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Tuesday, December 20, 2022
New York Week, Day 5 - Off to Queens to see the Ritter Brothers
The 1939 New York World's Fair was held in Queens, the home of the Ritter Brothers,
who lived in the Astoria section. Today we look at their strictly 1930s careers.
Trylon and Perisphere, the iconic emblem of that Worlds Fair. The Perisphere held a futuristic diroama designed by Henry Dreyfuss. My mother and her family went to the fair in 1939 and 1940. The 1939 season was more serious and had more exhibitor countries. The 1940 season was more centered at amusement. Being of Hungarian and Polish descent her mother had to see the pavilions of those countries. The Hungarian exhibit included the famous folk-art of the country along with Halas lace, Matyos embroidery, Zsolnay and Herend porcelains, Ajka glass and crystal. More eye-catching was the pavilion of Poland, a striking tower of copper emblems and a statue of King Jagiello on horseback and an exhaustive exhibit of Polish pride. Her Spanish father was left disappointed, due to the civil war there was no pavilion. Instead, the very amusing 'Dream of Venus' by Salvador Dali, a surreal funhouse of sorts. They especially liked Electro the Robot at the Westinghouse exhibit and General Motors vision of the future by Bel Geddes. Other pavilions they liked were those of the USSR, the enigma of countries. France and Italy both had great restaurants. The French had Le Pavilion and the Italians had one designed like an art deco dining room on one of their oceanliners. The Greek pavilion with its mosaics and photomontages by Nelly. The pavilion of Czechoslovakia was the one all paid homage to, in defiance of Nazi Germany. The pavilion of Finland, another homage, in defiance of the USSR. WWII eventually affected the fair. When they went in 1940 the pavilions of the USSR, Poland and Czechoslovakia were gone. More time for amusement, the Aquacade with Johnny Weissmuller, Frank Bucks Jungleland and Jiggs the trained monkey, the bob-sled ride, parachute tower and a village of dwarfs. They also had more adult entertainment in the form of several shows with topless ladies. The Bendix temple and its 'maidens', the 'ice-woman' and a striking couple doing a breath-taking adagio act in the skimpiest of costumes. My grandfather and some of his friends went to those while their ladies went about the fair grounds. There were complaints, but it fell on deaf ears. It was quite a time. - Rj/IE
My folks got a free trip to the '64 Fair when Ford gave the first 100 people who bought their new 6000 series tractor a trip for two. My dad didn't even know about the prize when he bought it. He just needed a new top of the line tractor.
I never got to go to either one, born in 63 so no 39/40 fair and too young to go to the 64/65 fair. My mom's dad was lucky he got to go to the 39/40 fair, the 64 fair, the 37 Paris fair and the 58 Brussels fair (in good part due to having relatives living in Paris, thank the Spanish Civil War for that). Would have gone to the 33 Chicago fair but was busy raising a family. - Rj/IE
Trylon and Perisphere, the iconic emblem of that Worlds Fair.
ReplyDeleteThe Perisphere held a futuristic diroama designed by Henry Dreyfuss.
My mother and her family went to the fair in 1939 and 1940.
The 1939 season was more serious and had more exhibitor countries.
The 1940 season was more centered at amusement.
Being of Hungarian and Polish descent her mother had to see the pavilions of those countries. The Hungarian exhibit included the famous folk-art of the country along with Halas lace, Matyos embroidery, Zsolnay and Herend porcelains, Ajka glass and crystal. More eye-catching was the pavilion of Poland, a striking tower of copper emblems and a statue of King Jagiello on horseback and an exhaustive exhibit of Polish pride. Her Spanish father was left disappointed, due to the civil war there was no pavilion. Instead, the very amusing 'Dream of Venus' by Salvador Dali, a surreal funhouse of sorts.
They especially liked Electro the Robot at the Westinghouse exhibit
and General Motors vision of the future by Bel Geddes. Other pavilions they liked were those of the USSR, the enigma of countries. France and Italy both had great restaurants. The French had Le Pavilion and the Italians had one designed like an art deco dining room on one of their oceanliners. The Greek pavilion with its mosaics and photomontages by Nelly. The pavilion of Czechoslovakia was the one all paid homage to, in defiance of Nazi Germany. The pavilion of Finland, another homage, in defiance of the USSR. WWII eventually affected the fair. When they went in 1940 the pavilions of the USSR, Poland and Czechoslovakia were gone. More time for amusement, the Aquacade with Johnny Weissmuller, Frank Bucks Jungleland and Jiggs the trained monkey, the bob-sled ride, parachute tower and a village of dwarfs. They also had more adult entertainment in the form of several shows with topless ladies. The Bendix temple and its 'maidens', the 'ice-woman' and a striking couple doing a breath-taking adagio act in the skimpiest of costumes. My grandfather and some of his friends went to those while their ladies went about the fair grounds. There were complaints, but it fell on deaf ears. It was quite a time. - Rj/IE
Went to the '64 World's Fair...was not born for the one in '39.
ReplyDeleteMy folks got a free trip to the '64 Fair when Ford gave the first 100 people who bought their new 6000 series tractor a trip for two. My dad didn't even know about the prize when he bought it. He just needed a new top of the line tractor.
DeleteI never got to go to either one, born in 63 so no 39/40 fair and too young to go to the 64/65 fair. My mom's dad was lucky he got to go to the 39/40 fair, the 64 fair, the 37 Paris fair and the 58 Brussels fair (in good part due to having relatives living in Paris, thank the Spanish Civil War for that). Would have gone to the 33 Chicago fair but was busy raising a family. - Rj/IE
Delete