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soaps, lotions, and shampoos As an adult, I stayed in one hotel that provided plush bathrobes of Turkish terrycloth, and another that had a whirlpool bath large enough for 6 people. I%u2019ve patronized a whole range of hotel types over my lifetime. Yet, in each instance, I only paid cursory notice to the presence of stationery in the dresser or nightstand drawer. So, what inspired me to create this collection was not nostalgia related to past personal experiences, but rather my recently discovering examples of early hotel stationery from the decades surrounding the turn of the 20th century. Specifically, I was fascinated by the envelopes (covers) featuring illustrations that showed off the grandeur of the exteriors of the buildings. I also found the graphic styles and layouts used in their design particularly pleasing. They often looked like fine hand-cut engravings, and many probably were. In addition, I appreciated the fact that they had actually been used by guests and employees. Finally, I was intrigued by the varied handwriting styles%u2014executed in both in pencil and dipped pen%u2014as well as early stamps.Thus, I began by collecting early hotel covers%u2014but only from my home state of Indiana. I was surprised that, out of the tens of thousands of guests who had used hotel stationery over many decades, there were few examples available in the marketplace to purchase. Consequently, I expanded my collection to hotel post cards as well. I was particularly drawn to those with an attractive linen finish. Finally, for added variety, I included a few pieces of ephemera, mostly matchbook covers, but also a few other interesting items. This collection is not intended to be comprehensive, with examples from every Indiana hotel that has existed. Instead, it offers a representative glimpse of Indiana establishments from a long-ago era when staying at a hotel was a memorable event, and sending a letter or postcard was the expected thing to do.The Royal Suite at the Hotel Imperial in Vienna.