ENCYCLOPEDIA OF EPHEMERA; A Guide to the Fragmentary Documents of Everyday Life for the Collector, Curator, and Historian

Rickards, Maurice; edited and completed by Michael Twyman, with the assistance of Sally De Beaufort and Amoret Tanner

ISBN 10: 0415926483 / ISBN 13: 9780415926485

Published by Routledge, New York, 2000

4to. x+402pp. [+ xvi pp. color plates]. Editor's introduction, notes, list of collections and societies, biblio., index. From the front flap: Ephemera is the plural form of the Greek word ephemeron, which comes from "epi", meaning "on", "about" or "round", and "hemeron", meaning "day". Literally, it refers to something that lasts throughout the day, or, as Maurice Rickards proposed, the "minor transient documents of everyday life", although not every item of ephemera can be regarded as transient or even minor. Collectively the many entries in this reference seek to provide a better definition of ephemera, since they include manuscript and printed matter (football programmes, envelopes, visiting cards, ballot papers), records of the past and present (newspapers, cigarette cards, seed packets, ration papers), items designed to be thrown away (bus tickets, paper bags, cheese labels, beer mats), and to be kept (bookmarks, share certificates, playing cards, board games). The volume is intended for social historians, reference librarians, students of printing and graphic design and for collectors of ephemera who take a broader view than their own specialist field. Boards in dust jacket. Light shelfwear. Very good. Seller Inventory # 76843

Synopsis:

The joy of finding an old box in the attic filled with postcards, invitations, theater programs, laundry lists, and pay stubs is discovering the stories hidden within them. The paper trails of our lives -- or ephemera -- may hold sentimental value, reminding us of great grandparents. They chronicle social history. They can be valuable as collectibles or antiques. But the greatest pleasure is that these ordinary documents can reconstruct with uncanny immediacy the drama of day-to-day life. The Encyclopedia of Ephemera is the first work of its kind, providing an unparalleled sourcebook with over 400 entries that cover all aspects of everyday documents and artifacts, from bookmarks to birth certificates to lighthouse dues papers. Continuing a tradition that started in the Victorian era, when disposable paper items such as trade cards, die-cuts and greeting cards were accumulated to paste into scrap books, expert Maurice Rickards has compiled an enormous range of paper collectibles from the obscure to the commonplace. His artifacts come from around the world and include such throw-away items as cigarette packs and crate labels as well as the ubiquitous faxes, parking tickets, and phone cards of daily life. As this major new reference shows, simple slips of paper can speak volumes about status, taste, customs, and taboos, revealing the very roots of popular culture.

About the Author:

Maurice Rickards, one of the leading experts in the study of ephemera, spent more than twenty years compiling the Encyclopedia.

Michael Twyman is author of several books on the history of printing and before his retirement was Professor of Typography & Graphic Design at the University of Reading, England.

Bibliographic Details

Title: ENCYCLOPEDIA OF EPHEMERA; A Guide to the ...
Publisher: Routledge, New York
Publication Date: 2000
Binding: Hardcover
Dust Jacket Condition: Dust Jacket Included