New York World's Fair 1939 Box
Made by the USA firm Syroco Wood for the 1939 World's Fair in New York, using a pressed composite wood product highlighted with painted decoration. Inscribed "New York World's Fair 1939 ©N.Y.W.F.", and with label on bottom "Made in U.S.A. Syroco Wood Syracuse N.Y."
The Syracuse Ornamental Company (Syroco) was an American manufacturing company founded in 1890 in Syracuse, New York by Adolph Holstein. They were known for their molded wood-pulp products that resembled hand carving, later integrating polymers into their molding process before producing entirely in plastics. They produced decorative products for the residential market, including home products such as fireplace mantelpieces, clocks, mirrors, tables and a popular line of lawn and patio furniture. The Syroco product combined wood pulp brought from the Adirondack mountains with flour as a binder and other materials added to give it strength. The product was fit into compression molds which were carved from original carvings in real wood. The finished product resembled carved relief work and could be applied to different surfaces including walls and furnishings, sometimes with the addition of painting. The company remained in the Holstein family for three generations until it was purchased in 1965 and then closed in 2007.
Size in inches: 2 ½ h x 10.63 w x 6 ¾ d
M21249
