In the Ephemera Collection
The graphic arts ephemera collection contains over 1,600 booksellers' and binders' labels. Arranged alphabetically on index cards, these labels have been acquired from collectors and book dealers over the years. In recent years, it has become routine to photocopy any labels or binders' tickets in volumes and add these to the file, along with information on the provenance of the label.
In Books
General catalog records for less than 1,000 books have the genre term booksellers' labels indicating a label is adhered in the book. The bookseller's name is identified in the catalog record.
General catalog records for less than 500 books have the genre term binders tickets indicating a ticket is adhered in the book. The binder's name is identified in the catalog record.
Access
A name list for the booksellers' and bookbinders' labels housed in the ephemera collection is available. An inventory of the collection (updated summer 2021) is available as an Excel sheet.
A number of these labels were reproduced in "Book Trade Labels at the American Antiquarian Society" in volume 82 of the Proceedings (1972) with a brief introductory note by Marcus A. McCorison.
This collection has not been digitized.