Fireworks: a catalog that is more than a price list. It tells you how to buy right, low prices, known profits, highest quality, goods that sell. . . .

Fort Dodge, IA: Martin’s Fireworks Co., [1929]. Tall 8vo. 31, [1] pp., printed in red, white & blue. Numerous two-colour text illustrations in red & blue, self-printed colour-illustrated softcovers, blue decorative borders (slight shelfwear), NF copy, date neatly written in ink on upper fore-edge front cover. First edition of this very rare original fireworks catalogue for the famed Iowa Company, which still operates their Flag Division, and is still one of the largest producers of flags in the country. This fantastic catalogue lists a wide variety of fireworks including roman candles, barrel snakes, skyrockets, cannon crackers, Chinese crackers, colored fires, wheels of all kinds, night fountains, torpedoes, sparkerlers, paper balloons, serpents, boa constrictors, toy pistols and more. In addition, the illustrations show the shells, the illustrated packaging, home assortments with children cheering on the pinwheels while holding sparklers, home and lawn displays which could light up the nigh, along with complete instructions for firing off the pyrotechnics. The huge displays detail the types of mortar shells, and flights of rockets, including the Eruptions Superb, Incandescent Corona, King Midas Fountains, Falling Leaves Shells, and even the American Legion Rockets. Founded in 1895, the company began as a large supplier of “Ship Shows” often fired off by the local fire departments of smaller communities around the country, and they were one of the last US manufacturers to list large display rockets for sale. No copies located in Worldcat (Hagley lists a 24 pp. 1935 catalogue; Iowa State lists a 32 pp. 1931 catalogue; Univ. of Virginia a 1927 catalogue).