Retell Seller: An Ephemera Podcast

A stained postcard mailed from La Junta, Colorado in 1907 led me to, a woman named Celia, a job at Ramsay Dry Goods Company, and one sentence that stood out: "I'm not much pleased with town." Writing about how she worked at Ramsay Dry Goods Co. gave me something I could confirm. In the end, the biggest question wasn't about Ramsay Dry Goods at all. It was whether the city was r...

A postcard from 1915, addressed to Judge Nelda Jaeger, led me in search of the woman behind the title. What emerged was the story of an attorney, temporary judge, & public figure whose life was far more complex than the newspaper headlines suggested.  From court cases & elections to family memories shared decades later, this episode explores the public record side & how it doesn't...

Today I share from a card written in 1909, which feels equal parts apology, explanation, & afterthought, all wrapped in one sentence.  I'm sure we can all relate about forgetting someone's birthday. Join me as I share this Postcard Pause. Website: https://retellseller.com/short-sweet-birthday-wish/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U5O_arqnE6U Support the show DISCLAIMER: The...

A tiny hosiery mending kit printed with "Compliments of Roy P. Hull State's Attorney" leads to a larger story. From family visits to a bribery investigation bringing Hull's own name into the headlines. This episode briefly follows the man whose career would eventually collide with charges against him. Website : https://retellseller.com/compliments-of-the-states-attorney/   YouT...

A 1913 postcard from Aunt Mollie contains just a few lines, including a mention of having "the gripp." I follow it into Kentucky newspapers from the same year, where reports of illness appeared alongside everyday updates about life in town.  Along the way, I uncover references to a remedy in a curious HYOMEI inhaler. Sometimes a single sentence is enough to reveal many small stories. Web...

In this episode of Retell Seller, I take a closer look at heavyweight boxer Primo Carnera. A man who was described as everything from gentle & naive to mob-controlled & manufactured.  What sparked this episode is the photo I found online of Primo & Amelia Earhart, who happened to be the topic of my last episode. Website: https://retellseller.com/primo-carnera-takes-flight/ YouTube Vide...

Amelia Earhart’s disappearance is one of the most known stories in aviation history. Even so, many never knew she had an experienced navigator beside her, on the final flight...including me. His name was Fred Noonan. In this episode, I take a look at a pair of Amelia Earhart postal collectibles I'd purchased, which led me into the life of the man many of us somehow overlooked. Website:   http...

A postcard from 1909 captures more than it seems. Written during a streetcar strike in Evansville, it mentions the heat and the need to walk. But the return address traces back to the Reitz home, connecting that short note to a larger presence in the city. Together, they form a snapshot of movement, place, and circumstance, all existing at the same time. Website: https://retellseller.com/walking-p...

A faded ticket envelope becomes a map of movement through the Midwest, out West, and across decades of railroad history.  From the Denver Zephyr’s record-breaking run to the Empire Builder still operating today, this episode explores the trains listed on one small piece of ephemera. Website with all links at end: https://retellseller.com/burlington-route-ticket-envelope/ YouTube: https://youtu.be/...

This episode centers on a small “Forget Me Not” booklet from around the 1950s or ’60s. A congratulatory keepsake written as if from a new baby’s perspective. Page by page, it moves through everyday moments, appropriate to the time, capturing the early pieces of a life just beginning. A lot has changed when it comes to parenting. It was meant to be a record. Something to be held on to. Only it wasn...

A 1909 postcard sent from Wetumka, Oklahoma, with a short handwritten message and a printed verse, leads us back to the work of Ella Wheeler Wilcox. This episode looks at the poem behind the postcard & what it took for her published early on. Website: https://retellseller.com/ella-wheeler-wilcox/ YouTube:  https://youtu.be/7p1NWC40V4s Support the show DISCLAIMER: The content on this site is fo...

A small wax paper bag from 1977 is creased, worn, & was probably never meant to be kept. It leads us back to a craft store in Omaha, Nebraska where they are still offering ways to encourage you to say,  “And I made it myself.” Through old newspaper ads, a changing storefront, and even something called “that awful tunnel,” this episode briefly follows the story of Mangelsen’s. From its beginnin...

Charlie Brown didn’t start everywhere. He started small. Before Peanuts became a brand, it was a comic of a different name.  Once Charles Schulz made it real, a syndicate made it national, and Hallmark made it tangible, it found its way into everyday life like this small group of bulletin board cutouts used to decorate homes, classrooms, and more. Website: https://retellseller.com/peanuts-are-just...

In 1980 Garfield was only two years old already syndicated, already sarcastic, already beloved.  The article captures Jim Davis just off a promotional tour and navigating sudden attention of his lasagna-loving creation. Why did readers connect with a lazy, lasagna-loving cat? Website:   https://retellseller.com/early-days-garfield/  YouTube: https://youtu.be/Gw1nXdRNk7Q Support the show DISCLAIMER...

A 1936 sample card from Wm. WRIGLEY Jr. Co. features three sticks of gum and a lot of promises. A small piece of ephemera becomes a window into how WRIGLEY presented itself to the public in the early 20th century. Website: https://retellseller.com/wrigley-gum-sample-card/ YouTube: https://youtu.be/WjNUje6CscI Support the show DISCLAIMER: The content on this site is for storytelling purposes only....

A 1944 WWII letter sent home, from Camp Stewart, offers a glimpse into family life, distance, and the everyday concerns of a U.S. Army Private First Class.  Even when the full story remains just out of reach but, close enough to feel, it's a story that should be heard. Website: https://retellseller.com/wwii-letter-home/  YouTube: https://youtu.be/92omOqmhCw8 Searching for info on the family:...

It started with finding a 1952 Purdue Yearbook. After having it for a couple years, I finally thought to look & see if any notable people attended at the time. I was excited to find out Ruth Siems, creator of Stove Top Stuffing did. Here's a bit of her story. Website: https://retellseller.com/stove-top-stuffing-inventor/  YouTube: https://youtu.be/ts1g-ivr1os ADDITIONAL LINKS: Instant Stu...

Even now, long after the Depression, we still live with the same mindset, just dressed in modern language. We call it recycling, re-purposing, sustainability. But at its core, it’s the same idea: don’t waste what could be used again. Website: https://retellseller.com/wartime-salvage/ YouTube: https://youtu.be/rPv5DDxOkLs LINKS: Salvage For Victory   National WWII Museum   National Park Service   B...

In the year 1980, this young couple had a baby and a whiskey barrel so, why not make a whiskey barrel cradle for the baby?  Website: https://retellseller.com/whiskey-barrel-cradle/   To see my "amazing" drawing of the puppet theater the way I remember it, check out the YouTube video 😉 LINKS: The title I came up with made we wonder, whatever happened to Billy Idol ?  Here’s the listing f...

When you have a surgery and photos are taken for medical purposes and the doctor dies, where might those photos end up?  Join Angie, a reseller of 10 years as she talks a bit about picking up thousands of medical photographic slides at an estate sale. Website: https://retellseller.com/doctors-note-photo-slides/  YouTube: https://youtu.be/-E_SCf_h_UQ ADDITIONAL LINKS & INFO: Etsy: Listing Matur...

A newspaper article, printed January 6, 1930 focuses on a voter's thoughts on false promises and fading trust. Nearly 100 years later, their words still strike a nerve. In this episode, Angie unpacks a forgotten piece of ephemera that questions the system and asks what it really means to keep believing in something that may never work for everyone. Website: https://retellseller.com/discourage...

In 1930, Peoria truck driver James Easte was 20 years old and stood almost seven feet tall and wanted to try his hand at boxing, leaving behind one small blurb in the papers. 95 years later, we can still root for him. Website: https://retellseller.com/1930s-boxing-ephemera/   YouTube : https://youtu.be/RbI4zM_0m70 Check the website for even more photos & links. Evening Star Clipping James East...

Introducing Retell Seller, An Ephemera Podcast where Angie, a vintage reseller of 10 years will share various snippets of the ephemera she comes across in her sourcing. Listen each Wednesday to find out what the day's story has to say. Website: https://retellseller.com/ephemera-podcast/ YouTube: https://youtu.be/xdBE6sgmPao Support the show DISCLAIMER: The content on this site is for storytel...