We Have the Answer and the Collectibles You Want!
Take a walk outside. Stroll into various shops or public places and look at the multitude of flyers, posters and other printed items that are all around. Or think to yourself how many times you’ve been walking in the street and someone’s handed you a flyer for a show, tour or other experience. Probably pretty often, right? Well, in a way you’ve been collecting ephemera for most of your life and haven’t even known it!
Not-So-Hidden Treasure
So, what exactly is ephemera? It’s more or less a swanky term for printed items that normally exist for a specific purpose and for a specific amount of time. Usually these items are thrown away or piled up on a kitchen counter somewhere – not held onto or cherished (think things like magazines and promotional materials). Over time, however, some of these items gather historical value and become sought-after memorabilia.
History on Display
At Bynx, we focus on music-related ephemera – things like concert flyers, posters, programs, tickets, sheet music, etc. – and underground press. But we also have a collection of counterculture ephemera, much of which often coincides with significant moments in music history. Indeed, the two categories are closely aligned in their sentiments — particularly their shared motifs of mainstream subversion. Since the emergence of jazz, musicians have often been at odds with contemporary societal norms. That was as true in the 30s and 60s as it is today.
So, with that said, here are a few of our ephemera highlights:
- Tickets, programs and posters from the famous Isle of Wight festival
- A “Wanted” poster of African-American activist Angela Davis
- Numerous punk “fanzines,” including a complete set of the original Sniffin’ Glue set
- Architectural plans for John Lennon’s Tittenhurst studio
- A poster from the John Sinclair Freedom Rally in 1971
- And more!
We’re thankful to the people with the foresight to preserve these beautiful and unique pieces of ephemera. It’s quite amazing to hold one of these items in your hands and feel the history coursing through them. So, the next time you come across anything that could qualify as ephemera, think twice before you throw it out!
See you at the shop.
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