A Checkered Past: Indy 500 Program Covers

This 1981 cover featuring the top of the Borg-Warner trophy was the first to use an actual photograph.

The centennial of the Indianapolis 500 is only days away. So while you’re resting up for all that Snake Pit revelry, here’s a selection of official programs from over the years. The National Indy 500 Collector Club has every program with details going back to the Speedway’s pre- 500 races including the first race in 1909, which was a balloon race.

The programs parallel magazine trends, including book thickness and styles of cover design. There are the Art Deco illustrations of the 1930s, those illustrated montages from the 1980s, foldouts, and the requisite hologram cover. The program prices, which are prominently displayed on the covers through 2000, climb through the years from ten cents on up!

Upper left, program from the first 500 in 1911. Upper right, 2001 hologram-cover. At bottom is a foldout from 2009 by the renowned artist Thomas Kinkade.

Most of these are on eBay right now, where prices can go as high as $250.

1919
In celebration of the Allied victory in WWI, the
race was renamed the "Liberty Sweep Stakes."

1930

1931

1935

1936

1938

1946

1951

1956
From 1955 through 1975, this program cover ran
for all but two years.

1976

1979

1982

1988

1990

2003

2011
One of three covers for this year’s race.

Space History Auction

Artifacts relating to the early years of space exploration will be sold this week by Bonham’s auction house in New York. The sale includes both American and Soviet memorabilia. Many of the items are from the personal collections of astronauts and others associated with the space programs.Above, full-scale model of a Saturn V F-1 engine, approximately 19’ tall x 12’ diameter. (Would look amazing in a backyard--so much more original than a gnome!)
Below, neck tag worn by Ham the Space Chimp on his 1961 flight.

Ham, after his flight. Check out his LIFE photo gallery.

Photo of the Mercury Seven, 20 x 16 inches, c.1959, printed later. Signed by Scott Carpenter, Wally Schirra, and Gordon Cooper.

Space suit parts with photos taken during testing.

"Skyward," by Commander Richard E. Byrd.
Endpapers are signed by over 20 aviators in the 1920s and 1930s, including R.E. Byrd, Charles Lindbergh, Amelia Earhart, Frank Whittle, J.H. Doolittle, and Eddie Rickenbacker.

"International Turtle Club (Outershell Division)" official membership card signed by Scott Carpenter, Gordon Cooper, and Wally Schirra. The traditions of this club, started by pilots from World War II, were embraced by the Mercury astronaut corps. The card has the "Turtle Creed" and the membership requirements.

90-page book describing the Defense Department's role during the Apollo 11 flight including details on the tracking network, support aircraft, and recovery ships, 1969. Signed by Buzz Aldrin.

Internal publication about Apollo 11 produced by North American Rockwell, builder of the Command Module. Signed by Buzz Aldrin.

Signed orbital flight reports from May and October of 1962.


Lunar surface photo-mosaics created by U.S. Geological Survey, 1966-68. This was before the Hockneyizer photo-collage generator was invented. It was even before David Hockney started making his famous Polaroid composites.


POSTERS
It’s a really good thing aeronautic success and poster design are in no way related. In these pieces, the Soviets are literally reaching for the stars, while U.S. poster-design talent was clearly focused elsewhere (movies? rock concerts?).
Bravely to the Stars; No Obstacles for Heroism
Moscow, 1968

Tenth Planet—A Symbol of the Victory of the Communists!
Moscow, 1959

To the Stars!
Moscow, 1965

Left: To the Conquest of the Universe—Glory! Moscow, 1961
Right: Glory to the Cosmonaut U.A. Gagarin! Moscow,1961

Let Our Constellation Shine
Moscow, 1966

Apollo 8 Poster: Quality Work Assures Success

Poster of Astronaut Rusty Schweickart with a spiral galaxy backdrop. Text: "In our business only the EXCEPTIONAL is satisfying. THANKS FOR YOUR SHARE"

Poster features portraits of the Apollo Astronauts and Russian Cosmonauts of the Apollo Soyuz flight during 1975. A symbolic chain links the together around the Apollo Soyuz Program emblem. Text: “Linked in Trust, In the Excellence of Your Work”


The sale includes a number of sketches of high-altitude manned ballooning capsules from the 1950s. (Lots 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)





Anatoly Levchenko 's jumpsuit from Soyuz TM-4. It was the fourth manned spacecraft to dock with Mir, in December 1987.

Visualize the World: Inspiration

The World Clock, Or What Time it is in the Different Places of the Earth When it is Noon in Dresden, is from “Alexander von Humboldt's Kosmos,” 1851.

In my last post, I told you about the forthcoming Lonely Planet book of information graphics, “How to Land A Jumbo Jet.” The book intends to be a “visual guide to the world - a collection of cultural and travel-inspired infographics and visualizations of all kinds.” The book's content will be developed from submissions to an open call for infographic and visualization ideas. The project is under the direction of renowned 'graphic explainer,' Nigel Holmes.

As promised, here’s an assortment of travel-related information design, for inspiration …


Fifty years of Exploration, traces the nearly 200 missions launched in a half-century of space travel.
National Geographic Map by Sean McNaughton and Samuel Velasco, 5W Infographics



This dictionary of cultural nuance, “Speak Italian: The Fine Art of the Gesture," by graphic designer Bruno Munari, was first published in 1958. It was re-released by Chronicle Books in 2005.


From 1923, "New and Improved View of the Comparative Heights of the Principal Mountains and Lengths of the Principal Rivers In The World, The whole Judiciously arranged from the various Authorities Extant” Via Natural Selections
Go to "River Deep Mountain High,” on BibliOdyssey for a dozen more examples of this type of info-geo-graphic illustration.



Vintage booklet from Mobil, “DIAL your MILEAGE,” includes a section to record your mileage and offers tips on how to save fuel.


Explained here, by Nigel Holmes, is how the unique choreography of the social kiss varies from country to country. From his book, Wordless Diagrams.


This cutaway of the street below Rockefeller Center, by Emil Lowenstein, appeared in the July, 1939 issue of Fortune, which was devoted entirely to New York City.


Cutaway model by Model by Richard Peduzzi, of the the Garnier's Paris Opéra. Via Oobject


To actually read what the different colors represent in various cultures, you’ll have to view the David McCandless original at his sight, Information is Beautiful. (By the way, his post today includes, and links to, one of the Du Bois charts from AME.)


Promotional infographic for the startup Airbnb, highlights some of the more unusual properties available for short-term rental. Via Co.Design


Snapped this one in San Clemente.


Map of touristiness, based on analysis of photos on Panoramio. Via LA Times


Twelve maps in a case showing the best bicycle routes in the state of Wisconsin. Published in 1897, by The League of American Wheelmen, the maps are keyed to show good, medium, bad, level, hilly, and very hilly roads. An Index map is provided as well. Via the David Rumsey Map Collection


This vintage map (year unknown), shows driving distances between cities in France.