Tampa Book Buzz

ephemera:exploring the world of old paper (and good blogs)

“Ephemera” is one of those words that I know the meaning of but could not define in words if pressed.  The dictionary definition is “printed matter of passing interest.” (That wasn’t so hard; why couldn’t I come up with that?)  Ephemera could be postcards, photographs, booklets, hand-written letters, newspapers, magazines, maps, promotional flyers, club membership cards, record labels, matchbook covers, playing cards and more.

Collector and author Marty Weil writes about finding, buying, selling, collecting, pricing, and most importantly, enjoying ephemera of all types at his blog Ephemera:Exploring the World of Old Paper.  Weil says “Along with posts on pop culture, history, collectibles and art, the blog often features interviews with authors who write about ephemera-related topics and themes.  The site also profiles artists who use ephemera in their work.”

Stop by www.ephemera.typepad.com and enjoy the printed matter of passing interest.  My faves (so far) are the 1969 p0rno movie waiver, the Civil War coloring book, and the Weeki Wachee Mermaid Show slide.