ephemera

Ephemera Wins Asheville Citizen Media Award

I was bowled over when Gordon Smith announced that I had won a Citizen Media Award at last night's BlogAsheville charity event. Ephemera was voted The Most Under-Rated Blog based in Asheville.The votes were tabulated by the Mountain Xpress, the weekly independent news, arts, and events newspaper.

The Citizen Media Awards, a benefit for Homeward Bound, is sponsored annually by BlogAsheville, a blog dedicated to news and happenings in Asheville. Over the years, ephemera has won several awards, but this one means the most to me. It was recognition from my peers that what I'm doing here has value to the local community.

The well-attended charity event was held in the Pump Gallery at the Phil Mechanic Building in the River Arts District. I'd volunteered to work the door all evening collecting donations and such. I stepped away just in time to hear the results of the voting. It was a spine-tingling moment for me to hear this blog called out as a winner.

I want to thank everyone who voted for ephemera. Your support and encouragement is overwhelming. It brings me great joy to know that people appreciate the work I do. Further, I have been very fortunate to have made wonderful friends with many local bloggers and independent print and social media people. I'm truly blessed to be living in such a welcoming, vibrant community--loaded with tremendous talent and skill.

Like I said last night when accepting the award, "Cool, thanks!"

Original Halloween Movie Poster – Very Scary Kids

This one sheet Halloween movie poster was issued by the studio for theatrical display when the original Halloween movie was released, according to the eBay seller.

The original Halloween movie scared the bejesus out of me. But not nearly as much as the interview I did with the Halloween Queen last year. Now that was very scary, as Count Floyd used to say on SCTV's Monster Chiller Horror Theater.

Have a safe and happy Halloween kids.

California Gold Rush Prospector Letter

"We have seen the elephant and are satisfied with him," wrote a gold miner, V.H. Porter, to his uncle, James C. Howard, in this Gold Miner's letter being offered on eBay. According to the seller, the letter is dated September 8, 1850, and was sent from Sacramento, Calif., stampless cover. There are three pages, including integral address leaf.

The seller's description continues, …writes from about 70 miles from Sacramento City. Discusses crossing the plains and arriving at "Hang-Town, or Placer-Ville..." Talks about the difficulties of crossing the plains, long distances, having to swim the Humboldt River to get feed for their teams, "a great many drowned in the act", etc. Mentions Beare River and the American River. They have been somewhat successful in digging for gold and lists amounts found. However, "The prospect is not as good in California as the most of folks have expected."

Search for books about the California Gold Rush.

Underground Graphics Magazine First Edition

A First Edition copy of the Underground Graphics magazine edited by Keen & La Rue is being offered on eBay.

According to the seller's description, the London-based publication provided an overview of mainly British graphic underground art in the Sixties such as posters (e.g., Fairport Convention, Tomorrow, Jimi Hendrix, Julie Felix, Crazy World of Arthur Brown, Soft Machine, Dantalians Chariot, Social Deviants, 14 hour technicolour dream, Purple Gang, Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band, Pete Brown & Battered Ornament, Pink Floyd, Pete Brown & Piblokto),

It also features advertisements, column heads, Illustrations, and Fillers with reproductions of work by underground artists Greg Irons, Simon & Marijke (The Fool), Ivan Tyrrell, Ian Andrew Galbraith, Ann Jackson, Martin Sharp, David Sparling, Mal Dean, John Hurford, Paul Kitchin, Edward Baynard, Michael English, Ed Barker, The Fool, Hapshash and the Coloured Coat, Eileen Astrahan, Mike McInnerney, Red Miller, Chris Blades, Alan Aldridge, Tribe of the Sacred Mushroom, Paul Nicholas, Sue Taylor, Paul Welch, P.R. Brown, Miles, Graham Keen, Bob Cotton, Peter Broxton, Reg Leftley, Jeff Nuttall, Raymond Lowry, Mike Peters, Peter Spurrier, Vitas Serelis.

Plus, the issue contains an introduction on the history of underground art.

Antique Map of Atchison-Topeka Railway

This crude, probably woodcut Atchison-Topeka Railroad map of Texas and the southwest, being offered on eBay, took up the entire front page of the June 20, 1886, edition of the Galveston Daily News.

According to the eBay seller, it shows an area from Chicago in the northeast to southern and lower California. Emphasis is on rail connections to Galveston, both existing routes to St. Louis and Kansas and proposed lines to Santa Fe (thus connecting to the transcontinental railroads) and to central Mexico. There is some detail of railroads through the west although the strike is weak and some information is blurred.

The seller adds, "I am reminded of Mark Twain's observation that the amazing thing about a dancing dog is not that the dog dances well but that it dances at all. This is a remarkable local production for the time and even more exceptional that it has survived. It was prepared by E. A. Hensoldt who apparently did an 1883 map of Texas railroads for an insert to the Galveston Daily News, although the earlier one was printed by Rand-McNally. This one was obviously printed locally. Included is the entire issue of the News, a total of six sheets, and there is almost a full page of text describing the rail system in the United States and promoting Galveston as a natural center of transportation."

If you love old maps, check out these old posts:

• Triborough Bridge Map
• Longstreet Map Shop
• Antique Map of Tokyo

Photograph of Chicago Rebuilding After Great Fire 1871

Just after the great Chicago Fire, 1871, an enterprising real estate man named Emil Rudolph distributed this depiction of rebuilding, which shows the first building erected in the burnt district, according to the seller offering the item on eBay.

The images shows a storefront located at 89 Washington Street. It's the office of Wm. D. Kerfoot. Other names associated with the item include Wollcott, Birkoff, Merigold, and Ashton.

Chicago is my birthplace, and it's nice to see a unique ephemera item like this one come up for sale on eBay from the City's Great Fire era.

I've written numerous posts related to Chicago. If you missed any, here are links to a few of my favorites:

• Chicago World's Fair Author Interview
• Drinks at Second City with John Candy and Eugene Levy
• What Really Happened to the Lincoln Park Traps

Search for books about the Great Chicago Fire.

Chet Phillips Literary Pets Trading Cards

Chet Phillips has done it again. This time he's produced a portrait gallery of canine and feline literary luminaries.

Just like Chet's World War Monkey trading cards, this set include a portrait and biography printed on cover stock. Highlights from the 20-card set include Edgar Allen Pug, Bark Twain, and Snarls Dickens.

If you're interest in trading cards, Chet's fun and creative sets are just the ticket. These are sure to be highly sought after collectibles in the years ahead. I'm a big fan of Chet's work, and I'm very pleased he's chosen my blog as a vehicle to spread the word about his newest creation.

Hey, Chet, you left out Charles Barkowski!

 

Madison and Monroe Schooner Cruise

I imagine it was a blustery day on January 9, 1812, when James Madison and James Monroe set sail out of Massachusetts on the schooner Polly of Marblehead, captained by Daniel Thomas. The document being offered by an eBay seller doesn't describe the weather conditions, but the Mediterranean ship's paper is signed by the President and Secretary of State.

According to the seller, the vellum document has a scalloped top, an intact sunburst paper seal, folds, and dark writing.

As all will likely recall from High School history class, James Madison (1751-1836) was the 4^th President of the U.S. and the "Father of the Constitution." James Monroe (1758-1831) was the 5^th President.

Search for books about James Madison.

Asheville 2009 Blogger Event Spookyblogapaloozananny

Once again this year, I'll be working the door at Asheville's blogger community's wonderful annual event on Friday, October 30th. This year's award ceremony has the easy to remember name "Spookyblogapaloozananny".

I was nominated for two awards last year--one for this blog and another for A Year in Asheville--but came up a wee bit short on both counts. I'm not sure if I'm even up for an award or not in 2009. It'd be a shocker if I won, since this blog, while it does feature Asheville-centric ephemera from time-to-time, doesn't enjoy as large a local following as some of the locally focused Asheville blogs--and rightly so.

I'm a huge fan of the Asheville blogger community; it's loaded with fine blogs with great content. I'm just glad to be included in the fun.

The event takes place at the Phil Mechanics building in the wicked-cool, super-spooky River Arts District. And it's all for a good cause--AHOPE.

To check out all of the wonderful local Asheville blogs, visit BlogAsheville.

Hollywood Insider’s Personal Scrapbook 1930s

The eBay seller of this unique item says, "This is the greatest Hollywood Insider scrapbook I have ever seen related to the early Days of Hollywood."

According to the listing, it is the personal scrapbook of Leon Belasco, a Hollywood insider. He put the book together starting in 1920, filled with great photos, clippings, souvenirs, keepsakes, programs, flyers, invitations, etc.

Born in Odessa, Ukraine, Leon Belasco was prepared for a musical career at various seats of learning in Japan and Manchuria. For several years, Belasco was first violinist for the Tokyo Symphony, and later led his own orchestra. This scrapbook starts in 1920 with clippings from his shows in Hawaii and Japan. It moves to 1926 Hollywood and his first film. The Bulk of this massive volume is late 1920s and early 1930s. The tome weighs over six pounds.

A great thing about this album, according to the seller, is the Photos are all 10x8 or larger. Examples: photos of Priscilla Dean on the set of Hunt Stromberg's "Siren of Seville" Culver City, 1924; photos from the 1925 Production FBO Studio "Vanity's Price" starring Anna Q. Nilsen; the 1925 Production Thomas H. Ince Studio of "Palying With Souls"; a RARE Photo taken at Colleen Moore's House at her Christmas Party in 1925 during the Filming of "Irene". And numerous other films that Belasco worked on the 20s . This big book is packed full of Belasco's memories. Sheet Music he used and made notes in as well as countless Newspaper clippings.

Search for books about Hollywood.