Library Foyer Exhibit
January – June 2024
“Stocks reached record peaks, and Wall Street boomed a steady golden roar. The parties were bigger, the shows were broader, the buildings were higher, the morals were looser, and the ban on alcohol had backfired, making the liquor cheaper.” ~Nick Carraway, The Great Gatsby
Every winter, we read a story together. Set in the Jazz Age a hundred years ago, F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby explores themes of class and wealth, industrialization and change. Artifacts in this exhibit showcase items and clothing from this period of extravagance.
Having survived WWI and the Influenza Epidemic, Americans were in a mood to have fun! The development of the car, the spread of news at a faster pace, illegal liquor establishments, and prosperous times set new trends.
This Gorham silver punch bowl set brings one into the opulent world of the Roaring Twenties. Founded in 1831, Gorham has long been synonymous with quality silverware, and this set, with its monogrammed bowl and cups bearing the initials “JBMC,” captures the spirit of an age marked by lavish parties and celebrations. More here.
These Armed Services Editions were designed to fit into pockets and packs and were read and re-read by servicemen from Okinawa to Berlin—helping to restore in them a sense of humanity in a broken world. It was the Armed Services Edition that elevated The Great Gatsby from obscurity to one of the most widely read and revered novels of all time.
Step back in time to the exhilarating era of the Roaring Twenties with our latest museum collection highlight, a historic relic from the period between 1908 and 1920. This Federal Telephone produced in Buffalo, New York is an exquisite piece that not only showcases the technological marvels of its time but also resonates with the essence of The Great Gatsby and the pursuit of the American Dream. More here.
Embark on a sartorial journey to the 1920s with this men’s wool flat cap from the Italian brand Conte of Florence (far left). Though this brand emerged in the 1950s, the cream-colored cap pays homage to the timeless fashion of the Roaring Twenties, where style and sophistication were synonymous with the pursuit of the American Dream.
F. Scott Fitzgerald
Born in Minnesota in 1896, Fitzgerald is celebrated for his novels of the 1920s Jazz Age. He published four novels and 164 short stories during his life, but received the most acclaim after his death in 1940. He and wife Zelda were known around the world for their glamourous if ill-fated lifestyles. Of Fitzgerald, Ernest Hemingway said, “[His] talent was as natural as the pattern that was made by the dust on a butterfly’s wings.” Fitzgerald died believing his life was a failure and his works forgotten.
