Collecting Paper Antiques - Ephermera

Are you one of those people who likes to save mementoes of a special event?

It may be a menu from a great restaurant, or tickets to a once in a lifetime concert or theatre performance. How about photographs, baseball cards, comic books or posters?

All of these are in a category known in the antique and collectibles world as Ephemera. Generally made of paper, these collectibles have occasionally been described as “things that are destined for the wastebasket but never quite made it”.

Commonly, paper antiques are collected for two reasons: 1. for decorative display such as in the case of valentines, postcards, or calling cards, and 2. for research such as manuscripts, magazines, and catalogues, to name only a few.

Collectors tend to acquire ephemera based on its topic (or subject) or its type.

Type refers to what the piece is, for example magazines, autograph books, prints or documents.

Topical collectors purchase items in any category that have to do with a particular interest such as car racing, the circus, golf, or royalty.

Due to the fragile, transient nature of the objects themselves, few have survived, therefore of those that have, many can be worth a tidy sum.

For example, valentines that sold in the early part of the 20th century for a penny can be worth from $25 to $50 – depending on the subject matter, the work involved and its condition. Condition is of prime importance.

Books are a great source of information on this area of collectibles. Price guides will identify what is worth something and what is at this time, simply a curiosity. Check out antique stores and malls and attend displays or shows. Remember, the fun is in the search.

Written by Johanne Yakula

From Times Past

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