On the other side of the Atlantic, America was celebrating
the 150th anniversary of the inauguration of George Washington as first
President of the U.S.A. with the opening of the New York World’s
Fair on April 30th 1939. The themes of the Fair were “building the
world of tomorrow” and “the interdependence of man”
with the obvious purpose of promoting trade and industry throughout the
world by the stimulation of international friendships. Over 60 foreign
countries participated and the British Pavilion included exhibits from
all the countries of the Empire except Canada and Eire.
Perhaps the most striking element of the Fair was its architecture which
used the most up-to-date industrial technology to fashion the spiralling
gold rings and stainless steel fountains and towers of light. The central
Theme Exhibit was made up of the ‘Perisphere’, a huge sphere
200 feet in diameter, enclosing a diorama of a city of tomorrow; the ‘Trylon’,
an attenuated pyramid 700 feet high, and the ‘Helicline’,
a long circular ramp which led up to the Perisphere.
The ILN published its special ‘New York World’s Fair’
number on April 29th, 1939
(Appendix List No. 126) which illustrates
the main pavilions and architectural motifs.
The cover is a photograph in colour of the Perisphere, Trylon and Helicline
and the highly acclaimed statue of ‘Speed’ in the foreground.
Green lawns, blue sky and water contrast with the stark white of the man-made
architecture.
A yellow border forms the background to the coats of arms and national
emblems of 32 of the participating nations.
This is issue number 5219, vol. 194, pages 695-766, measuring 37 x 26
cm and costing one shilling.