Related Information
The ABAA aims to be “your trusted source for rare books and related ephemera.” So, what exactly do we mean when we talk about ephemera?
The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines ephemera twofold:
something of no lasting significance;
(plural) paper items (such as poster, broadsides, and trinkets) that were originally meant to be discarded after use but have since become collectibles
Collectors of ephemera would dispute the claim of “no lasting significance." Just because something was not intended to last or have significance long-term, does not mean that the item is inconsequential or uninteresting.
The Ephemera Society of America has an expansive article on their website exploring what ephemera is and showcasing some different areas of popular collecting activity, and they frame the value of ephemera much more positively:
“to collectors 'ephemera' are vintage printed or written items which originally served some specific purpose and were not expected to be retained or preserved, but which are now cherished.”
So, ephemera refers to a wide range of (usually) paper items that are designed to be used for a short period and then discarded. In the context of collecting antique books and printer matter, the category of ephemera includes a diverse array of printed or handwritten material, such as pamphlets, postcards, tickets, posters, letters, programs, brochures, advertisements, trade cards, and increasingly includes related items printed on or constructed of materials other than paper as technologies continue to develop -- trade cards or advertisements are now commonly printed on plastic stickers or magnets, for example. (Check your junk mail -- it might be collectible someday!)
Featured item:
Los Angeles, 2005. Unbound. Near Fine. A collection of 1155 cards advertising various artist shows and gallery openings in the Los Angeles area from the early 1980s until the mid 2000s. All cards are near fine or better with some slight edgewear from mailing.
The assemblage includes invitations to some of the most intriguing West Coast art shows of the last few decades including, “The Sissy Art of Eric White,” an exhibit of art by Owen Smith (renowned for the art from the Aimee Mann album *The Forgotten Arm*), and the Bettie Page pin up artist, Olivia. From the Eric White show Peter Frank, reviewing for *LA Weekly*, wrote that "His dream-state scenes, full of puzzled faces, double-images, anachronisms and attenuated unlikelihoods are painted with a vertiginous exactitude, its wooziness enhanced with bilious colors, weird superimpositions, and a tendency to render everything a little wobbly and elongated—El Greco goes suburban."
Over the years Los Angeles has proved to be an important center for new artists. The work plays on an extraordinary variety of themes including most obviously, Hollywood, celebrity, and Disney culture as well as with the Chicano culture of the city's Spanish roots. The images show everything from sultry women to trash on the side of the highway. Every trend of the last few decades is displayed amongst the plethora of cards. A unique gathering of over 1100 exhibition cards for artists collected over the years documenting the increasingly changing tides of art in Los Angeles.
Offered by Between the Covers Rare Books.
Why Collect Ephemera?
The term "ephemera" comes from the Greek word "ephēmeros," meaning "lasting only a day." So, what we now call ephemera are items that served a specific -- and usually short-lived -- purpose. Therefore, it’s fair to say that ephemera provide glimpses into the daily life, popular culture, historical events, or social attitudes of particular times and places.
Collecting ephemera has gained popularity because people increasingly appreciate the historical, cultural, and/or artistic significance of these items, and interesting ephemera can often be found for a comparatively low cost. Ephemera can be quite valuable for research, helping scholars and historians understand specific time periods and contextualize broader historical narratives, as well as documenting the rise and fall of social or aesthetic movements, ideas, or fashions. Major American libraries, museums, and colleges, including the Newberry Library in Chicago, The Smithsonian in Washington, DC, and the Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library at Yale, hold a significant amount of ephemera in their collections.
Featured item:
1880 Presidential Election Novelty Advertising Volvelle
Boston, Massachusetts: F.E. Nourse & Co, 1880. Very good. Minor dust soiling. A novelty advertising card for the clothiers F.E. Nourse & Co., featuring a volvelle where the viewer can choose the next president in the upcoming 1880 election: Republican James Garfield, or Democrat Winfield Hancock.
Two lithographed cards measuring 3.5" by 4.75", fastened in center with metal grommet.
Offered by Eclectibles.
Common Types of Ephemera
Some common types of ephemera include:
- Brochures and Pamphlets: Informative booklets providing details about specific topics, such as travel destinations, exhibitions, or political campaigns.
- Postcards and Greeting Cards: Decorative cards featuring illustrations or photographs that were sent through mail, serving variously as a means of communication, a souvenir, or a greeting to mark a personal milestone or seasonal holiday.
- Tickets: Admission tickets to events like concerts, theaters, exhibitions, or means of transportation, offer a glimpse into past leisure and entertainment activities and provide evidence of when events took place.
- Programs: Printed material that provide information about events, performances, or ceremonies, such as theater playbills, graduation programs, or wedding services, offer a deeper snapshot of events, often recording who was involved. Additionally, programs for some events (ie: playbills) are sometimes autographed.
- Advertisements: Printed promotional materials showcasing products, services, or events, offering insights into advertising techniques, consumer culture, and advances in technology.
- Posters and Broadsides: Generally more artistic than primarily informational.
- Trade Cards: Small advertising cards distributed by businesses to promote their products or services, often featuring colorful illustrations can preserve the history of trades and industries that flourished for relatively short periods.
- Pins and Buttons: A printed image or message afixed to a metal pin back (ie: political campaign buttons).
- Cartes-de-Visite: Small cards bearing a photograph or photographs that were exchanged and collected in the 19th century.
- Menus: Whether rudimentary printed or handwritten pages or illustrated folded brochures, menus are of great interest to food writers and gastronomic historians.
Collecting ephemera allows individual collectors and archivists to preserve and appreciate these historical artifacts, capture moments in time that might otherwise be forgotten, and provide a tangible connection to the past. Ephemera can be a valuable primary source for researchers, collectors, and anyone interested in exploring and understanding history through the lens of everyday material.
Featured items:
11 pieces of largely 19th century ephemera
1900. Ten small pieces of color ephemera, all but one dating around the later 19th century. With two exceptions the items are printed via chromolithography. "Washington." New York: Robert Voight. Leaf-shaped booklet on the sights of Washington D.C., 4.5 x 6.75 in., 5 leaves, chromolithograph covers with blindstamped texture, each leaf illustrated on recto with images of D.C. landmarks. Printed signature of "Jarvis" on upper wrapper. Binding ribbon perished and leaves loose. Some edgewear and creasing to edges. "Angels Song." New York et al.: The Art Lithographic Publishing Co.; (no. 45985), 3.5 x 2.75 in., pp. [8]; three color illustrations and chromolithograph paper wrappers, the whole die-cut; Christmas inscription in upper wrapper, else fine. A Christmas keepsake. "Hood's Pansy." Lowell, Mass.: C. I. Hood & Co.: [ca. 1890]. 4 x 4.25 in., pp. [16]; wood-engraved title page and 7 full-page illustrations, plus decorated initials, color illustrated wrappers, the whole die-cut in the shape of a pansy; some nibbling to top edge, mostly affecting wrapper, therefore good. An advertisement for C. I. Hood's sarsaparilla. Gould, Hanna Flag, A name in the sand. Chicago: A. Flanagan Company. 5.25 x 3 in., pp. [8]; illustrated wrapper, tied in ribbon; gift inscription on lower wrapper, fine. A poem, printed in gilt, with a bucolic scene on the upper cover. Two die-cut movable valentines cards. Both fold out to create a standing diorama. The first one 7.5 x 4.5 in. printed via lithography, showing children in front of a windmill, some loss to a windmill arm and the head of a bird, light foxing. The second a 20th century image of bouquets and columns, printed via dot matrix, 8.25 x 6 in. Die-cut standing figure of a girl and flowers, with the caption, "Sweet Remembrance and Happy Thoughts to greet you for St. Valentine's Day." Touch of toning, near fine. Three illustrated business cards, one for Demorest's Monthly Magazine for the new year, one for C. C. Pursell, DC bookseller and stationer (printed via wood engraving), with a calendar for 1889 on verso, and two for Franklin Book Store. Some light abrasions on verso from adhesive, near fine.
Offered by Rulon-Miller Books.
by Frahm, Arthur Ernest
S.N, 1957. Poster. Near Fine. Frahm, Arthur Ernest. No chips, no tears, not soiled. 1957 Poster. 22 x 44 inches. Color 1957 traffic safety poster, artwork by Arthur Ernest Frahm. (5608). January 1957 calendar included. Arthur Ernest Frahm (May 5, 1906 - February 12, 1981) was an American painter and commercial artist, best known for his campy paintings of pin-up girls in the 1950s. Frahm's playful Americana style has been compared with that of Norman Rockwell.
Offered by Yesterday's Muse Books.
8 Vintage S.S. Mariposa cruise ship menus
by Macouillard, Louis, artist
Pacific Far east Line., 1973. Very good.. 29.5x23 cm.. Cover art by Louis Macouillard. Eight menus from a Hawaii cruise dated January 11 through 18, 1973 aboard the S.S. Mariposa. weight: 0.5 lb. Full-page watercolor cover art.
Offered by Lee Johnson's Zephyr Books.