Like most living, breathing people, I used to love shopping at Spencer’s Gifts.
Granted, as a child I had no need for blacklight marijuana posters, edible panties, or naked fat lady birthday cards, but there was always plenty of cool stuff for people of all ages.
And if you don’t know (now you know), Spencer’s Gift’s started out as a catalog that offered wacky, useful, and junky stuff on a fairly non-risque level. There was also Harriet Carter, which was a similar catalog that offered the same shit, different name. I can’t bag on it too much – I did order a color wheel for my vintage aluminum Christmas tree from Harriet Carter because I couldn’t find one anywhere and it worked great.
But still – do you/we/us/me need any of this junk?
Obviously yes!
Sunset House was a similar catalog and offered the same wares as the other two, but with a hippy-dippy-California vibe (it was based out of Beverly Hills, of all places). And some of the stuff really is just WTF – like a basket of fish? Actually, I would have ordered it just to see if I really would get a basket of fish. Who doesn’t need a basket of fish (other than vegans?)
This Sunset House catalog is from 1970 and it certainly looks like it. I had the opportunity to pick up two different catalogs, but this one clearly was the best of the two. The groovy lamps are indeed groovy and some of the items do look pretty useful (and some are still available today, like that onion cutter.) I’ll leave some comments as I see fit and I’d love to hear your thoughts and disses about these lovely items.
I’d much rather buy something from this catalog than stand in line for two days at Best Buy for a $6 toaster. But I’m not going to lie – I’d stand in that line for a bucket of fish!
**Yes, I know it’s not a real bucket of fish, but let me just pretend, ok?**
Also, here’s a pic of yours truly –
Myrtlewood 