Ephemera collection on Chinese science, technology, law, and society, circa 1906-2010, bulk 1931-1981

Summary Information

At a Glance

Arrangement

Arrangement

Arranged by material type. The collection consists of 4 series.

• Series I: Books and Ephemera, 书册类, circa 1906-1986
• Series II: Flash Cards, 彩色卡片, 1949- circa 1956
• Series III: Lantern Slides, 幻灯片, circa 1970-1985
• Series IV: Posters, 海报, circa 1949-2010

Description

Scope and Contents

The Ephemera collection on Chinese science, technology, law, and society (中国科技法律社会汇集) contains over 800 items published in China, dating from circa 1906 to 2010, with its bulk dating from 1931 to 1981. Materials include pamphlets, handbooks, picture books, posters, lantern slides, literacy flash cards, etc. The subject areas of the materials include science, technology, agriculture, personal hygiene, economy, culture, law, society, and politics, etc. The collection also includes works that reflected social, political, industrial transformation in China.

• Series I: Books and Ephemera, 书册类, circa 1906-1986

  This series consists of 390 printed items of ephemera published and circulated in China dating from circa 1906 to 1986. Materials include booklets from publication series on subjects including natural science, agriculture, health, mathematics, crafting, social science, etc. Some of the materials were possibly used as education resources for students from kindergarten to junior high school. Some of the ephemera printed by the Chinese national and local government offices as well as other popular publishers were for dissemination of information on topics related to industries, public health, politics, social policies, law, etc. Also included are pamphlets and brochures from trade exposition events in China as well as handbooks and vocational manuals related to agricultural and industrial production and machineries.

• Series II: Flash Cards, 彩色卡片, 1949- circa 1956

  This series consists of 2 sets of color flash cards on children vocabulary dating from 1949 to circa 1956.

• Series III: Lantern Slides, 幻灯片, circa 1970-1985

  This series consists of 208 lantern slides with brochures in 8 sets on basic knowledge of hygiene, society and earthquake for primary school education dating from circa 1970 to 1985.

• Series IV: Posters, 海报, circa 1949-2010

  This series comprises 210 color posters in 24 sets, along with pamphlets, dating from circa 1949 to 2010. The subjects of the poster sets include natural science, industries, health, agriculture, politics, social development, and so on.

Using the Collection

C. V. Starr East Asian Library

Other Finding Aids

Each poster set in Series 4 was also cataloged under the Ephemera Collection on Chinese Science, Technology, Law, and Society.

Conditions Governing Access

This collection is located on site. This collection has no restrictions.

Conditions Governing Use

Single photocopies may be made for research purposes. The C.V. Starr East Asian Library maintains ownership of the physical material only. Copyright remains with the creator and his/her heirs. The responsibility to secure copyright permission rests with the patron.

Preferred Citation

Identification of specific item; Date (if known); Box and Folder; Ephemera collection on Chinese science, technology, law, and society; C.V. Starr East Asian Library, Columbia University.

Accruals

Materials may have been added to the collection since this finding aid was prepared. Contact starr@library.columbia.edu for more information.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Purchase from Don Jonathan, Cohn, Don Cohn Limited, 2017.

About the Finding Aid / Processing Information

Columbia University Libraries, C. V. Starr East Asian Library

Processing Information

Cataloged by Wei Zheng, 2018. Finding aid created by Yingwen Huang, 2019.

Subject Headings

The subject headings listed below are found in this collection. Links below allow searches at Columbia University through the Archival Collections Portal and through CLIO, the catalog for Columbia University Libraries, as well as ArchiveGRID, a catalog that allows users to search the holdings of multiple research libraries and archives.

All links open new windows.

Genre/Form

Subject

History / Biographical Note

Biographical / Historical

The Ephemera collection on Chinese science, technology, law, and society was collected by Don Jonathan Cohn during his career in China. Most of the materials came from dealers in China which had connections with educational and governmental institutions and libraries, as the materials were at one point discarded by the former owners and institutions. The collection was purchased by the C.V. Starr East Asian Library in 2017.