New-York Historical Society ephemera collection
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Abstract
The Ephemera Collection (formerly called the Ephemera File) contains a variety of print ephemera, such as advertisements, calendars, theatrical posters, political broadsides, event announcements, etc.
Arrangement
This collection has been organized into the following five series:
Series I: Ephemera
Series II: Prohibition-related ephemera
Series III: Advertising postcards
Series IV: Ephemera albums
Series V: Erotic advertising cards
Scope and Contents
The Ephemera Collection (formerly referred to as the Ephemera File) spans the period from approximately mid-19th century to the present, and contains a variety of printed ephemera, including advertisements, flyers, calendars, event announcements and programs, greeting cards, and other disposable or everyday items.
The collection is divided into 5 series. Series I, Ephemera, includes material relating to products (food, clothing, household items, etc.); establishments such as hotels and restaurants, charitable and other organizations; and cultural and political events, primarily in New York City.
Series II, Prohibition-related ephemera, includes speakeasy cards (advertising illicit bars that operated during the years of Prohibition), cartoons and caricatures, and other Prohibition and temperance related ephemera.
Series III, Advertising postcards, includes 510 postcards from the 1990s, which would have been found in bars, clubs, restaurants and other venues. The majority of these cards advertise New York businesses.
Series IV, Ephemera albums, consists of two albums of pasted-in ephemera, including scraps and diecuts, advertisements and trade cards. Notable items include images promoting racial and ethnic stereotypes and images of Santa Claus.
Series V, Erotic advertising cards, includes loose paper cards advertising phone sex hotlines, adult establishments and the like. This material is extremely graphic. Most of these were donated by photographer Andreas Feininger. N-YHS staff collected several others during the late 1980s and early 1990s.
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Access restrictions
Materials in this collection may be stored offsite. For more information on making arrangements to consult them, please visit www.nyhistory.org/library/visit.
Conditions Governing Use
Taking images of documents from the library collections for reference purposes by using hand-held cameras and in accordance with the library's photography guidelines is encouraged. As an alternative, patrons may request up to 20 images per day from staff.
Application to use images from this collection for publication should be made in writing to: Department of Rights and Reproductions, The New-York Historical Society, 170 Central Park West, New York, NY 10024-5194, rightsandrepro@nyhistory.org. Phone: (212) 873-3400 ext. 282.
Copyrights and other proprietary rights may subsist in individuals and entities other than the New-York Historical Society, in which case the patron is responsible for securing permission from those parties. For fuller information about rights and reproductions from N-YHS visit: https://www.nyhistory.org/about/rights-reproductions
Location of Materials
Immediate Source of Acquisition
The Ephemera Collection was compiled by New-York Historical Society from various sources. 510 advertising postcards were donated by Bert Hansen in 2000. Erotic advertising cards were donated by photographer Andreas Feininger in the 1990's, and the Schreyer family in the early 2000's. The remaining items were acquired through staff or individual donations. It is anticipated that items will continue to be added.
Accruals
The collection is open for ongoing additions.