Over the last few months I have spent a great deal of time reviewing some of the newer (at least to me) Ephemera sites that I have uncovered across the world wide web.

But I have (somewhat intentionally as he was building and updating his site) skipped over the site of a fellow I met over the internet… who I am pleased to call a friend. Cliff Aliperti is the owner of a terrific site entitled “things and other stuff” located at, not surprisingly, www.things-and-other-stuff.com.

Cliff comes from a small town on Long Island, NY, not far from where I grew up, and as he puts it has been selling collectibles pretty much his entire life. Starting out with baseball cards (don’t all LI kids collect baseball cards?) he has moved through a number of different collectibles until he fell into his current specialty… Movie Cards and Collectibles. His collection ranges from what was referred to as the “Silent Period” through the 1950’s, and then into the present. Cliff sells pretty much full time and things-and-other-stuff.com is just one of his collectible related websites… such as the VintageMeld where he discusses “general collecting and collectibles, the objects and the pursuits” (he has recently incorporated the Vintage Meld into the main things-and-other-stuff website).

As mentioned above, Cliff has spent a lot of time, and missed countless hours of sleep, redesigning his website…. and it looks great! He has a ton of information all neatly and conveniently arranged on the various pages. He even has a section dedicated to the birthdays of the stars. Did you know that W.C. Fields was born January 29, 1880 … or that he died Christmas day, 1946?

One of the other things I like a lot about Cliff’s site is how he has tastefully incorporated a number of tools and gadgets into the site. He has an array of YouTube videos placed throughout the site, but also has links to his MovieCardsForSale.com page on Facebook and a few “Gadgets by Google”. The site has three basic sections ../movie-collectibles, ../vintagemeld, and ../magazines. More recently Cliff has been working on a Zen store which is located here.

Regardless of your Ephemera interests, you owe it to yourself to visit Cliff Aliperti’s home on the world wide web.  You’ll find lots of interesting items and links that will keep you busy for quite some time… and who knows, you may just find that “something” you’ve been hunting for.

I’m Tom Murphy and thanks for helping me give Ephemera the Encore it deserves.

Have a look at my eBay Ephemera store
or have a look at my eBay Auction site
(Due to travel, there may not be any items listed at this point in time)

Technorati tags: Encore Ephemera, Ephemera, Ephemera Network, things and other stuff

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One of the many sub-categories of Ephemera of course is Vintage Postcards.

I have only recently started to explore these.. and the websites that discuss them, but today found one that I thought was well done and worth pointing my readers to. More specifically it answers the question that is the topic of this article… “What makes a vintage postcard valuable?”

Their answer to that question comes in five specifics:

• Age
• Condition
• Subject Matter
• Photo vs. Printed
• Postmark

Each of these is explained in more detail on the about page of “the old postcard” website. Have a look.

You will also learn from this site that a deltiologist is a postcard collector, i.e. a person who collects postcards as a hobby.

Perhaps an even more interesting item from the Old Postcard website is this…

The Old Post Office (pictured on the left) is actually just that, a beautiful and majestic three story building constructed of Indiana Limestone and completed in 1916. The building was originally home to the Western Nebraska Federal Court and Post Office for McCook, Nebraska. The Federal Court was moved to North Platte, NE in the 1950s when other State and Government agencies took up office space in the building. In the 1980s a new post office was built several blocks to the West of the original building. The building sat vacant for a number of years before being purchased by Nathan’s parents, David and Sharon Huegel. It is now our residence as well as our Antique and Postcard Shop.

If you are a postcard collector.. or simply interested in this very interesting hobby, I suggest you give the Old Post Office a visit

I’m Tom Murphy and thanks for helping me give Ephemera the Encore it deserves.

Have a look at my eBay Ephemera store
or have a look at my eBay Auction site
(Due to travel, there may not be any items listed at this point in time)

Technorati tags: Encore Ephemera, Ephemera, Ephemera Network, The Old Post Office

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Upcoming events you may not be aware of

The Ephemera Society of America’s 30th Annual Conference and Paper Show

March 19–21, 2010 Old Greenwich, Connecticut
Event hours: Varies
Cost: $50 members, $60 non-members

Web page (URL): http://www.ephemerasociety.org/conferences.html

Other information: The Ephemera Society of America’s 30th annual Conference and Paper Show (March 19-21, 2010) will once again convene at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Old Greenwich, CT. The Conference will feature expert speakers on a variety of transportation topics, such the the Titanic tragedy, as told through ephemera. On Saturday and Sunday nearly 80 ephemera dealers will offer colorful and historic paper items for sale from five dollars to thousands of dollars.

This event is a club or hobbyist event and expects 101-500 people.

Litchfield Antiquarian Book and Ephemera Fair

March 27, 2010 Litchfield, Connecticut
Event hours: 3:30 pm – 8:30 pm

Web page (URL): http://www.bookfairs.com/

Other information: None

This event is a commercial show and expects 21-100 people.

Long Island Book and Ephemera Show

March 27–28, 2010 Garden City, New York
Event hours: Saturday: 11 a.m. – 6 p.m. Sunday: 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Cost:$6/$3

Web page (URL): http://liabda.com/bookfair.htm

Other information: The highly respected and long-running Long Island Book & Ephemera Fair – An Affordable, Proven New York Tradition For 29 Years! Plus the Original Garden City Antiques Show! Exhibitors from across the United States will be presenting the finest in Fine Rare Old Books, Maps, Prints & Ephemera alongside formal Antiques, Orientalia, and one-of-a-kind Decorative Accessories!

Appraisals by TV Personality John Bruno and Book Authority Tom Congalton Sunday 12-3!

This event is a commercial show and expects 101-500 people.

The Manhattan Book & Ephemera Fair – The ABAA NY City Shadow Show!

April 9–10, 2010 New York, New York
Event hours: Friday 5-10pm & Saturday 9am-5pm
Cost: Adults $12, Young Collectors 12-21 $6, Under 12 free w/ Paid Adult

Web page (URL): http://www.flamingoeventz.com/

Other information: Exceptional vintage book and ephemera dealers from across the Northeast – many of them ABAA members themselves – will gather to offer fine, rare, old books alongside a wide range of vintage paper and ephemera.

This event is a commercial show and expects 21-100 people.

Source: http://www.collectorsweekly.com

I’m Tom Murphy and thanks for helping me give Ephemera the Encore it deserves.

Have a look at my eBay Ephemera store
or have a look at my eBay Auction site
(Due to travel, there may not be any items listed at this point in time)

Technorati tags: Encore Ephemera, Ephemera, Ephemera Network

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An Ephemera Related Press Release

The New York Public Library recently announced the subject project described as follows:

The 52nd Street Project ephemera consists of clippings, programs, fliers, newsletters, and other documents relatedto the activities of the organization. There is also a newspaper feature article focusing on the project’s chairwoman Frances McDormand.

The 52nd Street Project is a New York-based, non-profit organization that enables lower-income children from Manhattan’s Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood to write, direct, and act in one-act plays.

The Ephemera collection is housed in The Billy Rose Theatre Division of The New York Public Library which is one of the largest and most comprehensive archives devoted to the theatrical arts. Encompassing dramatic performance in all its diversity, the Division is an indispensable resource for artists, writers, researchers, scholars, students, and the general public. It preserves and promotes the theatre, playing a dynamic role in the national and international theatrical communities.

I’m Tom Murphy and thanks for helping me give Ephemera the Encore it deserves.

Have a look at my eBay Ephemera store
or have a look at my eBay Auction site
(Due to travel, there may not be any items listed at this point in time)

Technorati tags: Encore Ephemera, Ephemera, Ephemera Network, New York Public Library

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If one of your ephemeral interests is in Posters, you will want to take a look at this article in Smashing Magazine. The intro reads as follows:

Before the era of globalized entertainment made movie posters look the same in every country, Polish artists were creating their own versions for the internal market. What resulted was a whole school of artists trained in the art of the poster. This article presents a short historical look at how this movement was born and how it developed, form its art-related beginnings at the end of the 19th Century to the golden era of the film posters throughout the 20th Century.

The article is not all that long, with numerous sections. What is extensive is the number of posters shown. They have amassed a huge collection of colorful and interesting posters.

Two posters that caught my eye are the one shown on the left… It has the caption “1955 – “One Sunday Morning”, Poland 1953. Directed by Andrzej Munk” so obviously is related to a play… and the one shown on the right with the caption ““El Dorado”, US 1967. Directed by Howard Hawks” and starring John Wayne and Robert Mitchum. Two of my favorites!

The article ends with a conclusion that reads:

Posters are very important in the Polish culture. During the Communist regime they were probably the only colorful things one would see in the streets.

Having lived in China for a while, I can agree that colorful posters “were probably the only colorful things one would see in the streets”. While that changed rapidly over the years that I was in and out of China.. there are still many remnants that remain today. Not so much in the main cities like Beijing and Shanghai.. but get out into the rural areas and you can still see a lot of these old, torn and ripped posters on the side of buildings and other structures.

Anyway, have a look at Smashing Magazine.. and at the hundreds of posters they have shown.

I’m Tom Murphy and thanks for helping me give Ephemera the Encore it deserves.

Have a look at my eBay Ephemera store
or have a look at my eBay Auction site
(Due to travel, there may not be any items listed at this point in time)

Technorati tags: Encore Ephemera, Ephemera, Ephemera Network, Polish Posters, John Wayne, Robert Mitchum

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I ran across what appears to be a new Ephemera site today… entitled as the headline above… “Historical Ephemera“. Given that the site still seems to be in the early stages of construction (note the incomplete footer) I’m not entirely sure where it’s headed… but I’ll be sure to keep an eye on it.

The above image is one of the current postings… it’s entitled “Niblo’s Garden” and we are told that

“Niblo’s Garden was built in 1828 and Niblo’s Theater in 1834 and was located in New York on the Northeast corner of Broadway at Prince Street. The house was built by William Niblo as part of an entertainment complex that included an outdoor garden, an open air saloon, and eventually the Grand Saloon, or Theater.”

There is a lot of information on the site.. although it appears a bit disorganized to me. Each time you click on a prior article or reference, a new item come up at the top of the page (a rotation?) and the article you are looking for is below it. Confusing to say the least.

Reading the “About Me” page – actually it’s the “About HE” (Historical Ephemera) page we learn that

“Historical Ephemera is a project designed to present ephemera from a variety of historical sources. … This project is a collaborative effort completed by students in a graduate class on digital history at North Carolina State University, spring semester 2009.”

This poster on the site also caught my eye .. with it’s interesting caption: “Enemy Ears are Listening”. You are referred from there to a whole load of WWII posters with captions like “Loose Lips Sink Ships” and “Keep It Under Your Stetson”. How about this one: “Free Speech Doesn’t Mean Careless Talk” or finally “Keep Mum Chum.”

As I said, I am not sure where the site is going.. or if it is going at all, as it is appears to be a University class project… but in any event, it’s worth a look. They have uncovered a lot of very interesting Ephemera!

I’m Tom Murphy and thanks for helping me give Ephemera the Encore it deserves.

Have a look at my eBay Ephemera store
or have a look at my eBay Auction site
(Due to travel, there may not be any items listed at this point in time)

Technorati tags: Encore Ephemera, Ephemera, Ephemera Network, Historical Ephemera, North Carolina State University

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An Ephemera Related Press Release

AUSTIN, Texas — January 22, 2010 — The Harry Ransom Center, a humanities research library and museum at The University of Texas at Austin, has acquired a collection of letters written by Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis to Ray Roberts, who was her colleague at Doubleday & Co. The letters date from 1978 to 1992 and are from the Roberts’ collection.

Jackie Kennedy began her publishing career at Viking in 1975 and became an associate editor at Doubleday in early 1978. There are 50 letters from Kennedy to Roberts, more than half of which were sent between 1978 and 1980 while Kennedy and Roberts were colleagues. Most of Kennedy’s letters are a page long, written on Doubleday memo paper or half-leaves of Doubleday letterhead.

The letters are usually handwritten, signed familiarly “Jackie xo” or with a similar closing. During her time at Doubleday, Kennedy worked closely with Roberts. Her letters are enthusiastic, friendly and playful.

Most of Kennedy’s letters are witty and brief, addressing editorial matters or providing background on an enclosed letter or document. She and Roberts exchanged ideas and information frequently and effectively. Kennedy often forwarded letters she received or copies of letters she wrote to Roberts with a memo, asking his opinion, making suggestions or pointing out a detail in the letter.

In the latter part of 1980, Roberts left Doubleday for Little, Brown in Boston. Though their professional relationship had ended, Kennedy and Roberts continued to correspond about books and planned lunch dates.

In one letter, Kennedy thanks Roberts: “You are so adorably generous and I am so grateful. The glories of my library are all presents from you.” (Oct. 30, 1982).

A year later, she writes, “It’s Autumn in New York and you are Santa Claus—I can’t believe the marvelous pile of books you sent me—’Julia,’ Coastal New England, Balthus, Karsh—they are all treasures.” (Oct. 15, 1983).

Still grateful for Roberts’s generosity years later, she wrote in December 1990: “I cant BELIEVE it—Little Brown will fire you if you keep giving me these treasures.”

The collection also contains a printed invitation to a cocktail party following the 1978 premiere of “The Big Picture”; ephemera from a ballet and opera performance Roberts attended with Kennedy; a copy of the exhibition catalog “A Frenchman in Camelot, The Decoration of the Kennedy White House by Stephane Boudin”; and photocopies of Kennedy letters, news clippings and excerpts from periodicals about Kennedy and her family.

The materials will be accessible once processed and cataloged.

I’m Tom Murphy and thanks for helping me give Ephemera the Encore it deserves.

Have a look at my eBay Ephemera store
or have a look at my eBay Auction site
(Due to travel, there may not be any items listed at this point in time)

Technorati tags: Encore Ephemera, Ephemera, Ephemera Network, Harry Ransom Center

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This article may not fit into the true definition of Ephemera as many of us know it… but it caught my attention.. and reminded me of my teen years… so I had to post about it.  To me at least it is a form of vintage ephemera.

Delicious Industries, an independent design studio based in Brighton, UK has posted a number of pictures of VW panel vans used in commercial endeavors. The pictures come from an old dealer brochure – paper ephemera – on a site named Cartype (more on that site in a later post).

These vans have some great color combination’s and some even greater signage.

As a teen I worked for a while at a local laundry named “Estate Laundry” in Williston Park, NY… and we had a van just like these, with equally interesting signage. I wish I had a picture today of one of their vans.

Wikipedia has a very extensive write-up about Volkswagen Type 2 Vans although none of the ones they picture are of the panel van design, but rather the bus style ones with side windows.

As I look at the one on the right.. I can just picture it in green with the words “Starbuck’s Coffee” emblazoned on the side.

Have any of our ephemera collector readers seen any of these vintage vans recently… or have some ephemera or photos of them? Share them with us!

I’m Tom Murphy and thanks for helping me give Ephemera the Encore it deserves.

Have a look at my eBay Ephemera store
or have a look at my eBay Auction site
(Due to travel, there may not be any items listed at this point in time)

Technorati tags: Encore Ephemera, Ephemera, Ephemera Network, Volksvagen

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