Aimed at curators, collectors, and historians, this 550-entry alphabetically organized encyclopedia treats manuscript and printed ephemera from early ABC books (circa 1500) to e-mail, as well as more generic items like
Form and
Poster that cover a
broad time span.
Baggage sticker, Carte-de-visite, Menu, Seed packet, and
Timetable are among the other materials covered. Emphasis is on ephemera in English.
Each entry contains a clear description of the type of document or printed matter, covers its use at the time it was current, and treats its utility for the ephemerist. Cross-references are noted in small capitals in the body of each article, sometimes preceded by see, sometimes not, but providing useful informational webbing in all cases. See also references are given at the foot of articles along with references to applicable print works (both English and foreign language), societies, and collections. Numerous clear black-and-white reproductions serve to extend the text, as does a section of color plates. Articles vary in length from a paragraph or two (e.g., Place card, Riddle book) to nine pages (e.g., Armed forces papers, the various kinds of paperwork generated by the military), with the weighting being appropriate. All of the articles in each alphabetical section are listed on the first page of the section. Guide words and an index provide additional points of entry. A list of ephemera collections and societies and a topically arranged bibliography follow the entries.
Clearly written and cleanly presented, this survey is more comprehensive than Collecting Printed Ephemera (Abbeville, 1988) and provides useful information for those in need of a historical context for a printed document. Recommended for academic and large public libraries, especially those housing special collections that might include this type of material. REVWR
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
"...this work presents an accessible overview of information on ephemera and guides readers to additional sources for more information. Readable entries, black-and-white illustrations, color plates, a bibliography, and a comprehensive index make this a solid reference work." -- Choice
"...useful information for those in need of a historical context for a printed document. Recommended for academic and large public libraries." -- Booklist/RBB
"An outstanding source...This is truly a source to be consulted by collectors or anyone looking for a glimpse of the past." -- American Libraries
"This unique title is recommended for most public and academic reference collections: tracking down information on this sort of trivia can be very challenging, and Rickard's book could be a welcome ace-in-the-hole sort of resource." -- Library Journal
"...opens the door to this world of fugitive miscellany, its substantial entries exposing and explicating the details of life in the past in a fascinating way." -- Copley News Service
"...for any aficionado of popular culture or documentary history, utterly indispensable." -- The Associated Press
"This unique title is recommended for most public and academic reference collections; tracking down information on this sort of trivia can be very challenging, and Rickard's book could be a welcome ace-in-the-hole sort of resource." -- Charlie Cowling, SUNY at Brockport Lib.
From the Back Cover
EPHEMERA IS THE PLURAL FORM OF THE GREEK WORD EPHEMERON (EPI = ON, ABOUT, ROUND; HEMERA = DAY). LITERALLY, IT REFERS TO SOMETHING THAT LASTS THROUGH 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 FORMIDABLE NEW REFERENCE WORK PROVIDE A BETTER DEFINITION OF EPHEMERA, SINCE THEY INCLUDE MANUSCRIPT AND PRINTED MATTER (SPORTS PROGRAMS, ENVELOPES, VISITING CARDS, BALLOTS), RECORDS OF THE PAST AND PRESENT (NEWSPAPERS, CIGARETTE CARDS, SEED PACKETS, RATION PAPERS), ITEMS DESIGNED TO BE THROWN AWAY (BUS TICKETS, PAPER BAGS, FRUIT LABELS), AND TO BE KEPT (BOOKMARKS, PLAYING CARDS, BOARD GAMES).
THIS LAVISHLY ILLUSTRATED LANDMARK VOLUME IS INTENDED FOR SOCIAL HISTORIANS AS WELL AS COLLECTORS OF EPHEMERA WHO TAKE A BROADER VIEW THAN THEIR OWN SPECIALIST FIELD.
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.
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