Old UK

Interesting Pictures of Bargain Hunters Shopping during the Holidays since the Early 20th Century

Holiday shopping has driven bargain hunters mad for the past century. Here are some of old photos showing bargain hunters shopping during the holidays, curated by Retronaut…

c. 1906. Bargain hunters waiting to enter a London shop during January sales. IMAGE: TOPICAL PRESS AGENCY/GETTY IMAGES
Jan. 1, 1907. Lines crowd for the Ponting’s department store sale in London. IMAGE: ARGENT ARCHER/SSPL/GETTY IMAGES
c. 1910. People shopping for bargains crowd the street. IMAGE: HULTON ARCHIVE/GETTY IMAGES
Dec. 30, 1929. A winter sale begins In England. IMAGE: KEYSTONE-FRANCE/GAMMA-KEYSTONE VIA GETTY IMAGES
Dec. 30, 1935. A crowd of bargain hunters shopping for hats during the January sales at Whiteley’s department store in Bayswater, London. IMAGE: HULTON ARCHIVE/GETTY IMAGES
Dec. 30, 1935. A crowd of bargain hunters shopping for hats in the January sales at Whiteley’s department store, Bayswater, London. IMAGE: HULTON ARCHIVE/GETTY IMAGES
Sept. 1, 1938. A mauling mass of female shoppers ravage the dress counters of Filene’s Basement in New York during a semi-annual Dollar Day sale which racked sales of up to $45,000. IMAGE: CARL MYDANS/THE LIFE PICTURE COLLECTION/GETTY IMAGES
June 6, 1941. Crowds at a salvage sale in an east London department store use coupons to buy goods. IMAGE: REG SPELLER/FOX PHOTOS/GETTY IMAGES
c. 1945. A group of men and women stand on a city sidewalk, looking in the window of an appliance store during a sale. IMAGE: HULTON ARCHIVE/GETTY IMAGES
January 1950. Bargain hunters in a London store shop during the January sales. IMAGE: HAYWOOD MAGEE/PICTURE POST/GETTY IMAGES
Jan. 1, 1953. Bargain hunters shop at Ohrbach’s store in New York. IMAGE: YALE JOEL/THE LIFE PICTURE COLLECTION/GETTY IMAGES
Feb. 1, 1954. Frenzied shoppers crowd around a busy cashier during the bargain rush sale at Hearn’s department store in New York. IMAGE: LISA LARSEN/THE LIFE PICTURE COLLECTION/GETTY IMAGES
Jan. 3, 1955. The sale at the C&A store in Marble Arch, London. IMAGE: GEORGE W. HALES/FOX PHOTOS/GETTY IMAGES
Aug. 22, 1955. Queen Elizabeth II (right) selling an item during a sale at Abergeldie Castle in Scotland to raise funds for the rebuilding of the vestry at Crathie church. IMAGE: TOPICAL PRESS AGENCY/GETTY IMAGES
December 1955. A frenzied crowd of women grab at dresses during a Christmastime bargain sale. IMAGE: RALPH MORSE/LIFE MAGAZINE/THE LIFE PICTURE COLLECTION/GETTY IMAGES
c. 1965. Bargain hunters attack a display of china at Selfridges department store in London. IMAGE: EVENING STANDARD/GETTY IMAGES
January 1970. Shoppers crowded behind the glass doors of C&A’s on Oxford Street, London, waiting for the start of the January Sale. IMAGE: EVENING STANDARD/GETTY IMAGES
Dec. 26, 1971. Bargain hunters out in force on a Sunday as several downtown Toronto stores begin their traditional Boxing Day sales a day early. A police official said it is illegal for stores to be open on a Sunday, but nothing would be done. IMAGE: TORONTO STAR / GETTY IMAGES
Dec. 27, 1973. Shoppers line up for a sale at C&A’s department store in London. IMAGE: EVENING STANDARD/GETTY IMAGES
July 12, 1980. A crowd pushes and shoves to reach the bargains in the china department at a Harrod’s sale in London. IMAGE: CENTRAL PRESS/GETTY IMAGES