The cow loves the rich history and fascinating souvenirs of the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair..


Vintage world Fair Posters!
Check out these
wonderful vintage
World Fair posters...

Why do I think the 1904 World's Fair is such a fantastic opportunity? Mainly because it was so cool. It was simply the most beautiful, educational and spectacular World's Fair ever created. Imagine a fair the size of a small city...over 1,200 acres! There were over 1500 distinctive buildings surrounded by broad boulevards, water vistas, fountains, trees and lush lawns. The Palace of Agriculture alone covered 23 acres. That's like your neighborhood inside a building!

The world gathered in St. Louis in the summer of 1904 and celebrated humanity's advancements since the Louisiana Purchase. The fairgoer could enjoy the best of everything: music, art, science, literature, food and entertainment. They even found time to hold the 1904 Olympic Games!

The 1904 Fair is a fascinating subject for collectors and historians alike. It was built at a time when the world was at peace, electric light was new and the Wright brothers first flew. The size, beauty and completeness of this fair will never be matched again.

The 1904 Fair offers collectors of all kinds an opportunity to share common ground. No matter what you enjoy collecting, there is something to appeal to you. There are literally thousands of different souvenirs out there waiting to be discovered.

Here is a nice sample of the architecture from the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair.
The incredible architecture

Now is the perfect time to learn about this glorious Fair and investigate its collecting opportunities... but where? It’s all in here!

An opportunity to discover the rich history and fascinating souvenirs of the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair.

1904 St. Louis World's Fair Mementos and Memorabilia

By Robert L. Hendershott

This is the most comprehensive text ever created on collectibles from the 1904 World’s Fair. This mammoth resource guide provides the collector with concise descriptions, 3000 clear pictures and value ranges for 2,500 specific items.

Bob has an advantage over many other 1904 collectors... he was there!

Author, Robert Hendershott

Born in St. Louis in 1898, Bob was 6 in 1904 and has fond memories of the wonders of the Fair. Bob has accumulated a great deal of experience and a vast collection in his many years of collecting. He has used his special insights to develop a unique numbering system (67 specific categories) which is accepted as the standard for the hobby. Beginning this project when he was 93, Bob took less than 3 years to photograph, describe and organize thousands of souvenirs.

Bob's life's work, Mementos and Memorabilia, really has it all. It describes 105 beautiful pieces of china and bisque, 75 different plates and 59 fascinating postcards. Numismatists will enjoy several examples of badges, elongated coins, encased cents, medals and tokens. Even in 1904, advertisers knew the value of merchandising, and companies handed out souvenirs of every shape and design.

The 1904 Fair has something to interest every collector: ephemera, toys, postcards, watches, fans, spoons... There are also literally hundreds of unique items to be found: purses, jewelry, sheet music, tickets, Olympic items… if you collect it, it was probably part of the Fair.

Here's what the experts say:

"Collecting 1904 World’s Fair Memorabilia has been my passion for over 25 years. I have always wanted some indication of the vast number of items that exist along with their relative value. My friend Bob Hendershott and his wonderful wife Marjorie have produced a beautiful solution to the needs of collectors and dealers alike. His labor of love is a storehouse of information. I recommend it to everyone that has an interest in the greatest exposition of them all."

 
"High quality, credible reference materials and price guides on world's fair items are not easy to find. Bob Hendershott has provided both in his guide to the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair. Collectors of world's fair memorabilia, as well as anyone interested in the history of those times, will be delighted with his effort. I will refer to it often in teaching classes and will recommend its purchase to my students."

  
Dr. Georgia Kemp Caraway
Director, Texas Institute of Antiques and Collectibles
Denton Texas
 
"In the 28 year history of The World's Fair Collectors Society, we have been searching the market and have only come across definitive price guides for a handful of fairs. Far and away, Bob Hendershott's detailed and profusely illustrated 1904 World's Fair price guide is the best there is. We highly recommend it to anyone with questions about 1904 items."

For the trivia buff...

In addition to the collectibles, interesting bits of trivia known as Fair Facts are included throughout the text. This makes reading Mementos and Memorabilia both fun and educational. Follow the link to read a random sampling, or go to the links page to find your own. There are thousands of fascinating facts about this incredible fair to discover, and Bob has included many of his favorites. For instance, did you know there were 7 churches in the fairgrounds, each a replica of a famous place of worship?

An opportunity to discover the rich history and fascinating souvenirs of the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair.

Want more information? Read my article which describes in more detail the extensive planning, immense architecture and almost limitless variety of the Fair and its collecting opportunities. Click here!

Twenty million people attended the Fair from all over the world. Many of their souvenirs are still around today, in basements, attics and memory chests, waiting to be discovered by thousands of collectors.

Look around and see what you can find!

Mementos and Memorabilia is no longer available from me. I really enjoyed selling it for the past 10 years, but I am finally sold out! This was the first page I ever made, so I just can't take it down.

You may still be able to buy it on eBay. I set up this search to find one if one becomes available.