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OT: My Completed 1939/40 New York World's Fair Memorabilia Collection 1989-2022.

Hi All,

Happy New Year!

I just took these - I think I am done. I certainly can't fit anymore. I think the 1939 Fair collectors will recognize everything but I will happily answer questions.The only thing not in here is the 1938 glass building block from an exhibit building that I lent to The NBM.

The 1939 New York World's Fair

This was collected very carefully to represent what a well-to-do all-American boy, a Boy Scout if you look, would have been given or bought during a few visits to the Fair, like a pen knife, pennant or hat. Some visits with his School, other times with his family and then Boy Scout Day. Some things, like the Closing Day Press Pass; or the Norman Bel Geddes Futurama silver bullet car (last image between the postcard box and Rogers T&P) he would have been given later s it was a functioning part of the General Motors Highways and Horizons Futurama exhibit..

I tried to make it as visually interesting and as colorful as possible. Collecting since 1989. Some things I have never seen again. The School ID tag with string is tough. Westinghouse 1939 TV card only the one here. The Official pin on the card and the Binder poster are actually 1938 promotional items. From what I can tell,

buying only (C) ESC Official Souvenirs and/or licensed souvenirs, just about everything comes from the Fair. Some things, like the late model A Sawyers View Master and hand-lettered reels are from a bit later - 1944. Perhaps a birthday gift. Other things, like the Closing Day Press pass, would be items his father's friends gave him - like the entrance pass to the GM and Firestone lounges. The Pyrex glass dip pen in the tube under the 2 flags, were not made at the Fair as some say, but were made in Corning, NY and given out or sold at the Fair. Other things, like the Bakelite pin, were made right in front of you.

I hope you enjoy! Eric

Three clicks will get you HUGE images.

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Permalink Reply by Eric Keith Longo on January 3, 2022 at 8:02pm

PS - I do have Grover Whalen's autograph in dark blue fountain obtained in 1939 at the Fair on a light blue album page. Whalen was involved in many things from the NYC Police to being a PR man for Coty. He was then President of the 1939 New York World's Fair. It is in the display along with a strip of 11/11/38 35mm contact prints of the Fair Dedication of th Court of Peace but they don't show here.

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Permalink Reply by Eric Keith Longo on January 3, 2022 at 8:18pm

This is the very first time I have seen it all out at once. Back to storage. :/

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Permalink Reply by Eric Keith Longo on January 24, 2022 at 1:15pm

Here is Grover Whalen's autograph on a page obtained at the Fair in 1939. He was President of the New York World's Fair of 1939.

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Permalink Reply by Eddy on January 24, 2022 at 4:11pm

That's a nice autograph Eric......and a great collection!

Whenever I come across the name of Grover Whalen, I think of Groucho Marx singing about the ink on LYDIA THE TATOOED LADY in 1939's AT THE CIRCUS:

Here is Grover Whalen unveilin' the Trylon
Over on the west coast we have Treasure Islan'
Here's Nijinsky a doin' the Rhumba
Here's her Social Security numba
La la la La la la La la la La la la