Always in pursuit of a new opportunity to find unique items, Martin and I ventured to an ephemera fair. It is only recently that we’ve started to appreciate and understand the potential value of ephemera. Ephemera consists of everyday one-time use materials; printed objects that were never intended to have enduring historic value. This includes everything from pamphlets, brochures and postcards to posters, stock certificates and advertisements. For example the Library of Congress has a collection of restaurant menus. Though many of these materials may not hold much value on their own, when viewed in a series or as a collection they begin to illustrate a story, a window into social history. The perceptions, thoughts and ideas of people begin to gain clarity through the printed material that they created or read. A single postcard then is only a piece in a larger, elaborate, puzzle.

Overwhelmed and timid we took a quick walk through sixty-some exhibitor booths. The larger of the two rooms was designated for dealers and a smaller room for members exhibiting their personal collections. In addition to the exhibit space there are sessions and discussions for members of the society. We spent all of our time among the dealer booths. We narrowed our focus and decided to search through the following categories that were present there:

1. Black ephemera

2. Religion

3. Foreign Travel

Personally we were searching for material related to early Muslims in America or how Americans have imagined Islam. Unfortunately our searches yielded few results. One of the two pieces we did find is this:

The Garden of Allah – Southern Arizona and California is a travel brochure, copyright 1936, for the Rock Island Lines, a railroad company. Though Allah is only mentioned in the title the imagery it intends to invoke is scattered throughout it’s pages:

Thus, in four words, may be told “The Winter’s Tale” that summarizes all the varied delights of Southwestern Resorts reached directly by the Golden State Route.

Romance, color, exotic charm, historic interest, scenic grandeur, social vivacity, out-door sport, – all in the golden wash of a never-failing winter sun – at El Paso-Juarez, Tucson, Chandler, Phoenix, Litchfield, Indio, Palm Springs, San Diego, Coronado, La Jolla, Los Angeles, Santa Barbara!

The fair, called Ephemera 32, was presented by the Ephemera Society of America in Old Greenwich, CT.