A followup to yesterday’s post, here is a detail of the cover of the 1937 Pattullo Bridge souvenir programme. I can’t quite make out the signature in the bottom corner of the image, which might not be a signature at all. If anyone has access to the original, please feel free to comment!
The complete souvenir programme is still online at the Buzzer Blog. Special thanks to the Buzzer Blog for posting this back in 2009, and extra special thanks to Lisa Codd, the curator at the Burnaby Village Museum who originally provided the scans to the Buzzer. This item has now been transferred to the Burnaby Archives.
The Pattullo Bridge souvenir luncheon menu from the 1937 opening, animated. The original artwork is signed EVS I think (as seen in the bottom corner of the finished panel). I have to admit, it’s a pretty awesome foldout menu for any era. This animated image has been compiled/edited by me; the original PDF scan of the menu is still online at the Buzzer Blog. Special thanks to the Buzzer Blog for posting this back in 2009, and extra special thanks to Lisa Codd, the curator at the Burnaby Village Museum who originally provided the scans to the Buzzer. This item has now been transferred to the Burnaby Archives.
Virginia Ayers at the New West blog Tenth to the Fraser recently raised some critical questions around the replacement plan for the Pattullo Bridge. She also mentioned the upcoming open house on The Master Transportation Plan. It’s taking place Thursday, May 3rd at Century House from 2-4pm and at the Justice Institute from 6-9pm.
Pattullo Bridge, by Henry John Simpkins (RCA). This drawing is from a 1938-1939 Christmas greeting card from the Dominion Bridge Company Limited, the contractors that built the bridge. The bridge was opened November 15, 1937, so if the card was intended for December 1938, this would have been the bridges 1st birthday card as well! Seen for sale on ebay. More about the artist from Pegasus Gallery on Salt Spring Island, BC:
Henry John Simpkins, RCA (1906-1995) was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba. He attended the Winnipeg school of art in 1923-1925. He traveled and painted across Canada, Newfoundland, Ontario, Manitoba, and B.C, as well as all over the Eastern U.S.A, England, Scotland, and Wales, settling in Montreal in 1929. He worked mainly in watercolor and some oils. His subjects included landscape, nudes, coastal scenes, figures, streetscapes, and everyday life. In Winnipeg he worked for Brigdens*. He exhibited with the RCA from 1930-1957, and the AAM/MMFA from 1931-1955.
* The link to the article on Brigdens is a must read! “Brigdens, one of Canada’s oldest graphic arts firms, opened a branch in Winnipeg in 1913 to produce the western Canadian version of the Eaton’s mail-order catalogue…”
More beer labels for sale on ebay. These aren’t even all depicting Vancouver, but I don’t care - they’re super! From the same collector, in Warsaw Poland. No doubt there is a great story behind this collection. I’ll be very curious to learn where all these labels are going to end up! An emerging book, perhaps, or decoration in a brewmaster’s den?
Update: Yep, it turns out, these labels are part of the largest collection of Canadian beer labels in Europe, according to the seller! Spectacular! Labels from Saskatchewan, Newfoundland, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia will be up for sale next week. You heard it first hear, folks. Breaking news brought to you by Illustrated Vancouver!
SkyBridge, artist unknown; a rendering seen mounted on the wall at the SkyTrain Operations and Maintenance Centre, Burnaby, during the SkyTrain 25th Anniversary celebration event. I can almost make out the name of the architectural illustrator, and I know for certain it is not Ron Love. The name almost resembles Lakonan or Illkonan?? The signature is hard to make out in the bottom right. Ron Love also drew the Skybridge here (in fact, Ron drew two versions of the bridge, the other drawing more accurately resembles the finished design).
In honour of I Love Transit week, this week’s posts will be transit related!
An alternate design for the TransLink Skybridge whose lines mirrors the Pattullo Bridge nearby; artist’s concept illustration by Ronald J Love. Ron was the Canadian architectural illustator who drew every SkyTrain station before they were built, as seen here previously.
More on the same theme, this 1994 brochure features the same illustration seen previously, highlighting the Surrey SkyTrain extension launch in 1994. The artist has yet to be identified.
