There is an interesting posting on a blog I follow about what discoveries, inventions, etc to acknowledge when doing living history--just because it was invented in 186X does not necessarily mean your impression would have been aware of it or used it. I think following the article's suggestions and looking at newspaper advertisements, and even Godey's and Harpers as they were available down here, will give you a pretty good idea about what was available.
http://tinyurl.com/m3we86
http://tinyurl.com/m3we86