Have you heard of “ephemera”? It was a new word to me a few years ago. I understood the concept but didn’t realize it had a name. So, what is ephemera?
Ephemera Defined
Ephemera is items that were printed or written — paper items. These items were not intended for long term use. They were expected to be used or read and then disposed of.
What types of items fall into the ephemera category?
There are tons of items that are considered part of the ephemera category. To name a few:
- advertisements
- tickets or ticket stubs
- business cards
- calendars
- brochures
- invitations
- greeting cards
- menus
- maps
- programs
- posters
- trading cards
- newspapers
- magazines
- sheet music
- photographs
- valentines
- receipts
- postcards
- autographs on paper items
- political pamphlets
- paper dolls
Cross Overs
I think this is probably the reason that the average “Joe” on the street has not heard of the term “ephemera”. The paper products collected is probably part of a niche collection under another category.
So, now you can impress your family, friends and the local dealer with your knowledge by being able to answer the question: “What is Ephemera?”
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