Ephemera

Paper Artifacts of Everyday Life

What do chopstick sleeves, movie programs, luggage labels, and counterculture newspapers have in common? Aside from the fact that they are all found at Letterform Archive, these pieces of design are connected by their relationship to transience. Though they may have vastly different visual styles and origin stories, they are all considered ephemera: objects meant to exist or be used only for a short time. 

Ephemera can be used for everything from advertising—think pocket calendars and pen blotters emblazoned with company logos—to organizing—think concert flyers and protest posters. Others still are made for personal use, like Victorian calling cards. Perhaps because they are so short-lived, ephemera can allow for more experimentation in concept and production. They can be modes of communication within niche communities, like the graffiti zines of the 1990s. Or they can simply weave a bit of colorful whimsy into the day-to-day, as Milwaukee did with their trolley passes. Some ephemera are scrappy, made quickly by anonymous creators using cheap materials and easily accessible printing, while some are carefully designed by industry greats like W. A. Dwiggins and Piet Zwart. Whatever the case may be, ephemera play an essential role in shaping the visual culture of their particular place and time.

Letterform Archive was founded to give designers access to objects that are often overlooked or lost to the dumpster. While some ephemera are meant to be collectible, most are not made to last: they are simply the paper collateral of daily life. We are especially indebted to independent ephemera enthusiasts who have entrusted us with donations of their personal collections. Because ephemera are so ubiquitous, their degree of influence and worthiness of study may not always receive proper recognition. At the Archive, these everyday objects rightfully live alongside rare books and are treated with equal reverence.

What Counts as Ephemera?

The definitions of ephemera are flexible enough to encompass a very broad range of items. Here’s an incomplete list of what could be included:

Header image: Milwaukee Transit Tickets, ca. 1930-1960’s.

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