Scottish Linens at the January Sale – Harrisburg, PA in 1906

In December of 1906, Mrs. Newman of Harrisburg received a postcard from Scotland.

The makers of “Heather” linens announced that their finest wares would be on sale at the establishment of Dives, Pomeroy, & Stewart, a store in Harrisburg.

Harrisburg boasted a grand department store, Pomeroy’s, into the late 20th century; I have not discovered whether the firm selling Scottish linens of 1906 is an antecedent of the Pomeroy’s store.

I assume that the postcards were sent to select customers of the Harrisburg store; mailing postcards from the manufacturer is an interesting form of direct sales.

Alas, we cannot know if Mrs. Newman availed herself of the opportunity to renew her supply of linens at the January sales event.

The postcard, featuring a photograph of the railroad bridge over the Forth, may have been part of someone’s postcard collection.

Printed in Great Britain, the postcard was mailed from Dumfries.

It is an interesting survival of a piece of commercial advertising.

January “White Sales” were well -advertised by the many department stores in my youth.

Do these seasonal sales still exist?