| Throughout more than a century of publication, the Sears catalog was a go-to source for American shoppers seeking out standard home goods. But in addition to those traditional products, the catalog also offered some curious items for sale, including live chickens, 14-room mail-order houses, and even highly explosive dynamite. A 1902 edition of the catalog advertised dynamite as a tool for removing tree stumps, claiming it to be "far superior to any other agent." The company also offered more powerful varieties that could be used for blasting into hard rock and even underwater. Sears sold dynamite for as little as 13 cents a pound — less than $5 today — along with all of the electric fuses, connecting wires, and blasting machines required for operation. There were no prerequisites for purchasing this dynamite, despite the obvious safety risks associated with amateur use. Instead, Sears promised to "mail a booklet giving full information" to "those who are not familiar with handling dynamite," hoping buyers would carefully follow the instructions. The dynamite could be found in the catalog's "sporting goods" section, just a few pages away from comparatively mundane products such as baseball uniforms and hammocks. Dynamite and other more unusual items were phased out as Sears largely trended toward selling housewares. In future editions of the catalog, Sears noted that "to conform with the insurance laws," it had been "forced to omit carbide from [its] stock," which prevented it from selling explosives and combustibles. The traditional Sears catalog was discontinued in 1993. | 
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