Customer Reviews

New York, Empire City: 1920-1945

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I found David Stravitz's new book (New York, Empire City 1920-1945) every bit as thrilling as his book on the Construction of the Chrysler Building, building an Icon Day-by-Day. The photos are spectacular, oversized and chuck full of detail of a grand era in the history of the greatest city in the world. The big question for me is "is there another book to follow?". Can't wait! Lisa Franciosi

This is a wonderful journey into a part of New York City's past. The history of so many New York city neighborhoods have been captured and preserved in David Stravitz's book. The photographs, developed from 8x10 negatives, come alive on the pages. Many of the pictures also have enlarged segments which give the reader a real sense of being in New York in this era. This book is a MUST HAVE for anyone who has any interest in this great city's history.

When David Stravitz bought around five hundred glass negatives from a New Jersey photo shop in the late seventies I bet he didn't realize what a nice little earner he was onto. This treasure trove of images has so far produced two books: the amazing The Chrysler Building: Creating a New York Icon Day by Day and now 'New York, Empire State'.

Both books follow the same format, page after page of very detailed architectural photographs of the city in the first fifty years of the last century. This book has a hundred images (thankfully in 175dpi) taken by commercial photographers Peyser and Patzig probably for architects and builders as a record of their endeavors.

It is the detail in the photos that makes the book so fascinating. Taken on eight-by-ten glass negs after carefully selecting the right position. They reveal street scenes and buildings where you can read the road signs and study the detail work on skyscrapers that would be impossible to see from street level. Nearly all the photos are of commercial property though near the end there shots of tenements, shops, sport arenas and Coney Island. Needless to say many of the buildings shown came down years ago.

Each picture has the name of the building or city area and Christopher Gray adds more detail on six pages at the back of the book and this is where I felt the reader has been badly let down by the publishers. There are 130 photo pages yet only sixteen have page numbers, which makes nonsense of Gray's page numbered captions and the three page comprehensive index. Strangely page 105, with a whole page photo does have a number and this, I assume, was to be the case with every page but someone screwed up! Very frustrating (and do I get a refund?).

I recently reviewed a similar architectural photo book about New York City with 170 stunning photos taken by Samuel Gottscho between 1925 and 1940. Included are some marvellous Manhattan night photos as well as shop and house interiors. His work helped to define the popular skyline silhouette image of the big American city. Have a look at The Mythic City: Photographs of New York by Samuel H. Gottscho, 1925-1940 by Donald Albrecht.

***FOR AN INSIDE LOOK click 'customer images' under the cover.

I love the fantastic black and white images in this book, you forget how spectacularly beautiful the New York skyline was before the 50's, 60's and 70's international style of Mies and SOM ruined the skyline blocking many of these breathtaking buildings from view and altering an iconic american image forever. At any rate, this is a really good book, with well researched, interesting text and aforementioned great photo's. As you look at all the beautiful buildings and lament the loss of so many over the years, you can't help but want to throttle Robert Moses and David Rockefeller.

No regrets but I wish there were more photos of the city and street scenes.

A rare glimpse into a glamorous New York as it once was. An amazing time machine. The photographs are of absolutely stunning quality.

A wonderful pictoral history of early 20th century New York. One will be astounded at the space between the buildings of the city and the level of architecture throughout. In our daily hustle, this book reminds us of the beauty of the many buildings that make up the skyline of New York. Enjoy.