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brian pI actually purchased that 1886-1947 Vintage SCD catalog when it came out, and it was one of the few things that riled me up enough to write a letter of complaint and return it. I had just purchased their normal Standard Catalog that year, and was excited to find out they were planning to issue just a vintage catalog for the cards I collected. The promise was that it would contain additional sets and have more in depth coverage. Boy was I disappointed. If I remember correctly, they added about 3-4 minor issues, but dropped about ten (I actually spent the time comparing the two catalogs with a fine tooth comb). I mailed them a detailed letter pointing all this out, and even spoke with someone on the phone when I was informing them of my return and disatisfaction. I believe the person on the phone mentioned that the editor of that catalog had lost his job because of it. Whoever was that editor (not Bob Lemke) was asleep at the wheel and even let through several pages of 70's cards, as well as a lot of errors that could have easily been spotted by a cursory run through. And besides this the pricing was all exactly the same as in their other guide. It really was just a slapped out rehash of the current Standard Catalog, and I felt like I had been taken for my money.
However, if the same catalog were issued today with all the additional sets that have since been added I would buy it instead of the refractor infected one. A lot of improvements have been made to the catalog, and by separating out the older issues for its own publication would allow for deeper coverage on issues such as the Old Judge set, and further space for all the more unusual issues that still have not made their way to its pages.
Brian