ephemera

Customize Your Own Art Prints

I call this work "The Marty Lisa." (Appologies to Leonardo.)

I made this customized fine art print myself at BuildASign. The site lets you change text, images, colors, and fonts to make a customize Mona Lisa or a myriad of other recognizable fine art works such as Munch's "The Scream."

If basterdizing fine art isn't your thing, you can customize animal prints, comics and illustrations, or upload your own designs. Full disclosure: I have an affiliate relationship with BuildASign, but I wouldn't recommed you use them if I didn't believe they're the best place to create your own ephemera.

It's really a lot of fun and a great way to make a personilized gift for someone.

 

 

 

Elvis Presley Framed Memorabilia Collection

Up for auction on eBay are five glass framed Elvis creations, all from 1950s and 1970s, loaded with original memorabilia.

Among the goodies in this major Elvis auction:

1. Elvis Summer Festival International Hotel Plate. The Colonel had these plates made up to give out as gifts to special guests during the concerts in the early 70's. Plate measures 8" diameter and is stitched to the mat with clear fishing wire around each ball. Special order frame from Canada.

2. 1971 Elvis Concert Poster, Ticket Stubs, Signed Matchbook Cover. Poster is from the International Hotel 1971. Matchbook was signed by Elvis in 1972 at the Hilton Hotel. Ticket stubs are: Nov 7, 1971, Freedom Hall Louisville Kentucky, Nov 14, 1971, Memorial Coliseum Tuscaloosa Alabama, and April 6, 1972, Olympia Stadium Detriot. Ticket stubs and matchbook are preserved in their own plastic sleeves, they are behind the glass and attached to the mat board with double sided acid free tape, they can easily be removed without damage for whatever reason. Signature also comes with a COA.

3. Elvis Summer Festival 1969 Pennant with 5 original fan photos, 11 original ticket stubs all from 1970, 1971,1972,1973 and a full unused ticket from the concert on Nov. 7 1971, at the Freedom Hall, Louisville, Kentucky, the women who owned the ticket at the last minute was unable to attend the show and kept the ticket as a souvenir instead, has kept it in her jewelry box ever since. Not many people missed an Elvis concert in 1971. Nice framing job with a navy blue metal frame. Description of photo's: Large photo top right: from Macon GA April 15, 1972, evening show. Elvis kneeling on knee photo 11/11/72, Community Center Tucson, AZ. Two small photo's 11/12/72 Houston, TX. Elvis leaving the stage Black Outfit Nov 11, 1971 The Gardens, Cincinnati. All photos and ticket stubs are preserved in plastic sleeves, they are under the glass and attached to the mat board with double sided tape, can easily be removed without damage.

4. Elvis Pennant Invite to Opening Night at the Las Vegas Hilton on January 26th 1972. These special pennant invitations were made up and sent out to invited quests to Elvis' Opening Night show at the Las Vegas Hilton in 1972. Original owner of the pennant was actually an employee for Col. Parker and Elvis at their Madison Office and was given the task of sending out these special invitations, comes with signed letter and photos from the office from original owner. Invite is in mint condition and measures 6" x 36" is blue felt with a gold top rope for hanging. Has been beautifully framed, is loose within the frame and stitched only at the top at the gold rope and has a few pieces of double sided acid free removable tape to keep it in place. Shadow Box wood frame with museum glass, mint condition, special order from Canada. Frame measurement 16.5" x 47". Also attched to the front of glass in its own protective plastic sleeve is an original Sahara Tahoe concert ticket stub from 1974.

5. Unused 1950's Tee Shirt from the Allison Company, mint condition, also in frame are three original fan photos of Elvis on stage, two are from a concert at Little Rock, Arkansas, in April 1972, and other photo is from Kansas City, MO, evening show November 15, 1971, and also 1956 Elvis bubble gum card and cover of the box from The Kings Cologne, all of which are in there own plastic sleeves.

Click the link in the paragraph for more details and a chance to own this amazing lot of Elivs ephemera.

Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton Signed Photograph 1967

I'm fashionably late in featuring an Elizabeth Taylor item. According to press reports, Liz was fashionable late (15 minutes) to her own funeral. That's class.

This signed photograph of Elizabeth Taylor is up for bid on eBay. The seller says the photo was personally obtain by him in 1967. To learn more about this special image, click the link that appears in this paragraph.

 

 

Make Your Own Custom Vanity License Plate or Tag

If you like this custom PTL Club tag from Charlotte, you can make one for your car. Or you can make a different customized vanity license plate of your own design.

There's only one place online that I recommend for making your own license plates, bumper stickers, or other ephemera, and that's BuildASign.

Using the site's online design tool you can create custom license plates for any occasion. BuildASign offer a wide variety of personalized license plates made of durable aluminum.

[Full disclosure: I have an affiliate relationship with BuildASign, but I wouldn't recommed you use them if I didn't believe they're the best place to create your own ephemera.]

 

 

Poster for the Horror Film She Creature

Hypnotized!

The 1956 movie poster for The She Creature is up for grabs on eBay.

As the poster says, "It can and did happen!" If you want to make it happen for you, click the link above and place your bid.

Blood or Bread World War I Poster Henry Raleigh 1917

This rare World War I poster by Henry Raleigh is up for bid on eBay. The poster was printed in 1917 by Forbes (who would go on to print the Allied Currency in WWII).

Featuring harrowing frontline soldier scene and rationing message, this moving, tremendously modernist and loose depiction of two soldiers on the front lines of the brutal Great War implores those on the home front to avoid waste and squander during the rough times overseas.  According to the listing, the poster features text that reads: "Blood or Bread-- Others are giving their blood you will shorten the war- save life if you eat only what you need, and waste nothing".

To bid on this poster, issued by the United States Food Administration, click the link above.

Create Your Own Bumper Sticker

Through the power of the Internet, you can make your own personalized piece of ephemera. And what could be better than a customized bumper sticker?

The place I recommend online to make them is called BuildASign. Full disclosure: I have an affiliate relationship with BuildASign, but I wouldn't recommed you use them if I didn't believe they're the best place to create your own ephemera.

If you need inspiration, here's a suggestion for a super-cool bumper sticker: "Explore old Paper at ephemera.typepad.com"

 

SS United States Ocean Liner Transportation Poster 1950s

Up for bid on eBay is the gold standard of mid-century modern ocean liner posters, according to the seller of this 1950s advertising lithographed poster for the S.S. United States.

The S.S. United States, says the seller, was a Cold War mixture of commercial and governmental development, a luxury passenger ship subsidized by the American government, that could be turned into a war ship at a moment's notice.  The fastest ocean liner ever built, and a thing of beauty and technological innovation.

If you want to bid on this rare poster--with its great Cold War style--click the link above. You won't be the first--bidding action on this is hot.

Antique French Dictionary Encyclopedia Images and Illustrations

This download collection of images from an antique French dictionary/encyclopedia includes full page illustrations, two versions of the same art deco style alphabet and lovely colored maps.

The alphabet is in the original vintage page color, and in a black & white version, A through Z in both.

The illustration pages are 36 pages of illustrations from the book, with compilations of mammals, birds, ocean life, plants & flowers, minerals & rocks, flags, the human body, manners of dress and more.

There are 29 maps, including almost every country in the world, maps of the continents, and a few different versions of France including a 2 page spread.

There are 117 total images in the collection.

Click here to view more details.

[Link to Etsy seller, Greenpaperpackage, an affiliate partner of the ephemera blog.]

Enrico Caruso Caricature Drawing of La Guardia 1919

A marvelous caricature drawn by Enrico Caruso, the Italian tenor, is up for bid on eBay.

Drawn on a  7x10 page, the caricature is of a man identified on the verso (an old label) as "La Guardia" signed by Caruso, "La Guardia," and two others, according to the listing.

Enrico Caruso (February 25, 1873 – August 2, 1921) sang to great acclaim at the major opera houses of Europe and North and South America, appearing in a wide variety of roles from the Italian and French repertoires that ranged from the lyric to the dramatic, according to Wikipedia.

If you're a fan of Caruso, don't miss your opportunity to own this unique item. Click the link above to bid.