All The World's A Stage

I grew up in a very theatrical home. My parents loved "The Theatre", and were very involved in the community theater wherever we lived. We had a huge collection of books of plays and on acting, piles of Samuel French scripts, and an amazing collection of records which Dad used in making the soundtracks for his awesome productions. I remember my neighbor friends always asking what was up with all the weird music playing at our house? As an adult, I have had the pleasure of seeing many great plays, especially at my favorite theatre, South Coast Repertory in Costa Mesa, CA.

After moving to Ohio, and becoming an antiques dealer, I discovered antique paper shows, and became enthralled with all the colorful lithographed postcards and labels I saw. My favorite paper show has always been the Columbus Postcard, Paper & Book Show.

I showed my treasures to my Mom, and she was immediately hooked, too, and in short order put together a large collection of theatrical items. and so, we come to the reason for today's post. I'm announcing Mom's new Ecrater shop:

EPHEMERA ~ Theatrical Collectibles & More

• " EPHEMERA offers theatrical memorabilia from the 1800s & early 1900s: postcards, cabinet cards, cigarette cards, tobacco silks, playbills, broadsides, flyers, souvenir programs, a splendid collection of stone-lithographed cigar box labels, and theatrical weeklies & monthlies that were popular back in the day.
• Our background is liberally sprinkled with performers of every stripe—comedian, tragedian, vaudevillian, and all manner of warbler & terpsichorean—setting the stage for a grand collection of theatrical mementos.
• But now the book's been written, space has been reduced, and our treasured ephemera is being offered to you who share our fondness for theatrical history. "

Here are some of my favorite items she has in her shop:

• BACHELOR CIGARS Rare Uncut Inner Box Label 19th C Theater Actresses Sorma Duse Rejane Terry Marlowe
  

• 1492 Cigar Box Inner Label Theater Actor RICHARD HARLOW 1890s Drag QUEEN ISABELLA Musical Comedy

• STAGE PICTORIAL Magazine Nov 1912 Theater Actors Actresses Photos Broadway Vaudeville Burlesque
  

• Billie Burke Tobacco Silk Photo Theater Actress Movies WIZARD OF OZ Glinda Ziegfeld Topper

• MAYTIME Program Broadhurst Theatre NY Apr 1918 Actors WWI Liberty Bonds Shubert Romberg Vintage Ads

• Billy Rose Diamond Horseshoe Program Theater 1939 NY World's Fair Aquacade Esther Williams

• ELLEN TERRY Photo Postcard British Theatre Classic Actress Shakespeare Films F-M-N Novels Trade Card

• Eddie Cantor Vintage Photo Postcard Actor Comic Singer Theater Vaudeville Radio Movies Matador

• Billie Burke Real Photo Postcard Theater Actress Movies WIZARD OF OZ Glinda Ziegfeld Topper RPPC

Mom's adding new items every day. If you love the theater, check out her shop. Thanks!

EPHEMERA ~ Theatrical Collectibles & More