Just a short burst of office supply nirvana. I am reliably predictable in my affinity for this sort of ephemera. From, once again, the gimlet-eyed folks over at Present & Correct.

Some flash cards purchased when we were living in Chinatown. At some point in our tenure I tried (and failed) to learn to read Chinese characters. I did figure out how to say hello, thank you, and several variations of happy new year. I also added to my vocabulary the words for a smattering of fruits, vegetables and dumplings. And, if you ask me how to order a beer, I have your back.

Despite the fact that this slim volume was intended for younger children, it tells a compelling story about how far we have come in the world of craft. Among other things. I wonder what Martha would say.

What email used to look like. I have recently been cleaning out my inbox and organizing all other email. What a monstrous task. I thought I had it all under control, but a few lax weeks, and it all goes to hell.

If you have a few hours to spare, I might suggest a little trip over to Sheaff Ephemera. The site is the brainchild of one Richard D. Sheaff. Collector extraordinaire. These figural cameos don’t need much explaining. If you’d like to see more, and there are MORE, go here.

More cigarette cards from the astonishingly large digital collection at the NYPL. In honor of the Olympic Games. Right.

This is the kind of thing that makes me feel nostalgic and weak at the knees. I saw this tracing paper sample book at a wooden cutting board factory up in Vermont. They had a startling array of ephemera just lying around, and my camera died after this shot. Of course. As a matter of information, Kueffel and Esser, more commonly known as K & E, started out in the late 19th century as a company known for making drawing materials, drafting supplies and surveying equipment.