Ephemera:

Ephemera is a broad term used to describe items of paper that were created for use in a short time span and meant to be thrown away after one or two uses. Items generally put into the ephemera category of collecting would be sheet music, posters, stock certificates, post cards, cigarette cards, magazines, catalogs, and the like.
_____________________________________________



Wednesday, January 5, 2011

Mademoiselle Magazine, March 1942

In a box of goodies from our last haul of Madeline's Memories, I discovered 3 very old copies of  "Mademoiselle" magazine.  The magazine was first published in 1935 as a sister publication to "Glamour".  The magazine was known for publishing short stories by authors who later became quite famous (Truman Capote, Jane Smiley, Sue Miller, Sylvia Plath) and for their internships. Sylvia Plath wrote of her experiences during the summer of 1953 as a guest editor at Mademoiselle in her novel, The Bell Jar.  The final issue was published in November 2001.  I always preferred Mademoiselle to Glamour.  (I wonder what that means!)



This is the cover of the March 1942 issue.  She wrote her name on the cover as I'm sure the magazine was coveted at the University of New Hampshire.   From looking at this cover, you would never know that World War II was about to happen in just a few months.  (Click on photos to enlarge and enjoy.)



Shoe advert could be in "Vogue" today!



"We're going to be a sterling family."  I think you'll find stainless steel much easier to clean, lady.



I draw your attention to the ad on the bottom left, "For Smoking Drivers".  Touch a button and a lit cigarette can be yours!  Love that it touts "Makes for safety while driving"!  Only $2.95.





Wonder why this never caught on?!  I think in theory it is a good idea, but ever since Oprah proclaimed that women did not need to wear slips, I threw all mine away. 



What they were thinking in 1942.



Pretty dresses.  Classics always stay in style.



Pants!  When they were just an option. (Sort of like skirts are today.)



I found this article interesting.  I was an Army wife for 22 years and lived in a few temporary places, but I just sucked it up and counted the days (usually just a few months) before we moved into a more permanent home (permanent for a few years, anyway).  The pic below is the reverse side of the page; the boxes match up.  Take a minute to read them, especially if you need a laugh.






So she's only engaged because she uses Ponds?  I've used Ponds since I was a teenager and didn't get engaged until I was 26.  Guess it doesn't work on everyone!



Lady in Waiting maternity slip.  I didn't even need Oprah to tell me I wasn't going to wear a slip when I was pregnant.



Funny article about the den.  We call them man-caves now.  Not much has changed.

I really enjoy looking through old magazines.  This was a 234 page tome!  There are many more ads from this magazine to share as well as two more magazines to go through.  Sometimes I imagine someone in 2025 picking up a copy of the January "Martha Stewart Living" and laughing about us and our notions. 




Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Happy New Year!



Madeline's Memories would like to wish you a very happy and healthy 2011!



And whoever this lady is, she wishes you a happy new year for 1916!




Thursday, December 16, 2010

What I've Been Up To

We took a little trip last weekend to pick up the last load of "Madeline's Memories".  My brother-in-law was graciously storing this last load at his home since April.  It was a little sad for me to know that this is the last time we will bring her memories to our home, but it's also probably a good thing, as we are beginning to run out of space to store it all!  Here are some photos of the treasures which will show up here in 2011. 


A silver punch bowl full of old letters and photos.


The punch bowl sitting on my father-in-law's Washington & Lee chair.


That's a 48 star flag in a box containing an old metal doll house.  (I have to put it together!)



I've nicknamed this guy "Ebenezer" because we don't know who he is (yet!).


A great old wood crate and another family bible. 




 
A great old table with bowl and pitcher.  We put a plant in the bowl.



This rocking chair was in what was called "the best living room", which we only gathered in on Christmas to open presents.  I always thought it was stiff and uncomfortable, but now it's in our family room and I'm starting to like it a lot.


A photo of her father's chicken farm, with sign. 

I want to wish all readers of Madelines Memories a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.  When it's all over, I'll be back on a regular basis.  I'm planning to start 2011 with one of Madeline's diaries.  They may have to have a blog of their own. 




Friday, December 3, 2010

Vintage Christmas Cards


In honor of receiving our first Christmas card yesterday, from our good friend Edward Jones, I pulled out my folder of Christmas cards from Madeline's memories.  Greeting cards are the only category that I have an organization/storage system for.  That is number one on my New Year's Resolution List:  to organize all of  Madeline's memories.  I hope you enjoy these old cards, mostly from the 40's and 50's. 




Inside of the bunny card.  I thought it was funny to use bunnies for Christmas!







Verse inside.  I love how sentimental it is.  And didn't my father-in-law have beautiful handwriting?








Back of the card.  So sweet!









Some cards never change.  I think this captures Christmas.



A Christmas telegram from her parents and younger brother.



This card is like a little book.





Merry Christmas to everyone!




Tuesday, November 23, 2010

"My School Day Autobiography"


Although the cover says this little book is an autobiography, Madeline used it more as an autograph book.  You may recall the previous post I did on her grandmother's school autograph book. 


The first pages are a list of her teachers and classmates.  (Click on pic to enlarge.)





Here are some of the autograph pages: