Category Archives: Ephemera

Blog

Category Archives: Ephemera

Official Road Map of New Mexico 1937

One hundred years ago this month New Mexico achieved statehood and became the 47th state. The state was dubbed the “land of enchantment.” This 1937 road map highlights various points of interest including Bottomless Lakes, Indian Reservations and Salt Lake Crater. Another interesting detail is the layout of Route 66. The original design of the [...]
Also posted in People/Places, Transportation | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

New Year’s Eve Prohibition Speakeasy Flyer Poster

As 2011 comes to a close and we ring in 2012, here’s an interesting piece of New Year’s Eve/Prohibition memorabilia. This is a poster promoting a New Year’s celebration at a speakeasy. The soiree was held to ring in 1928. The location, however, is unknown as the consumption of alcohol was banned at this time [...]
Also posted in Holiday Themed | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Vintage Mickey Mouse NOMA Christmas Lights Ad

Here’s a great 1937 ad for NOMA Disney Christmas lights. I believe it’s from the December edition of Mickey Mouse Magazine. In addition to these Mickey Mouse lights, NOMA also manufactured sets featuring characters from the Silly Symphony shorts, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and Pinocchio. To learn more about this ad and NOMA [...]
Also posted in Holiday Themed | Tagged , | 1 Comment

Mr. Peanut Planters World’s Fair Bookmark

I think you’ll go nuts over these Mr. Peanut fun facts! * Antonio Gentile, a 14-year-old schoolboy, created Peanut Man. In 1916 Planters Peanuts held a contest to create a company logo and Gentile won. He was awarded $15 * A commercial artist later added the monocle, spats and top hat * The first ad [...]
Also posted in Food/Drink | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Prohibition-Era Postcard

I’m really looking forward to the new Ken Burns’ documentary on the history of Prohibition. It’s a three-part series airing this week on local PBS stations. Last year, I read this fantastic book about the subject. What a fascinating period in US history! Anyway, this postcard came out in the prohibition-era. The caption reads: Prohibition [...]
Posted in Ephemera | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

TWA Airline Matchbook Cover

The TV-show Pan Am debuted on ABC Sunday night. Set in 1963, it’s a period drama in the mold of Mad Men, but this new show focuses on the pilots and flight attendants (ie: stewardesses) who work for the world-famous airline. Now Pan Am wasn’t the only airline taking to the skies in the 1960s. [...]
Also posted in Transportation | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

1925 Chauffeur Job Application

Here’s a really cool piece of ephemera I picked up recently. It’s a application to register as a chauffeur. It was filled out on July 25, 1925 and it looks like it was signed by Samuel A. Martins. He was 21 years-old, 6 feet tall and weighed 185 pounds. Martins lived in Portland, Oregon. I [...]
Also posted in Transportation | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

1967 Jefferson Airplane Concert Tour Program

In 1967 Jefferson Airplane had arrived! The band had been fixture in the San Francisco rock scene since 1965, but ’67 was the year they landed nationally and internationally. Their soon-to-be classic album Surrealistic Pillow was released earlier that year. And the band set out on their first East Coast tour. This is the hard [...]
Also posted in Music | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Tropicana Nightclub in Havana, Cuba Postcard

The Tropicana nightclub in Havana, Cuba was dubbed “paradise under the stars.” It opened in 1939 on six-acres of land and contained lush tropical gardens. This vintage postcard dates back to the nightclub’s heyday in the 1950s. Headliners included Josephine Baker, Nat King Cole, Celia Cruz and Carmen Miranda. In addition to it’s five-star celebrity [...]
Also posted in People/Places | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Vintage Postcard: Laconia Airport in New Hampshire

Here’s an early (1940s?) postcard showing two runways at the Laconia Airport in Gilford, New Hampshire. The airport was built on over 400 acres of farmland. Laconia Airport was one of thousands of federal WPA (Works Progress Administration) projects completed in the 1930s and 40s. It was originally conceived as a defense airport, but it [...]
Also posted in People/Places, Transportation | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment