The One That Got Away

In addition to my stamp collecting interest, I also collect Exposition Tickets. I have a fairly complete set of the 1893 Columbian Exposition Portrait & other Tickets. However, I have never seen a Pass for this event. I bid on it up to 3 figures and had to stop.

So, if anyone else out there is interested in a somewhat unique item, go for it.

I've never seen one of those. Wow, you went higher than I ever could. Thanks for sharing the image.

Artlaunier, very interesting and thanks for sharing. I am addicted to stamp collecting so I am afraid to pick up another habit like Exposition memorabilia which I assume can be quite costly.

Do it!

mhc99,

Stamp collecting can be quite costly as well. Or not. It all depends on what you want to collect and how far you want to go. I'm still thinking about that #$%&! Pass, its only money and if the wife doesn't know about it....

I couldn't help myself.... let's see what happens.

don't want you to feel left alone there artlaunier

I found another!

GOT IT! I'll post picture when I get it.

An awful lot of dancing going on here...

Let me explain what I was going after. The Worlds Colombian Exposition was held in Chicago from May - Nov. in 1893 with the grounds being dedicated in Oct of 1892. Over 40,000 workers built the Exposition at Jackson Park in Chicago. Between the dedication & the opening they constructed 150 building on site. Including the worlds first Ferris Wheel. They initially printed 60,000 of the portrait tickets then again printed additional portrait tickets with an "A" on the face using the same design. The also printed Chicago Day and Manhattan Day specialty tickets. Over 27,500,000 tickets of various designs were printed for the exposition. That was over 25% of the American population.

They also printed Passes for entrance to the grounds during the construction of the building but mostly to watch the construction of the Ferris Wheel and the 14 main buildings. The item I bought was one of the construction passes. The pass cost 25 cents and about 3,000 people a week bought a ticket. Only a few remain of these passes. I suspect the number of "Construction" Passes are only in the hundreds, I can't find a number actually printed.

Congrats Art!

Congratulations Art. My grade school was named after the Construction Chief of the Exposition (Daniel H. Burnham). Here is some background on the Ferris Wheel: http://www.hydeparkhistory.org/newsletter.html

Tom,

You may be able to see his signature on the left. He had to sign these tickets as Chief of Construction. The image is a copy from the4 sale, not my scan.