Antique Ephemera

By definition ephemera is written or printed matter and is usually, but not always on paper, which is transitory in nature and is meant to be soon discarded. Ephemera can be found in many forms and collected for many reasons. As a general collecting category, ephemera is very broad and encompasses a large number of forms and subcategories. Almost everyone who collects ephemera does so for different reasons.

Some collect for nostalgia, some for memory, some for investment and still others for enjoyment of the present. There is sometimes confusion between the first two terms – nostalgia and memory. So – lets see if we can clear it up. According to Wiktionary “nostalgia” has two primary meanings. First is “a severe longing for home or familiar surroundings”. Second is “a bittersweet yearning for the things of the past”. Clearly, the second definition applies to most of the inhabitants of this camp of collectors.

Also according to Wiktionary, “memory” has three primary meanings. Of them, definition number two, “a record of a thing or event stored for future use by an organism or the ability of an organism to record information about things or events with the facility of recalling them later at will”. These definitions provide a clear line between the terms “nostalgia” and “memory”. Both are completely legitimate reasons for collecting ephemera, as if anyone needs a “legitimate” reason.

As noted, some collectors invest in ephemera with the hope and expectation that the material they collect will increase in value over time. This material may or may not be antique and can be quite modern. Other collectors assemble material and organize and preserve it because it provides pleasure for them in the present. As previously stated, ephemera may or may not be antique but that is certainly not necessary to provide pleasure in the present.

In the future we will present many subtopics of the main topic of ephemera of interest to ephemera collectors. They may include maps, advertisements, brochures, automobile literatureand many other categories.

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