The Blue Conventions

Decorative matt cardstock slipcase has sample illustration in brown with pale blue title on the front cover. Rear cover has an illustration and the CBS studio and address in brown text. Slipcase has some age-related foxing to the top and front edge, a small blemish in the bottom left corner and some small dots staining the lower part of the illustration. Sleeve has light edge wear to the top and bottom of the spine and the front beveled edge. Also, included and attached to the sleeve with a pale blue clip, is a letter from Frank Stanton, President of CBS to the delegates. The actual book is printed on heavy weight pale blue paper with text and illustrations in black with all interior pages being in excellent condition – no tears, chips, creases, or previous owner marks. The stitched binding is in excellent condition with no breaks or damage. External mailing envelope with recipient label and New York postage stamp is in excellent condition with age fading and only one of the metal clips that closed the box broken. Unpaginated but approximately 40 pages.

In 1956 CBS Television broadcast live from both the Democratic National Convention (Chicago, Illinois) and the Republican National Convention (San Francisco, California). In addition, they sent Feliks Topolski to document the events through a series of drawings. After the convention the drawings were combined into a softbound book that also described the details and workings of both conventions (with emphasis on how each party used the medium to their advantage). Placed into a decorative cardstock sleeve the publication was sent to the delegates of the conventions. This was the first time in history the conventions were televised with Columbia Broadcasting System estimating that 33,836,000 American families watched the proceedings on average for two hours per day. This book in its original sleeve, and including the box that was used to ship via the USPS to the delegate, is a unique piece of Americana for both the historical television and/or political enthusiast.

Feliks Topolski (1907 – 1998) was a Polish expressionist painter and draughtsman who worked primarily in the United Kingdom. He moved to Britain in 1935 after being commissioned to record King George V's silver jubilee and in 1951 he was provided a studio under one of the arches o Hungerford Bridge where he worked consistently until his death. During his lifetime he was witness to many events (WWII official war artist, first meeting of the United Nations, the painting event at 1948 Summer Olympics) and "as a Polish-born Londoner who has drawn his way through four continents in war and peace he can draw the American scene in an election year with political neutrality".