Textile, Throw Blanket, Lindbergh, King Collection

Jacquard woven throw blanket that replicates an article from the New York City newspaper "The World" about Lindbergh's trans-Atlantic flight. The background of the blanket is neutral colored but with multi-colored threads running through, giving the blanket a multi-colored fringe on the top and bottom. The newspaper text takes up the top half of the blanket, which includes the newspaper header, the date May 22, 1927, and the price of 5 cents. The main headline reads: LINDBERGH DOES IT! TO PARIS IN 33 1/2 HOURS; FLIES 1,000 MILES THROUGH SNOW AND SLEET; CHEERING FRENCH CARRY HIM OFF FIELD. Below the headline is one column of text, a picture, another column of text, and another picture. The text is five subheadings about the flight. They read: "COULD HAVE GONE 500 MILES FURTHER / Gasoline for at Least That Much More / Flew at Times From 10 feet to 10,000 Feet Above Water / ATE ONLY ONE AND A HALF OF HIS FIVE SANDWICHES / Fell asleep at Times but Quickly Awoke - Glimpses of His Adventures..." The first picture is of Lindbergh from the shoulders up and another man behind him. The next column of text is likewise a series of five subheadings, but only the first four are legible. They read: "CROWD ROARS THUNDEROUS WELCOME / Breaks through Lines of Soldiers and Police and Surging to Plane Lifts Weary Flier from His Cockpit / AVIATORS SAVE HIM FROM FRENZIED MOB OF 100,000 / Paris Boulevards Ring With Celebration After Day and Night Watch - American Flag is Called For and Wildly Acclaimed." The next picture is of the Spirit of St. Louis. Below the newspaper section of the blanket is a multicolored image of Lindbergh wearing a flight jacket and cap, with the goggles on top of his head. On the right is the Spirit of St. Louis flying above the Eiffel Tower.

On May 20-21, 1927, Charles Lindbergh literally flew into history when he crossed the Atlantic Ocean in his Ryan NYP Spirit of St. Louis, thus becoming the first pilot to fly solo and nonstop from New York to Paris. This flight made Lindbergh a household name and catapulted him into fame and celebrity. The objects of popular culture in the National Collection display everything from ashtrays to wristwatches reflect the public adulation for Lindbergh and the powerful commercial response to his celebrity. More than 75 years after the Spirit's historic flight, Lindbergh's name still has the power help sell manufactured goods.

On May 20-21, 1927, Charles Lindbergh literally flew into history when he crossed the Atlantic Ocean in his Ryan NYP Spirit of St. Louis, thus becoming the first pilot to fly solo and nonstop from New York to Paris. This flight made Lindbergh a household name and catapulted him into fame and celebrity. The objects of popular culture in the National Collection display everything from ashtrays to wristwatches reflect the public adulation for Lindbergh and the powerful commercial response to his celebrity. More than 75 years after the Spirit's historic flight, Lindbergh's name still has the power help sell manufactured goods.