Patriotic Ephemera Collectibles
July is the perfect time to show your patriotism since the month begins with the celebration of America’s independence on the Fourth of July. There are many meaningful ways to show your nationalism, but one simple way is to display patriotic items throughout your home. With countless festive decorations on the market to choose from, I narrowed down the vast options to focus on patriotic ephemera collectibles.
Ephemera is paper items that were originally meant to be discarded after use but have since become collectibles. Following are some types of patriotic ephemera collectibles (there are many more than I cover in this article) and a few ways to preserve and display them in your home.
Sheet Music
Patriotic hymns sung to honor America date back to the 19th century. The U.S. national anthem, the Star-Spangled Banner, was penned by Francis Scott Key in 1814. Samuel Francis Smith wrote My Country, ‘Tis of Thee in 1831. The Battle Hymn of the Republic, also called Mine Eyes Have Seen the Glory, was composed by Julia Ward Howe in 1861. Katherine Lee Bates wrote the lyrics to America the Beautiful in 1893. Stars and Stripes Forever was penned by John Philip Sousa in 1896.
The printed musical notation to these poetic hymns and others were arranged on sheet music. Often patriotic sheet music covers included beautiful graphics depicting the American flag or other nationalistic images.
Vintage sheet music is fairly easy to find for a song (only a few pennies apiece). The best place to find it, in my opinion, is at estate sales. If the house has a piano, be sure to look inside the piano bench—there could be stacks of vintage sheet music available for purchase, including patriotic songs.
Postcards
Rarely practiced today, during the early 20th century, patriotic postcards were purchased, addressed, and sent to loved ones in celebration of Independence Day. The red, white, and blue colored postcards often included detailed images of people like Paul Revere, Betsy Ross, U.S. presidents, and military soldiers. They also depicted images of national personification like Uncle Sam and Rosie the Riveter. Other common Americana symbols included U.S. landmarks like the Liberty Bell or Independence Hall, the U.S. flag, and the bald eagle.
Besides the beautiful graphics, some early patriotic postcards contain poetic text. One postcard depicting Old Glory described it as, “The clustered stars and the steadfast bars, the red, the white and the blue!” Many early postcards were addressed and mailed to their recipient so they contain graceful handwriting (the penmanship was so beautiful back then) and even a postmarked postage stamp (a bonus for you stamp collectors).
Early patriotic postcards are harder to find than other holiday postcards because the Fourth of July wasn’t a popular postcard-sending holiday. Therefore, the prices tend to be higher than other holiday postcards. The best place to find them is at online markets like eBay and Etsy. Typically, early patriotic postcards range from $7 to $15 apiece.
Newspapers or Magazines
Historical newspapers and magazines capture a moment in time as most are dated. Patriotic newspaper clippings include information about U.S.-involved wars, presidential elections, or events to celebrate national patriotic holidays—like parades or fireworks. Patriotic magazines include themes related to Fourth of July or Memorial Day on their front cover. They usually have articles, poems, and illustrations commemorating the holiday. Magazines like LIFE, The Saturday Evening Post, and Harper’s Weekly were known for their patriotic-illustrated front covers.
Early patriotic magazines and newspaper clippings vary in price depending on the specific subject matter, condition, and rarity. The best place to find them is at online markets like eBay and Etsy. You may also stumble upon them at antique stores. An early newspaper clipping can usually cost anywhere from $10 to hundreds of dollars for a scarcer subject matter. An early patriotic magazine can usually range from $10 to $50.
Military or war ephemera covers a wide range of items. Some examples include war letters written to loved ones, war bonds, war ration books or stamps, military posters or pamphlets, and military photos.
Since this is such a large category, many people focus their collection of military or war ephemera on one topic. For example, a collector may only buy ephemera related to World War I. That way, they can gain more knowledge about that specific topic and recognize the value and rarity of pieces related to it.
Since this category has a broad selection of items, they can vary in price depending on the item, condition, and rarity. The best place to find them is at online markets like eBay and Etsy. Often the items are sold online in lots, so it’s easy to have an instant collection. Many antique stores, auctions, and memorabilia dealers also often carry a large assortment of early military or war ephemera. These items can range in price from a few dollars to hundreds of dollars, depending on scarcity.
Displaying Patriotic Ephemera
A fun way to display patriotic ephemera is to frame it and hang it on a wall so others can enjoy and appreciate it. Since ephemera is made of paper, it can easily deteriorate. Be sure to frame it using glass that filters out ultraviolet rays and an acid-free mat board. The ephemera should be free of dust and moisture prior to framing. When framed properly, you are helping to preserve it for years to come.
You could also place sheet music books or magazines in plastic sleeves to protect them. Then simply lean them against the back of a shelf or inside a glass cabinet for visual interest.
Karen Weiss is a freelance writer and enjoys decorating her home with vintage finds from her many collections. She also has an Etsy shop called SimplePatinaFinds.
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