Snapshots of the Past

Fifth Avenue, New York--the world's greatest shopping street--Travel by train – Historic Photograph Print

Fifth Avenue, New York--the world's greatest shopping street--Travel by train, Long Island City, N.Y.: Latham Litho. & Ptg. Co., 1932. — vintage poster
Fifth Avenue, New York--the world's greatest shopping street--Travel by train, Long Island City, N.Y.: Latham Litho. & Ptg. Co., 1932.. Vintage poster from the New York City collection.

(Originally scanned by the Library of Congress. Each image is professionally and digitally cleaned of artifacts such as color bars and extra borders prior to printing.)

Description

This rare vintage poster captures Fifth Avenue, New York--the world's greatest shopping street--Travel by train in remarkable detail. It comes from the collections of the Library of Congress, scanned from the original and carefully restored.

The framed print arrives ready to hang; the unframed option suits custom framing. It brings character to any room and makes a memorable gift. Free shipping in the lower 48 states. Snapshots of the Past, founded in 2001, has served tens of thousands of customers worldwide.

Fifth Avenue, New York--the world's greatest shopping street--Travel by train

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Set against the newly finished Empire State Building, this 1932 poster sells Fifth Avenue as "the world's greatest shopping street" and urges visitors to reach it by train. The skyscraper, completed in 1931, was then the tallest building in the world, so pairing it with a shopping boulevard was a deliberate way to make the city feel modern and within easy reach. The poster was printed by Latham Litho. & Ptg. Co. in Long Island City, New York, during the Great Depression, when railroads were competing hard with the automobile for travelers. Its color halftone lithography reflects the commercial poster style of the period.

Created / publishedLong Island City, N.Y.: Latham Litho. & Ptg. Co., 1932.
Medium1 photomechanical print (poster) : halftone, color.
GenrePosters American 1930-1940.Halftone photomechanical prints Color 1930-1940.
SubjectsEmpire State Building (New York, N.Y.)--1930-1940. Commercial streets--New York (State)--New York--1930-1940. Fifth Avenue (New York, N.Y.)--1930-1940.
SourceLibrary of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division
Original scan1,018 × 1,536 px · prints to 3 × 5 in at 300 dpi
ReferenceAMZ-SOTP-HPA-176707

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