Collection Guide
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California Business Ephemera Collection
BUS EPH
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Table of contents
Language of Material:
English
Contributing Institution:
California Historical Society
Title: California business ephemera collection
Identifier/Call Number: BUS EPH
Physical Description:
78.5 Linear feet
Date (inclusive): 1849-2000
Physical Location: Collection is stored onsite.
Language of Material: Collection
materials are in English.
Abstract: Consists of a variety of ephemera pertaining to
California businesses, mainly from San Francisco and the greater Bay Area, with large
portions from Sacramento, Stockton, and Los Angeles. The bulk of the material dates from the
mid 19th century through the early 20th century. Businesses range from major companies to
small enterprises. Types of business represented include: mining, manufacturing, financial,
utilities, import, transportation, travel, restaurants, and retail. Contains ephemera
related to many aspects of business, including: advertisements, promotional and sales
material, manufacturers sales catalogs, brochures, trade cards, forms, business cards,
annual reports, stock certificates, theatrical playbills, travel guides, menus, tickets,
invitations, newsletters, directories, receipts, letterhead, newspaper clippings and
magazine articles.
CHS is not taking appointments for research at this time. Please check the Library's website updates:
https://californiahistoricalsociety.org/collections/north-baker-research-library/
All requests to reproduce, publish, quote from or otherwise use collection materials must
be submitted in writing to the Director of the Library and Archives, North Baker Research
Library, California Historical Society, 678 Mission Street, San Francisco, CA 94105. Consent
is given on behalf of the California Historical Society as the owner of the physical items
and is not intended to include or imply permission from the copyright owner. Such permission
must be obtained from the copyright owner.
Restrictions also apply to digital representations of the original materials. Use of
digital files is restricted to research and educational purposes.
[Identification of item], [File name], California Business Ephemera Collection, California
Historical Society.
Biography Collection
California Biography Collection
California Ephemera Collection
San Francisco Ephemera Collection
Menu Collection
Theater Ephemera Collection
Additions to the collection are ongoing.
Processed by California Ephemera Project staff, funded by a Cataloging Hidden Special
Collections and Archives grant from the Council on Library and Information Resources, in
2009-2010.
Collection is arranged alphabetically.
Consists of a variety of ephemera pertaining to California businesses, mainly from San
Francisco and the greater Bay Area, with large portions from Sacramento, Stockton, and Los
Angeles. The bulk of the material dates from the mid 19th century through the early 20th
century. Businesses range from major companies to small enterprises. Types of business
represented include: mining, manufacturing, financial, utilities, import, transportation,
travel, restaurants, and retail. There are significant holdings for longstanding businesses,
including Gump's, Emporium, Orpheum Theatre, Pacific Gas & Electric Company, Palace
Hotel, Southern Pacific Railroad Company, and Standard Oil Company.
Contains ephemera related to many aspects of business, including: advertisements,
promotional and sales material, manufacturers sales catalogs, brochures, trade cards, forms,
business cards, annual reports, stock certificates, theatrical playbills, travel guides,
menus, tickets, invitations, newsletters, directories, receipts, letterhead, newspaper
clippings and magazine articles.
Individual ephemera files can contain a single item or more extensive amounts of material,
ranging from commercial print material to handwritten documents.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Advertisements.
Annual reports.
Brochures.
Business cards.
Business enterprises--California--Los Angeles.
Business enterprises--California--Sacramento.
Business enterprises--California--San Francisco.
Business enterprises--California--Stockton.
Business enterprises--California.
Business records.
California Ephemera Project.
Clippings.
Companies.
Company stores.
Invitations.
Letterheads.
Manufacturer's catalogs.
Menus.
Newsletters.
Playbills.
Promotional materials.
Receipts (financial records)
Small business--California--San Francisco.
Small business--California.
Stock certificates.
Tickets.
Trade cards.
Travel guidebooks.