The Business of Ephemera

Various types of ephemera were integral to the operations of small businesses. Pamphlets for businesses communicating various types of information proved very useful for both customers and the businesses.

Small businesses often employed advertising ephemera to market their brand and wares.

Although these small, cardboard boxes also seen in the window display of the sweet shop photograph may look more like Chinese food takeout boxes to our modern eyes, they were often used for ice cream in the first half of the twentieth century. Hear more about these boxes and the candy store photo from Franklin Fountain owner Ryan Berley here.

Franklin Fountain ice cream box

Philadelphia; 2019

Paper, ink

Franklin Fountain Collection

Ice cream box

United States; 1920s

Paper, ink, metal

Franklin Fountain Collection

Container

United States; ca. 1900

Glass

Franklin Fountain Collection