waited long enough for the dial to go all the way back...hanging up and starting over again lol.

Now you've got me wondering - not about cordless phones (whole 'nother story which I can't research tonight in my present condition :) - but that VHS-vs-Betamax battle stuff makes me remember laserdiscs.  Got any pages featuring (1980-1984ish?) Magnavox gear?

I haven't found anything on laserdisc players. I know it wasn't very popular here and maybe part of that was that it wasn't advertised as much as VHS or BETA. I do remember one video rental place that rented them out in the late 80s but since I never owned one I never rented. I remember lots of people who had BETA but noone had laserdisc or CED players. I will keep looking though!

  In 83-84 that wasn't too bad! I love that you can get a machine with wired or wireless remote. And I don't think you can buy rotary phones anymore...unless its a novelty item. Ah the old days of dialling the first 5 or 6 numbers and then wondering if you'd waited long enough for the dial to go all the way back...hanging up and starting over again lol.


Rotary phones were so cool,just using your fingers to dial the numbers all the way around and waiting for someone to answer,those were the days.

OK, won't hurt me to ask...

Does anyone have any Frederick's from the mid-late 80's? (So I can re-live the ones I used to get? There, you know now.)

Rotary phones were so cool,just using your fingers to dial the numbers all the way around and waiting for someone to answer,those were the days.


Yes, remember the days of using your fingers to dial a number and waiting for someone to answer a call?  Now that we have phones that dial via brainwave command and the person you're calling knew you were going to call so they answer the phone before it even rings, we no longer have such crazy inconveniences.  ::)

Yes, remember the days of using your fingers to dial a number and waiting for someone to answer a call?  Now that we have phones that dial via brainwave command and the person you're calling knew you were going to call so they answer the phone before it even rings, we no longer have such crazy inconveniences.   ::)


I thought rotary phones were cool sometimes your finger would get caught in the round circles or that spiky thing at the end.

Well finally got time to scan another catalog. This one is a Sears Wishbook 1980. Star Wars was the big thing that year and Canada had a few items that are now rare as they only came out here or in Europe! The Death Star Playset from Star Wars is pretty hard to find MIB ( well hard to find at all as it was made of cardboard)and goes for quite a bit. The other item is the Black Hole Humanoid. It was only released in Canada and maybe Italy. They usually go for around $1000 loose.
  All the markings in it are from my friend. This was his from back then and amazingly he got everything marked in it and still has them!

http://i326.photobucket.com/albums/k439/me1987_3/old%20scans%20-catalogs/sears80002.jpg
http://i326.photobucket.com/albums/k439/me1987_3/old%20scans%20-catalogs/sears80003.jpg
http://i326.photobucket.com/albums/k439/me1987_3/old%20scans%20-catalogs/sears80001.jpg
http://i326.photobucket.com/albums/k439/me1987_3/old%20scans%20-catalogs/sears80005.jpg
http://i326.photobucket.com/albums/k439/me1987_3/old%20scans%20-catalogs/sears80006.jpg
http://i326.photobucket.com/albums/k439/me1987_3/old%20scans%20-catalogs/sears80007.jpg
http://i326.photobucket.com/albums/k439/me1987_3/old%20scans%20-catalogs/sears80012.jpg
http://i326.photobucket.com/albums/k439/me1987_3/old%20scans%20-catalogs/sears80009.jpg

http://i326.photobucket.com/albums/k439/me1987_3/old%20scans%20-catalogs/sears80019.jpg
http://i326.photobucket.com/albums/k439/me1987_3/old%20scans%20-catalogs/sears80014.jpg
http://i326.photobucket.com/albums/k439/me1987_3/old%20scans%20-catalogs/sears80017.jpg
http://i326.photobucket.com/albums/k439/me1987_3/old%20scans%20-catalogs/sears80015.jpg
http://i326.photobucket.com/albums/k439/me1987_3/old%20scans%20-catalogs/sears80018.jpg
http://i326.photobucket.com/albums/k439/me1987_3/old%20scans%20-catalogs/sears80020.jpg

  I scanned one from 1975 as well today but will post it in the 70s forum. Thanks for looking!

Wow roller skates,typewriters and victrolas,sure brings back memories. :)

Well finally got time to scan another catalog. This one is a Sears Wishbook 1980.


Ah, early Lego Technic and the classic Lego Space line.  Somewhere in my parents' basement is a retirement's worth of projects :)

Brings back so many childhood memories.Thanks for posting.