Summary
Book published by the Australian National Travel Association, a PR group tasked by the federal government to 'advertise Australia overseas'. Essentially a picture book with large scale photographs of modern-day Australia and colour prints of iconic Australian art works, it was printed for presentation to visitors to the Australian pavilion at the 1939 New York World's Fair.
The New York World's Fair was held at Flushing Meadow in Queens. It ran for two seasons, from April to October 1939 and 1940. The Fair was divided into themed zones: Transportation, Communications & Business Systems, Food, Government, etc. Sharing a building with the New Zealand pavilion, the Australian pavilion was located just below the British pavilion within the Government zone. The design of the Australian pavilion reflected the objective of the World's Fair: to showcase the 'world of tomorrow'. Australia was presented as a modern nation ready to embrace all that the 20th century had to offer.
Physical Description
Large format paper book, stapled on spine. Grey light-cardboard cover printed on front with text in red and black, at the centre of the cover is a gold image of a kangaroo within a circle. The inside pages are printed with large scale black and white photographs and a few colour prints of iconic Australian art works. The photos are art works are themed, eg: sailing, surfing, bushland, winter sports, the Blue Mountains, landscape, etc.
More Information
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Collection Names
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Collecting Areas
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Acquisition Information
Purchase
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Commissioned By
Australian National Travel Association, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 1938
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Printer
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Inscriptions
Front cover: AUSTRALIA/ NEW YORK WORLD'S FAIR/ 1939; AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL TRAVEL ASSOCIATION Inside front page, text: A BOOK such as this is not an ordered procession of Australia's / "show" places; neither is it a portrayal of Australia's development./ It is an attempt, by the selection and grouping of scenes, to give an/ inner reality to the subtle charm and character of Australia and to/ the life of the people who live in and mould it./ ... Inside back cover, text: PUBLISHED by the Australian National Travel Association, a publicity organisation/ sponsored by the Federal Government, the Australian Railways, Overseas Shipping/ Lines, and leading Australian Business Interests, to advertise Australia overseas. The/ Association has its own offices in Great Britain, the United States of America, India/ and New Zealand, and is also represented by the Australian Trade of Government/ Commissioners in Canada, Netherlands India, China, Japan, Egypt, and France./ Australia Offices:/ Flinders Street Railway Building,/ Melbourne.; Endeavour House, 33 Macquarie Place,/ Sydney.; SIMMONS LIMITED/ PRINTERS, SYDNEY; 1938
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Classification
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Category
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Discipline
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Type of item
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Overall Dimensions
247 mm (Width), 351 mm (Height)
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Keywords
World Fairs & Expos: New York, 1939-1940, Souvenirs, Publications, Publicity Material, Tourism
