11 November 2013

1940s Photos: NYC & The New York Worlds Fair













































This treasure chest of photos comes from a single photo album that I bought on eBay several months ago. The set chronicles a couple's trip to New York City (presumably for a wedding at Manhattan's Little Church Around The Corner) and also stands as a record of that couple's visit to the 1939 - 1940 New York World's Fair. Midtown, the NYC skyline and Times Square get a nice representation here (both by day and at night) in some images that, though technically compromised, are hauntingly beautiful. One of the more striking snapshots of the lot is of a nude tableau that was daringly featured in the fair that year. Given the stock-still posturing and conservative appearance of the man and woman who appear to have authored these photos, I wonder if such a public display of nudity shocked them. Perhaps the gentleman snuck a quick photo of the barely-draped dames while the lady walked away, clutching her pearls with a "Well, I never!" countenance.  Regardless, I am grateful to the anonymous man and woman who reached out to me through space and time to share their NYC sojourn with not only myself (but all of you as well).  

PS: What's up with that woman and the military police?