Rare Book Monthly
Book Catalogue Reviews - July - 2007 Issue
World's Fairs and Expositions from Marc Selvaggio
A Buffalo head for Buffalo's fair; map of Japanese Expo that never was.
Here is an even more ironic item. Published in 1937, it touts the planned 1940 International Exposition of Japan. Japanese industrialist and Exposition President Ginjiro Fujihara writes that the fair will promote the "harmonious fusion of Eastern and Western cultures." He goes on to say, "The success of the Exposition will go a long way towards advancing the cause of international peace and goodwill. In all these notable projects Japan is keenly interested." By 1940, it became apparent that Japan was interested in other, not so harmonious projects, and Fujihara's fair never took place. Item 515. $350.
Item 421 is a pamphlet describing the most popular exhibit at the 1939 New York World's Fair, General Motors' Futurama. This exhibit depicted America in the future year of 1960, which included cars speeding along automated highways at 100 miles per hour. They were a bit too ambitious on that prediction. The exhibit could accommodate 600 people at a time. They traveled on moving chairs across the America of the future. $50.
Glimpses of the Pan American Exposition is a booklet cleverly die-cut into the shape of a Buffalo's head. This 1901 exposition took place in Buffalo, New York. While it was undoubtedly a wonderful fair, it is now best remembered as being the place where President McKinley was assassinated. Item 92. $75.
You might think McKinley's successor would be scared off from attending fairs, but nothing scared Teddy Roosevelt. A year and a half later, he was presenting the Address of President Roosevelt upon the occasion of the Opening of the Louisiana Purchase Exposition, St. Louis, April 30, 1903. This fair celebrated the centennial of America's greatest land purchase and expansion. Item 110. $50.
You may reach Marc Selvaggio at 800-356-2199 or dsbooks.comcast.net.
