Art Deco Society

We are a non-profit organization that brings together Art Deco enthusiasts with a variety of interests. Whether you are an Art Deco historian or just discovering your passion for the era, we host distinctive events that will inspire and delight you. Our members enjoy activities that embrace the many aspects of Art Deco. These include lectures, private curated museum tours, film screenings, architectural tours, preservation awareness meetings, vintage dress events with live music from the era, and so much more. Please visit our upcoming events page to learn more about these great happenings!

CardCow

The best and largest selection of 1939 New York World's Fair post cards anywhere.

The selection of postcards and paper ephimera is not limited to just the Fair. Their selection ranges from Advertising to Universities and everthing in between.

CardCow also purchases pre-1970 paper itmes. Visit their site to view their selection and see first hand what they have to offer.

Getty Images

Sherman Oaks Antique Mall Collection

While the slides have been in the possession of Janice Johnson (owner of Sherman Oaks Antique Mall) for many years she only recently took a look at what she had and approached Getty Images to represent them.

They were purchased from the grandson of the photographer but unfortunately over the years the name of the photographer has been lost. After having them professionally scanned, they are now available to be licensed on the Getty Images web site.

Gustave Martens videos on YouTube

Filmed on 16mm Kodachrome by Gustave A. Martens (1900-1977) of College Point, NY at the 1939 New York World's Fair.

Part 1: Trylon and Perisphere and the Theme Center, Electric Utilities Pavilion, aA rare glimpse at the underbelly of the Perisphere, the Avenue of Patriots, Communications Plaza and Hall of Communications (with the red pylons), Star Pylon, the British Pavilion and the Italian Pavilion, Petroleum Pavilion. bird's eye views filmed from the Perisphere, Pennsylvania Pavilion and Court of States, and Railroads on Parade.

Part 2: Gardens on Parade, Constitution Mall with its gigantic statue of George Washington, and the Federal Pavilion, Parachute Jump,various night photos of the Fair, and the Lagoon of Nations spectacular leads to the fireworks finale.

Internet Archives

The Internet Archives is a source for Public Domain movies about the 1939 New York World's Fair from the P. Medicus and R.W. Wathen collections. View or download any part of the wonderful collection of 23 movies at no cost.

About the Internet Archives (Copied from the Internet Archives about page.) The Internet Archive is a 501(c)(3) non-profit that was founded to build an Internet library, with the purpose of offering permanent access for researchers, historians, and scholars to historical collections that exist in digital format. Founded in 1996 and located in the Presidio of San Francisco, the Archive has been receiving data donations from Alexa Internet and others. In late 1999, the organization started to grow to include more well-rounded collections. Now the Internet Archive includes texts, audio, moving images, and software as well as archived web pages in our collections.

Kurt Weill Foundation for Music

Kurt Weill: Composer (1900 - 1950)

A chronological narrative of the effect of railroads on American life, told through recreations of historical events (the first appearances of the Stourbridge Lion and Tom Thumb, the driving of the golden spike) and fictional scenes. The show was remarkable for the use of actual locomotives and Pullman cars, and for the complexity of the staging--actors lip-synched voices piped in from a special sound room below the stage, where the orchestra was also located. Because of its historical appeal and the novelty of seeing actual railroad cars on stage, Railroads on Parade was one of the most popular attractions at the Fair in 1939 and 1940.

Museum of the City of New York

The Museum of the City of New York holds a substantial collection of 1939 World’s Fair architectural drawings and paintings, postcards, photographs and ephemera that documents visitors’ experiences and provides insight into the techniques used to market the fairs both to the public and to exhibitors

The New York Public Library Digital Gallery

27,018 images of the World's Fair in this collection as of June 2013.

Periscope Film

Periscope Film LLC has accumulated over 3,000 rare films chronicling the history of the Navy, Marines, Army, Coast Guard, Air Force, and civil aviation as well.

Over the years, we've also made films in our archive available to documentary filmmakers, website and game developers, and for commercial use. Some of the companies or networks we've provided stock footage for include Disney, the BBC, the History Channel, Discovery and PBS.

World's Fair Auction

Exclusively Offering World's Fair and International Exposition Items. Souvenirs and Historical Pieces From All Fairs 1851 - 1985

All Authentic Period Items

World's Fairs exhibited the pinnacle of human achievement through the ages

This auction is an opportunity to acquire vintage items in every imaginable collecting category

World's Fair Historical Society

Our organization has a mission of preserving the history of World's Fairs and promoting current or future fairs. We were founded in 2003 and became a 501c tax exempt non-profit in 2004. In 2006, besides our two Co-Presidents a board of directors was elected. One immediate goals are to obtain space for an office and for the storage of historical items being acquired, and to have a museum.

We invite you to visit our web site to learn more about the history of world expositions and to support us in our efforts. Randy Richter Founder and Co-President.

World's Fair Photos - by Bill Cotter

I have long been interested in world's fairs, and have been fortunate enough to have visited several of them. Over the years I have collected thousands of photos and am pleased to be able to share some of them with you on my World's Fair Photos site.