Wednesday, July 7, 2010

1939 World's Fair Tablescape

Remember when the World's Fair was a very big deal?  The Ferris Wheel made its debut at the Chicago World's Fair (thank you The Devil in the White City) in 1893.  In 1939 the home television set was introduced along with the copy machine.  (I read one quote from a guy wondering what the heck we'd ever need a copy machine for.  That invention didn't make it into offices until the late 1950s.  Can you imagine?!)  The 1939 World's Fair was in Manhattan and my Grandma Carol Chester was there!  She brought home a salt and pepper shaker set and a set of postcards and I found them among the hundreds of saved programs and high school graduation announcements from every single person she ever met (whew!).  I put them with her china (which is newer than 1939, but that's okay) and my Grandmother's Flower Garden quilt that I used 1930s reproduction prints to make.
That's my teapot and daisies from my yard.

Here is the salt and pepper set.  You can see a little behind them and to the right that these two images were the icons from the fair.  The Empire State Building was only 8 years old for the 1939 World's Fair.  Where did people plan to meet their true love before that?

I love that teapot.  It was a present from Brian.  I thought my Reed & Barton Berkeshire Matte flatware went along with the "future" theme.  (Aren't those postcards the coolest?  What could I do with them to display them?  There are about half a dozen more and they're double-sided.  Now get to work coming up with an idea for me.)

The plates are pretty low-key, but I love using them now.  There's a better view of the fair icons postcard.

Reproductions prints are the most fun. :)

Here is the Administration Building on a postcard.

Happy Tablescape Thursday, everyone!  Hope you enjoyed your tour of the 1939 World's Fair.

12 comments:

Allison and Noah Riley said...

I never realized Grandma attended the World's Fair in NYC! Noah's grandpa was here for it, too. I know a lot of people's grandparents were probably here. But that's irony in my book.

Marigene said...

I love that you used your grandmother's china on a quilt you made in her honor.

Donna (Timeless Settings) said...

What a wonderful salt and pepper set! How cool!

Donna

melissa said...

What a clever and original tablescape! Why are the postcards two-sided? That ruins all my good ideas.

Elizabeth said...

Oh, I love your tablescape! All of those things just go so well together. I loved reading about those two World's Fairs.

BTW, I have my grandma's china too (http://emsewandsew.blogspot.com/2010/05/reminiscences.html). It is fun to have a little piece of history, isn't it.

Mr and Mrs C said...

That is just too cool! I love the nostalgia...those post cards are great. You should get some "floating" frames to display them in, since they are double sided so both sides can be viewed! Absolutely love the quilt!!

Marlis said...

What a great idea. I love the postcards. I have some I think I'll be bringing out soon.

craftyles said...

Just love the vintage feel of your table. The old postcards and the quilt are awesome.

Tricia said...

First of all, your quilt is just stunning! Your grandmother's china looks wonderful with it, and I love all the memorabilia from the World's Fair! That teapot is adorable, too!

Barbara said...

This is such a clever tablescape! I love the postcards. That pretty china on that beautiful quilt is just the thing to show off your treasures. I am going to share this one with my mother. She was a little girl but remembers going to that World's Fair. She will love this.

Johanna Gehrlein said...

Such a lovely table with so much memories. I think, in former times this world trade fairs have been so important and interesting to the people. They brought so many new, foreign and interesting things in the country. People in those times couldn't go for a journey and appreciated it so much to see all those things. I love how you kept this salt and pepper set and the memories with it.
Greetings, Johanna

Boogieboard Cottage said...

Your table is so pretty, I love your dishes! Mary