P3D Re: ISU Trade Fair

[abram klooswyk <abram.klooswyk@xxxxxx>]

Mary Ann Sell wrote:
>ISU did have their first ever trade fair in 1997 
>(as a result of the intervention of my good friend 
>Ryko Prins who was so amazed at our trade fair during 
>ISU/NSA '95 in Atlanta he decided to
>implement one in Holland in 1997).  

and later:
>(...) prior to 1997, they 
>had a few tables of vendors showing their new products
>they were making.  More of a demonstration than an actual
>trade fair with a couple of folks with older items there
>as well.  10 table or so.

Dear Mary Ann Sell,
As I am among the very few people who have attended all ISU 
congresses so far (thank you, no applause please :-)), 
I have some recollections of all of them (Ryko Prins hasn't...).
You are right that no ISU trade fair ever was so large as the
Atlanta one, which of course was more a NSA fair, but I was told 
it was also the largest in NSA history till then. 

Indeed, trade fairs were small at most ISU congresses, but mostly 
more than 10 tables. Several congresses had so called exhibitions, 
but vendors of course sold what they could sell.
Often there have been complaints that the trade fair wasn't 
scheduled long enough, because of a full projection program, 
which indicates that quite a few people preferred the fair
to be open. 

Also, collectible stuff was less then it is on any NSA fair, 
I suppose, with more emphasis on new stuff and usable gadgets. 
Still I have bought several vintage views on nearly every ISU 
congress, for example some fine glass stereo's in Paris (1976). 
At the first ISU congress (Wageningen, the Netherlands,
1975) Gary Chamberlain had a large collection of views.
A famous auction was held in Buxton 1983, which much antique
stuff, and everybody consulting Paul Wing on the value of
19th century stereoscopes. I won the bid on a rare book with
stereophotographs, and also bought a boxed set of views.

I have a copy of my registration form for Interlaken 1987.
The fee for trade tables was 160 Swiss francs, and an extra
20 francs for electricity equipped tables. That probably was
the largest ISU trade fair before Atlanta. The form said
"display room", but in German more to the point: "Verkaufsraum"
(sale room).

All this to emphasis that (not attending the NSA convention)
I look forward to the *fair* in Lindau as well.

Abram Klooswyk


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