Broadsides

Broadsides are large sheets of paper printed on one side. From event advertisements to public announcements, they are a predecessor of the modern poster, and would have been affixed in public streets and windows in the 19th century. Through the study of broadsides and other types of commercial ephemera, we are able to explore and follow rapid advances in printing technology and graphic arts, trades, and techniques that had been virtually unchanged since its beginnings in the 15th century. In addition, we get a glimpse into aspects of the daily life of nearly every other Seaport business during the era when New York was becoming a leading commercial center of the nation, and the world.