1939 World's Fair: USSR Exhibit Brochure

This was an interesting brochure to read.  Did you know the exhibition in the USSR Pavilion included the life-size copy of the interior of Mayakovskaya station of the Moscow Metro. Designer of the station, Alexey Dushkin, was awarded Grand Prize of the 1939 New York World's Fair.   Here is a photo from the exhibit:

And here is the entire brochure:

Singer Sewing Machine Trading Cards (1892)

This is just one of many old scrapbooks Madeline saved.  I don't know who it actually belonged to, but she once told me that her grandmother Annie used to scrapbook and may be the person responsible for instilling the "need to keep" in Madeline.  Sometimes when I'm in a room where one of these scrapbooks is (they are all over our house), I pick it up and flip through.  Today these Singer Sewing Machine trading cards stood out for me.

The cards are all glued to the page so I cannot see if anything is printed on the back.  However, in my research, I did find that these cards were distributed at the World Columbian Exposition in Chicago, 1893.  This was a set of 36 cards and the back of the card told of the country depicted on front.  The scrapbook contains 34 cards.

1939 World's Fair Fascination

Since I discovered all these booklets and advertising items that Madeline saved and collected from the 39 World's Fair, I have become almost obsessed with it and have been doing some research to learn more.  I came across this wonderful and informative article and wanted to share with you.  Thankfully the author, Bob Brooke, has given me permission to do so.  Please take a minute and check out his website and blog.  You will find it well worth your time.  His website is: http://www.theantiquesalmanac.com/ and his blog:  http://antiquesqa.blogspot.com/. 


Please click on the post title to read Bob's article or use the following link:  http://www.theantiquesalmanac.com/worldsfairsouvenirs.htm.

I welcome anyone's knowledge on this subject or on any items shown in Madeline's Memories.

More From Cuba at the World's Fair

This is a beautiful piece of advertising art.  The brochure folds up to resemble a box of cigars.  This is from the Cuban National Commission for Propaganda and Defense of Havana Tobacco. 

If you are interested in learning more about Cuba in this era I suggest the following book:  "Havana Before Castro; When Cuba was a Tropical Playground" by Peter Moruzzi.

1939 World's Fair - General Motors Exhibit Building

This is the brochure from the General Motors exhibit at the World's Fair.  It is full of hope for the future, specifically focusing on 20 years into the future--1960.

Here is the map of the GM Exhibit Building.

And here is the short film shown at this exhibit.  It is about 23 minutes, but I would advise to fast forward to about the 7:53 mark.  The music is soap opera like and the narrator is over dramatic, but I found it a fascinating look into how GM thought the world would be like in 1960.  One direction, 7 lane highways with separate lanes for 50, 75, and 100 mph!  Elevated turn off exits and elevated sidewalks!  Wonder what happened to all that?

Radio City Music Hall Program, April 21, 1938

This is the program from Thursday, April 21, 1938, Radio City Music Hall.  The program started with the Music Hall Grand Organ, followed by the Music Hall Symphony Orchestra.  The "Glory of Easter" pageant was next, followed by the Disney cartoon "Wynken, Blynken, and Nod", in Technicolor.  "Mickey's Circus", an extravaganza of Disney characters, consisted of 4 acts and was followed by the finale, "The Adventures of Marco Polo".

 

This is the third page of the program.  Take a moment to read the "Please Note" section!  (Click on photo to enlarge.) 

Here are the previews of coming attractions:

 

 

This page is the "Showplace Fashion Guide" by Willa Van and tells you all you ever wanted to know about suede.

Finally, this is the inside back cover, with lots of ads.  You could get a room with a bath at the Hotel Chesterfield for $2.50!  And then have dinner at Kungsholm's for $1.50.  Just add several zeros for today's prices.  Also on this page is an ad for Jack Dempsey's restaurant and bar on Broadway and 49th Street.  My mother once had a nice, large size photo taken at Jack Dempsey's of her and her friends having a good time at Dempsey's.  We came across it one time while looking at old photos when I was about 14 and she tore the photo up!  Why?  Because she was smoking and had a drink in front of her.  Guess she thought that would stop me from ever doing that.  Sorry, Mom! 

Here's another page with some ads:

For more information about the history of Radio City Music Hall, see their website:  http://www.radiocity.com/about/history.html.

Just found this in the box!  It is her itinerary for this trip to NYC and Radio City Music Hall.  It was quite a schedule! 

1946 World Series Red Sox Programs

In honor of the 2010 baseball season opening day for my Baltimore Orioles, today I am showing some of Madeline's 1946 Red Sox memories.  Madeline loved the Red Sox and even knew many of the players from this era.  Her father went to spring training every year and got to know the ball players.  Madeline particularly liked Dave Ferriss, pictured on the cover of the program below.  She had no use for Ted Williams, however, and quite enjoyed the fact that his children fought over his body when he died.

This was an insert in the Boston Globe celebrating the Red Sox winning the American League pennant.  Inside the front cover it states:  "It has been the purpose of the Boston Globe to present New England baseball fans with an appropriate souvenir of the 1946 Red Sox season, which has brought to this city its first American League championship in 28 years."

The booklet is 32 pages and the inside back cover contains a 6 panel foldout team photo, with autographs.  The booklet covers just about everything--a chronology of the season from the Globe sportswriter Jerry Nason; an article written by Ted Williams himself; a comparison of the 1918 Red Sox and the 1946 Red Sox; brief history of Fenway Park; and an article about the Ladies of the Red Sox.

Madeline attended many Red Sox games that year.  Here is the cover of the official program and score card for June 3, 1946. 

And here is her ticket stub.  I told you she kept everything!

Here is the Red Sox lineup for the game:

And the Cardinal line up:

This is the cover of an official program from a game played at Fenway Park.

Toward the end of the 37 page booklet is this page noting the World Series receipts from 1903 through 1945.  I also love the photo of Mrs. John J. Buckley, Ticket Secretary, particularly her hairdo.

The advertising in these booklets is as special as the sports memories.  I will definitely be covering them in a separate post.  I want to take this moment to thank my Dad for introducing me to the Red Sox at Fenway Park, in the bleachers, in the 1960's.  He was an avid Red Sox fan, too.  I really believe that he and Madeline have seats together for the baseball games in heaven.  It's just too bad that Ted Williams cannot play--a little matter of him losing his head!