Souvenirs from 70 years ago

Souvenir stands are nothing new; I'm sure there were trinkets to take home at the first world's fair. Here's one I bet many of us would have love to be able to visit via the friendly time machine.



This was just one of the hundreds of places to part with your money so you coud bring home part of the 1939-1940 New York World's Fair. Let's take a closer look.




You could probably retire if you could sell everything in that picture now on eBay.

I decided to stay with the theme of souvenirs.



This booth was at Vancouver's Expo 86. There was a nice assortment of the usual items, including pennants, shirts, toys, etc. One of the best selling souvenirs of Expo 86 was the fair's masoct, Expo Ernie. The cute little robot was one of the best selling fair mascots for any exposition. He was available as a stuffed toy, key chain, on buttons, shirts and more. I don't know if they sold any robotic Ernie toys but that would have seemed like a natural fit.

More souvenir dogs

Guests at the 1964-1965 New York World's Fair could also take home a large stuffed dog if they happened to be in the mood.



I would have preferred the banner under the dogs myself. One of these sold last year for a tidy sum on eBay. I'll bet it went for more than one of the dogs would have.

Where do you keep your souvenirs?

Especially when they're rather large?



I wonder how long these prizes from the 1962 Seattle World's Fair lasted once the proud winners got them home.

Les Floralies Internationales de Montreal - 1980 - Part 3

Here's the French entry for the competition.



Anyone happen to know who won?

Les Floralies Internationales de Montreal - 1980 - Part 2

Here's another view of the international floral show held on the old Expo 67 grounds back in 1980.



This one is of the Italian gardens.

Les Floralies Internationales de Montreal - 1980 - Part 1

In 1980 the former Expo 67 grounds were used for an international floral show. Many nations and companies had exhibits showcasing their local plants and typical national garden features. With many of the pavilions already torn down, there was plenty of land available, but the show was so large that more of the now decrepit buildings were pulled down as well.



Here were see some children in paddle boats as they past by the Belgium garden displays.

Unseen since 1965

When the 1964-1965 New York World's Fair closed many of the exhibitors held huge salvage sales to dispose of their parts of the Fair. A lot of it has turned up over the years, but so far no one seems to have found one of these Hertz strollers.



Let me know if anyone has any post-Fair pictures of these strollers.

So where did the ax go?

Here's mighty Paul Bunyan standing guard over the Oregon Pavilion at the 1964-1965 New York World's Fair.




Late in the 1964 season it appears someone made off with his ax.

Does anyone have a view showing Paul in 1965 to see if the ax was back?

Things I wish I had seen in person - Part 5

Here's another view of the interior of the USSR Pavilion at Expo 58.



To get an idea of how big this exhibit was, look at the scale of the people and compare them to the statue of Lenin. I believe the building was taken apart and transported back to Moscow after the fair ended; I wonder if the statue survives somewhere.

Things I wish I had seen in person - Part 4

I was too young to have made it to Expo 58, but there were several things I would have enjoyed seeing.



This is the interior of the USSR Pavilion. With the Cold War firmly underway, the USSR and USA went all out to show the merits of their political and economic systems at the fair.