Matchbook Parker's 1964 World’s Fair Pavilion

Parker pavilion at the New York World’s Fair

The world had not seen anything like it before – 80 nations, 24 states of the US of A and 45 plus corporations showcasing the apogee of their achievements in 140 pavilions, the “Universal and International” exposition – The 1964/ 65 New York World’s Fair - was spread across 646 acres in the Flushing Meadows-Corona Parkin Queens, New York City.

The Fair’s theme “Peace through Understanding” dedicated to “Man’s achievement on a shrinking globe in an Expanding Universe” seems strangely relevant even today, which only goes to underscore the kind of awe it must have inspired in those days of yore.

The fair was naturally dominated by American corporates and the theme was, in keeping with the colossal thought and content of the Fair, a 12-story high Stainless-Steel model of the Earth which was fondly christened the Unisphere.

One of the high points of the fair was the Parker Pavilion to which the members of the public were invited through March Box labels like the one in the accompanying image.

Dedicated to the Theme of the event, the “Crisply Modern” Parker Pavilion was a triple-roof building that resembled a ski-lodge and was an architectural marvel, presented as it was, in a series of black and white intersecting triangles. A blend of brick, steel and wood, the basically open-air design had exhibits underneath the large canopies. And Parker did have a lot to exhibit, leader of the pack as it were, it was also the “Official maker of New York World fair’s Pens”!

The high point of the pavilion was however the show-in-show that Parker ran – the company supplied all interested visitors with forms to fill in their names, addresses, age and interests. A computer then matched the information with data stored in Parker’s database of probable foreign pen pals, which could be used to establish a connection and a lasting friendship. The official Parker aim was to felicitate a million such friendships spread over the two-year tenure of the Fair. The “Penettes” – Parker Hostesses who physically helped run the programme spread across ninety writing desks supplied with post-cards, stationery and off course, Parker writing instruments, had, in fact, acquired celebrity status, such was the hype that was generated. The programme was also in keeping with the Fair’s theme of Peace through Understanding and in co-operation with People-to-People Inc., which was then headed by former President of the US of A, Eisenhower.

That the computer matching would be a huge hit, if anything only for its novelty, was a foregone conclusion and Parker had followed it up with a Nation-wide campaign. Stories of friendships that were initiated by the programme, friendships that have triumphed over the test of time, keep surfacing till date.

The Pavilion also housed exhibitions that traced the then 75-year history of Parker handwriting implements apart from displaying photographs of various historic occasions when Parker pens were used. For the uninitiated, both the German and Japanese treaties of surrender ending the World War II had Parker pens prominently featured, pictures of which were also among the ones displayed.

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