JF Ptak Science Books    Quick Post

The “fair” in this pamphlet, Ford at the Fair, was the Chicago World’s Fair of 1932, and it was a souvenir for the visitor to the Ford Motor Company pavilion.  Well, the building–pretty in profile, but odd/weird in plan–held other exhibitors whose business was related in support of Ford (Alcoa, Anaconda Copper, Bendix, etc.), and displayed in a singular turnaround the Cars as Consumable Products. (Remember that world’s fairs such as this were still mostly displays of technology and industry and business, so you were more likely to see a Meat Pavilion or Heinz Products then than to see curious rides and historical whatnots in present incarnations.) 

This unusual Bavarian trophy/hunt display of a couple of Fords in the middle of the floor plan–which says simply “hanging cars” on the map looked impressive and a little alien-esque:

And the map of the pavilion, which once you get over the possible Renaissance-like plan, and you pull back a little bit, it takes on a bit of a profile of a tank-like dragster:

In any event, this was a glorification process wrapped around a celebration of old-timey industrial celebration, presented in gleaming metallic greens and blues, and rubber, and gasoline, and oil, and hope. 

Here’s an interesting video showing the Ford pavilion at the fair, found at youtube.com: