1964 New York World’s Fair Lowenbrau Traditional Wagon Display
Wagon guide Georg Zech (left) and his gaily caparisoned crew lend an authentic air to the festive Lowenbrau Gardens in the Transportation Area. It’s like Munich in New York. A replica of an 18th Century Bavarian hamlet radiating gemutlichkeit, brewery horses vie with imported beer and German cooking as attractions [News Colorfoto, New York Sunday News]
Noted as a showcase of mid-20th-century American culture and technology, the 1964/1965 New York World’s Fair covered 646 acres. Its theme was ‘Peace Through Understanding’, dedicated to ‘Man’s Achievement on a Shrinking Globe in an Expanding Universe.’
Visitors could browse over 140 pavilions, 110 restaurants, exploring exhibitions by 80 nations and 24 US states, and displays by more than 45 corporations. According to the official guide to the Fair: “The brewers of Lowenbrau, a Bavarian beer, have reconstructed an open-air Bavarian-style restaurant set in a village square. The square is surrounded by five buildings, including a bell tower and gate. Three of the buildings are service areas for the restaurant. Every now and again Lowenbrau’s brewery wagon, drawn by four massive horses, can be seen in the street outside, or traveling about the fairgrounds.”
As well as the real horse and wagon, which paraded around the area, a model of it can be seen on the roof of the tavern (below).
Traditional Lowenbrau Beer Wagon Set
1964 New York World’s Fair Display
23 Wooden Barrels
Length 4′
This is an actual display piece used for exhibitions such as the 1964 New York World’s Fair. It was made by Steha in Germany, and has an inscription ‘Property of Hans Holterbosch Inc’ – Hans was the Lowenbrau importer for New York. With the excellent publicity generated by the World’s Fair for Lowenbrau, the company would have no doubt established further exhibitions. This is the type of model display that would have been used above the bar or over the tavern entrance. It was not an item that was sold to the public. This example is complete, and in good condition apart from the horses’ tack which has become brittle with age. The five smallest size barrels are not marked, but the other eighteen barrels are inscribed with the Lowenbrau name.
As well as the display wagon and horses, I have a collection of 1964 World’s Fair postcards and flyers, a children’s card game wth a range of views of the Fair, a World’s Fair bicycle license plate, a Hertz Rent-a-car souvenir map, Ford and General Motors brochures of their major exhibits, and three matching Lowenbrau World’s Fair beer coasters.
