*tat (noun) – anything that looks cheap, is of low quality, or in bad condition;
junk, rubbish, debris, detritus, crap.
*This book was concieved over thirty years ago under the title – Andy’s Big Book of Shite.
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*tat (noun) – anything that looks cheap, is of low quality, or in bad condition;
junk, rubbish, debris, detritus, crap.
*This book was concieved over thirty years ago under the title – Andy’s Big Book of Shite.
7
One of my most treasured pieces of graphic ephemera. I picked this up off the street in San Francisco’s Chinatown in 1984. A torn side of a cardboard box, it was just lying there in the centre of the road and literally had my name on it.
This is a book of tat*. Printed ephemera. Graphic nonsense. Typographic trash. Collected over 30 years. Stuck in a book. Enjoy.
As an art student in the early 1980’s I stumbled across a fading newsagents in my home town of Warrington, that was clearing out its old stock. In amongst the dusty shelves were quirky musical birthday cards, tiny comics, B movie jigsaws and cheap plastic novelties. I eagerly purchased two bags full for next to nothing. As I admired my new haul of graphic treasure strewn across the bedroom floor, my Mum enquired “What are you going to do with all this rubbish?” – now I finally have an answer for her. 9
One of my most treasured pieces of graphic ephemera. I picked this up off the street in San Francisco’s Chinatown in 1984. A torn side of a cardboard box, it was just lying there in the centre of the road and literally had my name on it.
This is a book of tat*. Printed ephemera. Graphic nonsense. Typographic trash. Collected over 30 years. Stuck in a book. Enjoy.
As an art student in the early 1980’s I stumbled across a fading newsagents in my home town of Warrington, that was clearing out its old stock. In amongst the dusty shelves were quirky musical birthday cards, tiny comics, B movie jigsaws and cheap plastic novelties. I eagerly purchased two bags full for next to nothing. As I admired my new haul of graphic treasure strewn across the bedroom floor, my Mum enquired “What are you going to do with all this rubbish?” – now I finally have an answer for her. 9
ice lolly wrappers wrestling posters religious stickers soap powder boxes matchbox labels discount coupons lucky bags football stickers firework labels sheriff badges cardboard guns flash cards sweet packets bingo cards magic tricks cut-out dolls action rubdowns health & safety signs speedway programmes railway signs large letter postcards shooting targets betting slips victorian scraps seed packets
vending stickers letter stencils model aeroplane decals telephone dial labels scrap books writing pads birthday cards QSL cards perfume boxes warning signs crest & monogram albums plastic toy labels birthday cards knitting patterns fruit crate labels bus tickets space stamps cigarette cards gummed labels pencils drinks labels betting slips transfers tart cards milk bottle tops x-ray specs garbage bags cut-out models 11
ice lolly wrappers wrestling posters religious stickers soap powder boxes matchbox labels discount coupons lucky bags football stickers firework labels sheriff badges cardboard guns flash cards sweet packets bingo cards magic tricks cut-out dolls action rubdowns health & safety signs speedway programmes railway signs large letter postcards shooting targets betting slips victorian scraps seed packets
vending stickers letter stencils model aeroplane decals telephone dial labels scrap books writing pads birthday cards QSL cards perfume boxes warning signs crest & monogram albums plastic toy labels birthday cards knitting patterns fruit crate labels bus tickets space stamps cigarette cards gummed labels pencils drinks labels betting slips transfers tart cards milk bottle tops x-ray specs garbage bags cut-out models 11
Growing up in the 1960’s and 70’s as a boy it was hard to avoid cowboys. Every birthday or Christmas there was always the possibility of a new cap gun or cowboy hat. My grandmother even made me my own cowboy outfit – all in black to mimic my favourite television cowboy, The Virginian. My granddad was also constantly reading pulp fiction cowboy novels from the local library with their wonderfully illustrated covers. The mythical graphic imagery created around the cowboy is still engrained in my mind.
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Growing up in the 1960’s and 70’s as a boy it was hard to avoid cowboys. Every birthday or Christmas there was always the possibility of a new cap gun or cowboy hat. My grandmother even made me my own cowboy outfit – all in black to mimic my favourite television cowboy, The Virginian. My granddad was also constantly reading pulp fiction cowboy novels from the local library with their wonderfully illustrated covers. The mythical graphic imagery created around the cowboy is still engrained in my mind.
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*This wonderful 35mm slide is one of many that I have bought on Ebay. It was around 2005 that photographer and friend Julian Germain first introduced me to Ebay. He said ‘Andy, you are going to love this.’. He was not wrong. I was instantly addicted. Where else could one find a George Best jam jar lid. Until then I had sourced all my tat from junk shops, jumble sales, flea markets and friends. I could now buy ephemera from all around the world without leaving home. Dangerous.
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*This wonderful 35mm slide is one of many that I have bought on Ebay. It was around 2005 that photographer and friend Julian Germain first introduced me to Ebay. He said ‘Andy, you are going to love this.’. He was not wrong. I was instantly addicted. Where else could one find a George Best jam jar lid. Until then I had sourced all my tat from junk shops, jumble sales, flea markets and friends. I could now buy ephemera from all around the world without leaving home. Dangerous.
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