Since man first learnt to communicate he has wanted to correspond with his fellow man. From cave dweller to e-books, we have moved forward tremendously, sometimes in secrecy and sometimes against adversity, with book burnings and bannings. Some books took years and years to produce, like the ‘codex gigas’ or the ‘Devils Bible’. The process back then would be a scribe to write and a Rubricator to edit. They would also add in titles, capitals and paragraph marks in red, which is where the name comes from. Then the book would be finally given to the illuminator to add in the illustrations. A vast difference to today’s modern methods.
Finding Your Personal Collection
Alongside communicating with each other, people are also predisposed to collect things. Why do people collect? There is no single answer to that, as the reasons can be variable, from investment potential to a personal association with the history of the objects involved. At one time chasing auctions would have required a lot of research, travel and missed opportunities if you were not aware of items coming up for sale. The internet changed all of that with online browsers like Google providing prolific information. Then came the onset of online auctions like barnebys, allowing global bidding to take place and saving considerable time and money.
Ephemera – Lasting Long Beyond Their Time
From rare books to old bookmarks, collecting ephemera has remained extremely popular. Once known as the ‘old paper market’ it has developed an extensive global market The term means types of printed material that were never intended to last, but as they have, they have become widely sought after. Advertisements from slave auction notices to wartime warnings all attract interested bidders and has increased their investment value. The wealth of information for anyone interested in history is amazing, depicting real life events and opinions from a different era. Collecting ephemera is not just limited to prominent collectors, the internet has made this open to all. Reducing the need for the printed word, it has provided a way of maintaining and disseminating these fabulous items. You can check online catalogues, with video footage or 3D imaging to allow in-depth viewing. Bidding is simple and even attending a live auction through your webcam is possible. Collecting ephemera has never been so easy.
