California Ephemera

Ephemera News

Are you feeling peckish and want to look at restaurant menus from 1905? Do you have a yen to see advertisements from 1890? Then we have the resource for you. Our massive ephemera files include rarities like historic event programs, sheet music, certificates, receipts, shape books, campaign memorabilia, trade cards, posters, bottle stoppers, and even buttons! Although, we don’t have online records for all of the items in these files, you can get a feel for the scope of this amazing collection by searching the California Information File II. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us.

More Ephemera

The items we have highlighted on this page just barely hint at the richness of our collection. You can obtain a fuller idea of our holdings by searching the California Information File II or consulting with one of our librarians. The best way to fully explore this collection is to plan to visit us.

Remote Access

You can see digital copies of some of our ephemera in our California Calls You exhibit or the California Information File II. If you aren’t finding what you want, please email us with your questions.

Reproductions

We permit no-flash photography of these materials and can arrange for low-resolution copies of much of our ephemera. If you have any questions about these services, please feel free to contact us.

Menu with illustration of a man and woman in colorful, fancy clothing standing in front of a series of arches and a floral pattern. The man holds a bottle of champagne. A fleur-des-lis adorns the bottom-left corner. Text: Banquet de la Ligue Henri IV. Menu.
Poster with illustration of a woman sitting on a fallen tree and looking across a lake. A fish jumps in the near distance, and in the background is a sailboat. Text: Lake Tahoe.
Poster with illustration of a large complex of white buildings with landscaped path leading to it. Text: San Diego 1916 Exposition. Dedication March 18th. New International.