Paper is everywhere! Virtually everywhere you look, you’ll find some form of printed paper. Art prints, comic books, newspapers, magazines, postcards, advertising literature, stock and bond certificates, sheet music, trading cards - the list is a long one. The life of a printed piece is limited. Be it a magazine, label or newspaper, its chances of being kept and held over the years is very limited. For this reason, paper collectibles are referred to as ephemeral or more precisely "ephemera," meaning short lived. Because of their short life, those that do remain become quite collectible because of their rarity.
Since its invention around 105 A.D. in China, paper has provided a medium for printed material and paper collectibles. While some paper collectibles provide an understanding of the mindset of a society, other paper collectibles are symbolic of great events in history, and represent the progress of the world.
In our information age, electronic storage of information is replacing paper and printing as a means of providing information and is diminishing the durability of paper as a medium of record. It is being replaced by CD-ROM, computer-to-computer transfer, and other advanced electronic technology, making the outlook bright for the ephemera collector.
Collecting paper and printed items can be interesting and profitable, and as a shrewd collector, it’s important to think of your collection as an investment. Good investing requires understanding the subject matter as well as creativity in structuring your collection.
The advantages of this type of collecting are significant. Printed ephemera is small, easily sent through the mail, easy to store, relatively easy to find, provides interesting facts and illustrations, and can be quite valuable.
Few fully understand the value and rarity of prints and paper collectibles. For this reason, the knowledgeable collector with even an intermediate understanding of paper collectibles is at a great advantage in hunting for prints and paper ephemera at flea markets, shops and shows.
Printing processes began in 15th-century Europe and were brought to mainland North America in 1539 by Juan Pablos, in what is now Mexico City. It first appeared in the United States in the area now known as Cambridge, Massachusetts. In the early 1800’s a German named Fredrich Konig improved the technology by adding steam power to the printing press, greatly improving the volume of output of printed material.
Technology was later improved with rotary presses that speeded up production and furthered the volume of production. In today’s world, desktop publishing and highly technical printing processes use computers and extremely advanced technology.
Printmakers conceive their images not from the artwork or the design, but from how they will be produced in the printmaking process. Printmaking is one of the oldest art forms and originated in 15th-century Germany.
Early hand carved print blocks were made from a carved pattern or "relief." Wood cuts or woodblock prints as they’re called, are an example of this. Japanese printmaking from wood blocks originated in the 17th century with the Ukiyo-e school of wood cuts. The high standing portion of the carving accepts the ink and makes contact with the paper thus producing an image. Relief printing was used by the Romans to stamp letters and symbols, and the Chinese used it for stamping patterns on textiles.
Another form of printing is the engraved or intaglio process. In this process, the portions of the image to appear light are left standing while that portion that is to appear dark is carved out. The image is engraved or sunk into the plate. The design is etched or engraved in a steel plate with either metal carving tools or chemicals (etching). The plate is covered with ink and the surface is then wiped clean. Paper is then pressed into the incision and the ink is picked up from the "low spots" to form the image on paper.
Perhaps the most common type of print is a lithograph. In a lithograph or a photogravure, a photographic process is used. Its basic technique is created by applying an image with grease or film on a stone plate. The entire stone is wet and will separate from the grease or film. When ink is applied to the plate it will adhere only to the greasy image and hence provide a surface to be printed from.
Lithography became an expeditious, easy way to print in the late 19th and early 20th century, paving the way for a proliferation of printed material such as postcards, trading cards, posters, advertisements, and art prints.
Most every form of printing is a variation on relief, intaglio, and lithographic processes. Technology has become quite advanced, greatly improving the quality of the printed piece.
Aside from the printing process, the paper on which an image is printed, can be critical in determining value. Differences among the grade and type of paper is dependent upon several factors: the type of fiber used (wood pulp, rag, or other), how the pulp is prepared (chemical or mechanical), additives to the pulp (bleach, chemicals for smoothness, color), and any finishing on the paper itself (coated, textured, laid, linen). Paper is given a weight or density depending on its caliper thickness and the weight of a ream (500 sheets). Also of concern is the paper’s grade or type such as bond, book, bristol, kraft, groundwood, and paperboard.
From an investment perspective, it is best to diversify your collection of ephemera. Because paper collectibles fall into so many different categories, there is ample opportunity to have a diversified collection, while still focusing on one topic. For example, a baseball card collector would greatly enhance the value of their collection by diversifying into other paper collectibles such as programs, autographs, ticket stubs, books, yearbooks, and photographs. If the entire market for cards drops in a few years, the savvy collector will have other items in the collection that have gone up in value. The net result will be a greater overall value. As with any form of investing, diversification reduces the risk and generally creates more overall value.
Aside from the investment perspective, diversification makes your collection more interesting. If you are a railroad enthusiast with a fascination for railroads, diversifying your holdings to include railroad timetables, menus, advertisements, fare schedules and other paper ephemera can bring a more complete fascination and appreciation of the topic.
Another advantage of diversifying your collection is the added number of sources to scout. If you collect military catalogs, photographs and postcards, and you decide to diversify by collecting military books, the whole bookstore market is now wide open to you with an excellent means of widening your collection and your interest. It provides a source of collectibles you hadn’t even tried before.
If you’re having trouble thinking of the different categories of paper collectibles to diversify into, consider the following: tickets, greeting cards, crate labels, hotel baggage labels, checks, stock and bond certificates, business cards, letterheads, die cuts, postcards, art prints, stereotypes, trading cards, posters, catalogs, books, magazines, matchbooks, menus, newspapers, coloring books, calendars, bookmarks, invitations, programs, stamps, record album covers, paperback books, sheet music, and photographs - just to name a few!
Unlike other collectibles, paper ephemera requires at least a basic knowledge in archival preservation. This involves protection from various environmental factors; namely temperature, moisture, ultraviolet light and acid.
Documents store best in a cool dry place. Most people have seen the damage that occurs when this environment is violated. Books that are subject to warm moist environments often find their pages stained or may in fact have a mold or fungus growing on their pages. Often a very old print is watermarked from either direct contact with moisture or a humid environment.
Ultraviolet light acts to destroy paper over time by exposing it to harmful rays. Prints may be framed using glass that filters out ultraviolet rays and prevent the print from fading. A print exposed to the sun will fade over many years. Plastic sleeves, bags and cases are available that filter ultraviolet rays out of normal daylight conditions to prevent rays from damaging collectibles in storage.
Perhaps the greatest destroyer of paper ephemera is acid. Backing board, cardboard and other paper such as newspaper and pulp paper has acid that will leach or seep into other paper if it is in contact with it over long periods of time. This causes the paper to turn yellow and brittle, and ultimately will destroy it.
The storage of fine prints should insure that the printed piece is insulated from acidic sources such as a mat board, backing board, or other documents. Acid free mat board is available and is used by most framers of archival materials. Acid free tape is also available and should be used in mounting. Paper is best insulated from other acidic materials by the use of plastic sleeves or covering.
In preserving fine paper collectibles, care should also be taken to insure that the paper is free of dust, moisture, foreign materials, is stored flat, and is free of pencil marks and adhesives.
Professionally framing and mounting your paper collectibles not only adds value, but also allows you and others to enjoy and appreciate the antiquity and rarity of the collectible. Additionally, framing and mounting is a means of preserving and safely storing the collectible.
Before the 15th century, frames were used for paintings and works of art and were intrinsic to the architecture of a specific surrounding. Ornate wood frames were popular in Italy during the Baroque period, and their composition turned to a more austere plaster and gesso material in the late Neoclassical period of the 18th century. Most 20th-century frames are made from a composition material or plaster and are molded. They are of a more simple, straight design without much ornamentation, however many prints and paintings are quite eclectic and may be found in various frame styles from previous centuries.
A poster or print may have a definable book value, but by mounting it with acid-free mat board in a fine quality frame with ultraviolet protective glass, the value is increased. The framing and mounting not only enhances the appearance of the collectible, but also acts to preserve it as well.
The style of mounting may enhance the print or paper collectible by paying it tribute with ornamentation and depth. The matting may be decorative with marble library paper, gold frame lines, or identification plates. Two or three layers of mat board may give it depth in its display, making for a more elegant presentation.
Framing and mounting allows the collector to vary the size of the frame and mounting arrangement so that the actual subject appears larger than it actually is. It also allows for a grouping of related subjects together or in the same frame, providing a means of greater appreciation of your paper collectibles.
There’s a whole world of paper collectors out there!
Unlike glassware, china, furniture and other more delicate collectibles, paper ephemera may be easily exchanged through the mail. This may seem insignificant until you consider the enormous potential of a worldwide marketplace.
By consulting collecting publications like this one, periodicals, dealer directories, and associations, a collector in the United States may buy or sell paper collectibles from another collector in the Far East or Europe at a minimal postage cost with little risk of damage enroute.
As in any antique or collectible, the value of paper collectibles may be determined by condition and rarity. Condition refers to any folds, bends, fading, watermarks, acid stains, and brittleness, or lack thereof. Rarity depends on how many exist of the paper collectible that you have. Also of importance is the paper collectible’s appeal. If a particular item is very rare, but the appeal or demand for that item is low, the value is lower. If the supply is moderate and the appeal is great, the collectible will have a much higher value. The appeal of a collectible may also depend on how many categories the collectible may fall under. For example, a movie poster of John Wayne in The Quiet Man, may appeal to a general collector of paper ephemera, a collector of movie posters, a collector of boxer memorabilia, a collector of sports memorabilia, and a collector of posters. The appeal is likely to be greater than an item that fits only into one collecting category and is probably a more worthwhile investment.
In scouting for paper collectibles, value and rarity should be the two measures in deciding whether or not to purchase the paper collectible. Ideally, the best compromise between the two should be your goal.
Good finds are not hard to come by in scouting paper collectibles. Outlets include bookstores, auctions, paper collectibles shows, flea markets, yard sales, antique shops, record stores, and memorabilia dealers. By specializing in paper ephemera, you’ll be able to recognize value and rarity when another dealer or collector may not. It will also pay to subscribe to a publication for paper collectibles, like the Paper and Advertising Collector, for outlets of dealers and collectors worldwide, who may have the type of paper collectible you’re seeking.
In developing a collection of paper collectibles, a solid network of sources is valuable. Here is a sampling of periodicals, suppliers, and associations for anyone considering further consultation or study within this field:
National Association of Paper and Advertising Collectors, P.O. Box 500, Mount Joy, PA 17552; American Institute for Conservation of Historic & Artistic Works, 1400 16th Street, N.W. - Suite 340, Washington, D.C. 20036; and The Center for Conservation and Technical Studies, The Arthur Beale Fogg Art Museum, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138.
Publications: The Paper & Advertising Collector, P.O. Box 500, Mount Joy, PA 17552, 1 (800) 800-1833, Ext. 2541; Postcard Collector, Joe Jones Publishing, P.O. Box 337, Iola, WI 54945; Barr’s Postcard News, 70 S. 6th Street, Lansing, MI 52151; The Front Strike Bulletin (For Matchbook Collectors), 3417 Clayborne Avenue, Alexandria, VA 23306-1410; The Check Collector (For Check Collectors), P.O. Box 71892, Madison Heights, MI 48071; and Bank Note Reporter (Stock and Bond Certificates), 700 East Main Street, Iola, WI 54990.
Suppliers: University Products, Inc. (Archival and Restoration Supplies), 517 Main Street, P.O. Box 101, Holyoke, MA 01041-0101.
Restorations (Plastic Sleeves, Bags and Archival Materials) P.O. Box 2000, Nevada City, CA 95959.