1st Edition

Encyclopedia of Ephemera A Guide to the Fragmentary Documents of Everyday Life for the Collector, Curator and Historian

Edited By Michael Twyman, Maurice Rickards Copyright 2000
432 Pages 350 Color & 16 B/W Illustrations
by Routledge

416 Pages
by Routledge

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... Read more
Cultural History Material Culture and Consumption Urban Archeology Roots of Pop Culture

Biography

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.

"...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.