Wednesday Spill: Now That’s A Cover!
Now That’s A Cover!
Here’s a beauty from the great Ilonka Karasz. As you can see below in her A-Z entry, The New Yorker published 185 of her covers. A remarkable contribution.
Ilonka Karasz (photo by Nickolas Muray) Born, Budapest, July 13, 1893. Died, Warwick, New York, May 26, 1981. New Yorker work: Ms. Karasz was a prolific New Yorker cover artist, with 185 published. Her first appeared on the issue of April 4, 1925; her last appeared on the issue of October 22, 1973. Her Wikipedia entry
Until a few minutes ago all I knew about the towers was what I saw in New Yorker cartoons. Just looked them up. Kind've wild.
This from nypdhistory.com:
In the 1920s, Fifth Avenue in NYC was the first avenue to receive Traffic Towers in an effort to control traffic. The original towers (1922) were deemed too unsightly by the posh citizenry and funds were raised for new, gleaming bronze towers.
Traffic Squad officers manned the towers and were on the street to coordinate with the tower men. Traffic whistle signals were an audible form of direction. The concept of “Pedestrian Safety Islands” were also introduced.
So delightful. I love all the signs with their hidden letters causing you to have to fill in the words yourself. I’m intrigued by the tower structure in the center, is that a policeman and traffic light or something?