Telectrica World Fair Materials
World Fair postcard (Front), Telectrica Innovations
An illustrated postcard featuring Tellie Lectric who waves at the receiver from behind a metal globe. The card reads “Greetings from New York World’s Fair 1964-1965” Behind him red fireworks fly above the greenery into the night sky.
World Fair postcard (Back), Telectrica Innovations
The back of the postcard which reads. “New York World’s Fair 1964-1956” “Come meet the electrical man from everywhere “TELLIE LECTRIC” up close and personal at the Telectrica Innovations Pavilion to witness the future of electricity today!”
World Fair Brochure (Front), Telectrica Innovations
A brochure featuring Tellie in various drawings such as riding a train, shaking a man’s hand, and detailing the ways that investors would be helping the company and the future by donating to the world fair. The article stresses the importance of electricity in American life.
World Fair Brochure (Back), Telectrica Innovations
Interior of the brochure. Inside are drawings of Tellie wearing goggles and looking at lightning in a bottle as well as marching along the bottom of the brochure whilst being followed by several small machines walking along on thin twiggy legs. The articles mention supporting the future as well as a very special event that is to be held at the world fair in which an amazing breakthrough would be shared with the public.
Distributed to potential investors by Telectrica Innovations, these pamphlets were part of an effort to raise additional funds and revenue for the upcoming World Fair. As you may know, the 1965 World Fair was hosted in New York in large part thanks to Telectrica Innovations, who provided much of the electrical power for the expo. Being the most prominent engineering and electrical company in the United States, they were the immediate choice for presenting other countries with a shining slice of American innovation.
In these materials you can see Tellie, proud and confident as ever, enthusiastically selling investors at the World Fair, and even being accompanied by a small band of electrical powered machines! How adorable! Although Tellie was the only true character in his time representing TL, he would often interact with living machines such as these, but was the only one that would talk during commercials. Telectrica often mentioned that, in regard to Tellie, they wanted their customers to feel as if their TL products were a part of the family, an important member of every household that efficiently and enthusiastically handled day to day tasks. Electricity, the board claimed, would one day become just as important as a brother, sister, mother, or father.
As mentioned elsewhere, these dreams never came to pass, however they are fun to think about. Regardless of provider, Electricity is an ever-present entity in American life especially in regards to the RubyRed Railway, power grid, and general infrastructure. Could you imagine a future where Tellie was the face of that?
This pamphlet and card was mailed to us by a former investor of Telectrica themself! They obviously and understandably didn’t want to discuss the Fair, but I always appreciate getting these pieces of history from people who were on the ground or first hand owners of them!