I. FRIES (DATES UNKNOWN) INTERNATIONAL AVIATION TOURNAMENT / BELMONT PARK. 1910.
84 3/4x40 inches, 215 1/4x101 1/2 cm. American Litho., New York.
Condition B+: repaired tears, restored losses and restoration along vertical and horizontal folds. Two-sheets.
In 1910, Long Island's Belmont Park racetrack was host to one of the earliest flying competitions in the United States. The ten-day long event was overseen by Orville and Wilbur Wright; it is estimated that on the last day, October 30th, which featured an air race to the Statue of Liberty (with a $10,000 prize for the winner), over 75,000 spectators showed up to watch. This same image was also used on the cover of the program for the event. We can locate only one other copy of this poster, in the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum. rare.