“Ephemera” What’s That?
Ephemera--paper items (such as posters, broadsides, and tickets) that were originally meant to be discarded after use but have since become collectibles. [1] While researching the resources available in the Daughters of the American Revolution library, I encountered an entire category labeled “Ephemera". In my mind, ephemera had just been the “stuff”, odds and ends, that we all acquire during our lifetimes. When I looked into it, I discovered that there are categories of ephemera. According to Wikipedia, over 500 categories are listed in the Encyclopedia of Ephemera. [2] At that point, I realized that I have a lot of ephemera! As the only child of an only child on my maternal side, I inherited everything that had been saved on that side as well as the normal amount to be expected from my father. Of course, along the way, I have saved my fair share of bits and pieces from my own life. Newspaper Clippings The oldest clipping i...
