Organizing, storing (or even bothering to keep) late 20th Century typefoundry ephemera

Marc Oxborrow
Marc Oxborrow Posts: 220
edited June 2015 in History of Typography
Type has been a strong interest of mine since I first became a graphic designer back in the mid-'80s. As a consequence, I've got boxes full of typefoundry ephemera that have now followed me through several offices and one cross-country move.

Earlier this year I became self-employed (by choice) and moved into a home office. Space, both mental and physical, is at a greater premium and I'm wondering whether I want to keep this stuff any longer.

How do any of you hoarders, er, collectors manage your stacks and boxes?

Comments

  • George Thomas
    George Thomas Posts: 645
    If you don't use it, that's a good sign you should divest yourself of it either by throwing it away, giving it away or selling it. A lot of what you seem to have shows up on eBay and usually finds a willing buyer.
  • Stephen Coles
    Stephen Coles Posts: 1,007
    edited June 2015
    Congrats on your new freedom, Marc! Our collections sound similar, though mine doesn’t go back quite as far. I’ve got hundreds of printed specimens for digital type which I just kept in a filing cabinet alphabetized by foundry.

    The Letterform Archive has the largest collection of foundry ephemera I’ve seen. They recently completed a new system in which each item (brochure, pamphlet, one-sheet) are placed in an clear, mylar envelope with a folded sheet of black card stock which keeps the thing rigid and makes a spine where a tape label is applied. These are then stacked vertically on the shelf with the bound foundry catalogs for easy access. This is more work than I'll ever do for my own collection, and since my pals and I are the only ones who ever see my stuff I decided to donate it the Archive so it can be seen by far more people and enhance what is otherwise a mostly analog collection.

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