Treasures of The New York Public Library

Popular Culture

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"œThe Top of the Season to You from Two "˜Chaps.'" Holiday postcard. Pencil, pen, ink, and watercolor on pre-printed postal card, ca. 1907-1910. <br><br />
The New York Public Library, Picture Collection.<br><br><br />
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A Golden Age of Illustration: Vintage Holiday Postcards

Kerouac probably began playing a simplified form of his fantasy baseball game at age nine, although the earliest materials surviving in the Jack Kerouac Archive date only from 1935, when he was thirteen; he continued modifying the game until as late as 1965. At left: 4 of a set of 66 fantasy baseball cards, with their wood box housing and toothpicks used in an early version of the game (1946 or earlier); at right: 4 of a set of 247 fantasy baseball cards, in which the verbal descriptions are expressed as symbols, with their black cardboard dispenser (ca. 1956).<br><br><br />
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Jack Kerouac. Sets of cards (with boxes) for playing fantasy baseball, with verbal descriptions of the results of the bat hitting the ball, ca. 1946 or earlier (left) and ca. 1956 (right).<br><br />
The New York Public Library, Henry W. and Albert A. Berg Collection of English and American Literature, Jack Kerouac Archive. Â© and reproduced courtesy of John G. Sampas, legal representative of the estates of Jack and Stella Kerouac.<br><br><br />
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Fantasy Sports and the King of the Beats: From the Jack Kerouac Archive

By the early 1900s the Katie Caseys of the bourgeoning lower and middle classes exhibited an unprecedented demand for leisure activities and increasingly enjoyed trips to amusement parks, boat excursions, and baseball games. The "New Woman" of 1908 was demanding independence, and a voice in matters of political and social concerns and reforms. Katie Casey may have been such a woman. She loved baseball, knew the names of all the players, and rooted for them heartily. Times were changing.<br><br><br />
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Albert Von Tilzer (music) and Jack Norworth (lyrics). "Take Me Out to the Ball Game." First edition. New York: The York Music Co., 1908.<br><br />
The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, Music Division.<br><br><br />
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Summer of 1908: "Take Me Out to the Ball Game"

The Astor family played a major role in the development of luxury living and dining in New York City. The Astor House (1836-1913), the Waldorf-Astoria (1893, 1897, 1931-present), the St. Regis (1899-present), and the Hotel Astor, which opened in 1904 and closed during Prohibition, were all built by one Astor or another. This luncheon menu cover for December 27, 1909, is typical of the Hotel Astor's appealing chromolithographic designs.<br><br><br />
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Hotel Astor, New York. Luncheon menu cover, December 27, 1909.<br><br />
The New York Public Library, Rare Book Division, Buttolph Menu Collection.<br><br><br />
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Legendary New York Restaurants II: Highlights from the Buttolph Menu Collection

"The Sioux Chief."<br><br><br />
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Frederic S. Remington. <i>Remington's Rough Riders</i>. [1901].<br><br />
The New York Public Library, The Miriam and Ira D. Wallach Division of Art, Prints and Photographs, Art & Architecture Collection.<br><br><br />
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How the West Was Drawn: Remington's Rough Riders

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<i>Yeso, la strega del Colorado</i>. Firenze: Nerbini, 1923.<br><br />
The New York Public Library, Rare Book Division.<br><br><br />
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"Impossible Trash": Dime Novels

Houdini began performing this trick in 1913. The great escape artist was locked upside down by his ankles in the "water torture cell." He then freed himself in full view of the audience.<br><br><br />
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<i>Houdini: Upside Down in the Water Torture Cell</i>. Poster promoting Houdini's latest water trick. Lithograph. Cincinnati, Ohio: Strobridge Lith., ca. 1913.<br><br />
The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, Billy Rose Theatre Division.<br><br><br />
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"Failure Means a Drowning Death": The Incredible Harry Houdini and His Rivals

From its beginnings, The New York Public Library collected materials that, as one librarian put it, "might be called trash." Ignored by most libraries, these materials were acquired by NYPL because of their research value as expressions of popular culture.<br><br><br />
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<i>Weird Tales: The Unique Magazine</i>, January 1932.<br><br />
The New York Public Library, General Research Division.<br><br><br />
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Fantastic Planets, Other Worlds: Weird Tales

The George Arents Collection of Books in Parts is one of the most important collections of publications that appeared serially or piecemeal over a period of time in separate numbers and that are still in their original state.<br><br><br />
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The Doll's Casket. London: John Marshall, ca. 1815-20.<br><br />
The New York Public Library, George Arents Collection of Books in Parts.<br><br><br />
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"Filled with the Most Precious Jewels": The Arents Doll's Casket

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