Ephemera articles and stories that will
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Nothing has changed the modern kitchen more than the introduction of electricity. The early 1900’s kitchen had the icebox on the back porch and wood stove in the kitchen. With electricity the refrigerator was moved inside the kitchen and it became the focal point instead of the stove. By 1930 We…

Let’s take a dive into a must-have beach staple: the swimsuit. From the Middle Ages through the 18th Century, swimming was strongly discouraged. The term “swimsuit” was coined by Jantzen Knitting Mills in 1915. Over the next several decades, Jantzen transformed the swimwear industry, from mater…

When people think about Ephemera, they typically think of paper – paper to which information has been added. Manuscripts are paper to which pencil or ink has been added. Trade cards, newspapers, bill and letterheads, menus and broadsides are paper to which ink has been added. Many, but not all pho…

Surveillance is often an integral aspect of every modern spy movie. From the 1954 Hitchcock film Rear Window to the Bourne Identity franchise. We’ve always been fascinated with spies. There’s even a museum dedicated to this secret profession! In the late 19th century, C.P. Stirn’s…

The Ransom Center at the University of Texas at Austin holds more than 10,000 vintage movie posters. From silent era film ephemera to current movie posters, you’re bound to spend hours exploring the collection. The famous Paramount Theatre in Austin, TX was operated by Interstate A bulk of t…

The objective of corsets was to improve on the body type of every woman. Emphasis was on the waist. By the 1880s the corset had become an elegant and desirable object in a woman’s wardrobe with much attention paid to its design and execution. Corset makers and manufacturers took great pride in pro…

Of the many shortages of goods and services in the early years of the U.S. Civil War, none was more interesting than the shortage of coins and the enterprising and creative solutions to remedy that shortage using postage stamps. In 1862, paper money was not backed by gold or silver and, therefo…

In the United States today, lotteries are run by 46 jurisdictions: 43 states plus the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and (US) Virgin Islands. Hot Lotto. Decades of Dollars. Wild Card 2. 2by2. MegaHits. Tri-State. Mega Millions. Powerball . Win for Life. Pick 10. Mid-day Numbers. MatchPlay. The…

During the American Civil War, soldiers were concerned that their bodies would not be identified in the aftermath of a battle because neither the Union nor Confederate government-issued identification tags, commonly called “dog tags” today. Consequently, many soldiers would write their name on…