75 photographs of drawings for float designs, tipped in corner mounts to the pages of a modern custom photo album. Photos approximately 4x6".
This album offers an extraordinary visual history of 75 original designs prepared for Pasadena Rose Parade Floats in 1963 and 1964. Most were designed around the themes of “Memorable Moments,” and “Symbols of Freedom” which were complimented by the Grand Marshals Dr. William H. Pickering, former director of JPL during the Space Race, in 1963, and President Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1964. The designs include such themes as The Gettysburg Address which was adapted by the Helms Bakery in 1964 for their prize-winning float, The Lincoln Address; A design for the Huntington Sheraton Flag House which was adapted, but did not win a prize in 1963; as well as many others such as The Early West, The Constitution, Freedom of Expression, Freedom of the Press, The Monroe Doctrine, Freedom of Expression, Early California, a moon landing with flying saucers, and many others.
The Tournament of Roses Parade committee maintains very tight controls on design approval, largely to prevent overlapping themes, and similar floats. All of the floats are required to be covered with plant material, living or dead, and in the 1960s, many of the communities and organizational sponsors still depended largely on volunteers, rather than the professional float building companies who have emerged in the recent decades to build most of the floats.