1935 Brussels International Exhibition
This exhibition covered the largest area of any held in Belgium so far, being 105 hectares. It was
sited adjacent to the Laeken public park at Heysel, where the exhibition hall (still in use) had been
built in 1930 for the Centenary of Belgian Independence. The site was further enlarged for Expo58.
Interestingly, holding an such an exhibition in Belgium in 1935 appeared to violate the agreement
made at the Convention Relating to International Exhibitions (Paris 1928), which stated that two
universal exhibitions - the largest type - could not be held within a decade in the same country. The
1930 Antwerp-Liege exhibition should have meant Belgium was debarred until 1941 from another.
Such was the rivalry among Belgian cities that Brussels applied for permission to hold an exhibition in
1935. The Paris based Bureau of International Exhibitions bent to the pressure and Belgium was
allowed to hold a universal exhibition. This exception led to the collapse of the agreement less than a
decade after it was signed.
A major publicity and selling point, more than any other Belgian Fair, was King Albert being high
patron. His very popular presence was everywhere, which gave Belgium a high profile, more so even
than the 1930 centenary celebrations. Alas, Albert died in February 1934 during the planning. Thus it
was left to his son, Leopold 3, to take over and officiate.
Principal foreign countries were Austria, Denmark, France, Great Britain, Hungary, Italy, Luxemburg,
Holland, Switzerland, Czechoslovakia and USA. There were nine categories of exhibit from sciences
·
and engineering to clothing, economics and tourism .
The site boasted some striking features, including the Monumental Palace, which contained the bulk
of the Belgian exhibits, and the Palace of Art. Both were constructed from permanent materials.
Luxurious parks, lakes and gardens were created specially. The architectural effect was art-deco
rather than modern, the style of the 1925 Paris exhibition being everywhere. "Old Brussels" was built
on the edge of the site and was mediaeval in style and costume.
In the Palace of Art, half was old art and half modern. A stunning display of art from all nations called
"Five Centuries of Art, 1400-1900" was a runaway success. In this the modern included French works
by Bonnard, Braque, Chagall, Derain , Matisse, Picasso, Vlaminck, Maillot etc. This had political
importance as the Germans recently had closed the Bauhaus. Britain's selection of art was also
surprisingly modern.
Despite the lavishness of the site, Belgian architecture was confused. It was neither art-nouveau nor
modern; it took a turn back toward classicism, which caused chaos. It was not until the 1958 Expo
that a coherent design returned to architectural and industrial creations.
The Exhibition opened on 27 April and closed on 6 November. Despite problems, twenty six million
visitors attended and a profit of some forty five million Belgian francs was made.
Two sets of stamps were issued, the first of 4 stamps on 1 July 1934 to advertise this exhibition, the
second of 3 on opening day. The first was heliogravure printed by J. Malvaux, in sheets of 200
stamps of 4 panels (10 x 5 stamps) & p 14 x 13%. It was demonetised after two years on 1 July 36.
Congo pavilion
Brussels pavilion
Old Brussels
Heysel Centenary Hall
Registered double weight letter to UK
Bruxelles Exposition I Brussel Tentoonstelling 1935
special eds dated 13 Aug 35
Postage
Additional postage
Registration
175 Fr (s 20 gm)
1 Fr (21 <wt s 40 gm)
175 Fr
1935 Brussels 2.pub
Labels issued for 1935 exhibition showing 1930 built Heysel pavilion,
which was
used for this exhibition, oJ~~ . for 1958
Part of sheet of unknown size
1935 Brussels 3.pub
Trilingual cards nonnally available only in the Cantons of Eupen & Malmedy
with Expo mechanical canceller
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Current internal card used 10 October
with postman's small circular round stamp
~onsieur
L. Seguy
6 A, rue Ve yd t
Bruxelles
--- - --
Current external card used locally 29 October
1935 Brussels 3a.pub
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Registered ainnail letter from Brussels to Basel (BAie)
Brussels Exhibition I office 1-c eds of 18 Aug 1935, 3 pm
Exhibition registration label 664
Postage
Registration
Airmail
Overpaid 25c
175 Fr (s 20 gm)
175 Fr
050 Fr (S 20 gm)
Reverse (part)
1. Basel airport V eds of 20 Aug 35, 7 am
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2. Basel 2 /letter centre V eds of
20 Aug 35. 7 am
1935 Brussels 3b.pub
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Letter from Brussels to Stuttgart
Brussels (QL) mechanical canceller of 30 Oct 35
Postage abroad
175 Fr (s 20 gm)
1935 Brussels 4.pub
Two letters with 1934 stamps advertising Brussels 1935
TRANSPORTS
Registered
Letter fro'!'
Antwerp to
New York
TOSETTI
ANVERS
Antwerpen 1 eds
of 28 Jan 1935
--
New York NY
Reg'y Div oval ds
of 5 Feb (verso)
New York (Sta G)
NY registered
eds of 6 Feb 1935
(verso)
Postage
Reg
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ANVERS
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Fr
1 Fr
75
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If undelivered please return to :
HENRY LOUFS
WETTEREN
(BJllLGIU.11<1)
Letter from
Wetteren to
Norman, USA
Wetteren
pepinieres - roseraies boom-enrosenkweekerijnen
slogan eds of 25
July 1934
Postage
75
1 Fr
lfr. RJl)INALD HOCKER,
3I9 Y. ColJtlanche Street,
NORllAN.
•••-m=-m
Ok1a.
u.s.A.
Btate Un1s d'Al:l&r1que.
1935 Brussels 4a.pub
Airmail letter from Brussels to Sweden
Bruxelles Exposition I Brussel Tentoonstelling /1935 eds of 12 May 1935
Postage abroad
Airmail
175 Fr (S 20 gm)
1 Fr (s 20 gm)
1935 Brussels 4b.pub
Picture postcard
to Australia of
the Royal Theatre
in Brussels
Brussels 1F eds of
16 Oct 34
Postage abroad 1 Fr
From the partial cancel on the LHS and
lack of paper damage, it is evident that
the 35c stamp was
improperly affixed.
Postcard requests a
couple of letters be
sent on the inaugural
10 Dec 1934 Brisbane-London through
flight. These will then
be returned.
Airmail private
postcard to Asmara, Eritrea
Brussels 1 K eds
of 2Oct1935
Paris R.P JAvion
eds of 2 Oct 1935
Postage
35c
(Imprime)
Airmail
2 Fr/5 gm
(Fixed at this rate)
Imperial airways to
Khartoum and then
local airline from
Khartoum to Asmara. 1st flight
was 28 Sep. This
was the 2 00 flight.
GAGNEZ OU TEM"<;
RE PONOEZ
p,.\ R I AVI 0 N
Card went from downtown Brussels 8-9 am to
Paris airport by 3 pm by air.
Slogan says • Gain time replying by air"
1935 Brussels 5.pub
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Czechoslovak pavilion
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Official picture postcard to Czechoslovakia
Special BrusselsExpo mechanical canceller of 31 Aug 35
Hradek Kralove arrival eds of 2 Sep
Postage abroad
35c ( ~ 5 words text)
1935 Brussels 6.pub
Royal Palace in Brussels
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Picture postcard to USA
Brussels (QL) mechanical canceller of 30 Sep 35
Postage abroad
1 Fr
1935 Brussels 7.pub
Boulevard
d~ Centenaire
!)I'piJ.tiliJJJL dltf.tJ:JUJliiUlrJ.e rJ3~
(100 Year's Boulevard)
1935. -
70tufdleit.LONutefl.i.Ju;.
rJ3tJ.ll.Uf
19J5,
Avenue of the Large Linden tree
1935 Brussels 7a.pub
Boulevard dWCentenaire
Main Boulevard in which the Atomium was built for the 1958 Expo
Picture postcard to Holland
Brussels 1 mechanical canceller of 27 Aug 35
(stamp removed)
1935 Brussels 7b.pub
Boulev1rd du C1nten1lre ·view
Offlcl1I picture poatcard to H1lalngborg, Sweden
Bn.i•••I• l!xpo mech1nlcal canceller of 21 Aug 38
1935 BtulMlt 7bb.pub
Agriculture Pavilion
l:,"'po.Jiliffit. ::J11Jmwiionafc 13m e.d lo 19 J5. -
10w /t!Jm/a_(JllJf.elLiiUJ 13ra..url 1915.
Old Brussels Exhibit off Boulevard de Centenaire
1935 Brussels 7c.pub
Old Brussels re-creation - 1
(a very rare set of prints)
Rue Courbe - Curved Street
The Archdukes' Bellone House
1935 Brussels 7d.pub
Old Brussels re-creation - 2
Hotel Rubempre, Place de Bailles (Buckets)
Two views of Old Brussels
RHS is R. Senne
1935 Brussels 7e.pub
Old Brussels re-creation - 3
Artisans' Court
Coudenberg Square
1935 Brussels 7f.pub
Old Brussels re-creation - 4
River Senne
Flour Millers' Passage
1935 Brussels 7g.pub
Old Brussels re-creation - 5
Fishmongers' Door
Satyrs' Fountain
1935 Brussels 7h.pub
Old Brussels re-creation - 6
Artisan's Court
View the other way
1935 Brussels 7j.pub
Old Brussels re- creation - 7 .
Main Courtyard
°
15 Fr stamp corresponded with the letter rate to Holland
Postcard rate abroad was 1 Fr
Date of 13 December 1935 was after the Expo closed,
but the canceller was that used at Expo
A case of using old stock after the event!
1935 Brussels 7k.pub
Old Brussels re- creation - 8
Fountain of the Three Virgins
Slogan next to cancel reads "Tourists, visit Parthenay & the Batine"
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Postcard to Parthenay (Deux-Sevres) and forwarded to Vichy (Allier)
Vieux Bruxelles - Oud Brussel / 1935 Expo eds of 5 Aug 1935
T added. 35c stamp on card cancelled at Parthenay/Oeux-Sevres (cancelling T)
Rate ok for imprime as s 5 words text.
1935 Brussels 71.pub
Paris pavilion
Official picture postcard to Bruges
Brussels Expo special mechanical canceller
14 Aug 35
Postage 1Oc internally for s 5 words of text
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1935 Brussels 8.pub
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Registered triple weight letter to Berlin
Bruxelles-Brussel 12 relief eds of 13 May 1935
Postage
175 Fr (s 20 gm)
Additional postage
2 Fr (40 <wt s 60 gm)
Registration
175 Fr
BALASSE
34, RUE DU LOMBARD. 34
BRUXELLES
---·\.
1935 Brussels 9.pub
Val St Lambert glass works pavilion
EXl'O~lllO"
OE 8RUllELLE~ 1935.
Pa'l'iUon dee Crlatallen.. d• Val S.Uat lamhen
da midi
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de la 80..... .,
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E.t.6e AMricl
Map on reverse showing some of the Expo &layout
1935 Brussels 9a.pub
Brazil pavilion
6.
EXPOSITION DE BRUXELLES 1935
L'ltalie
Italy pavilion
1935 Brussels 10.pub
Oanernark
19. EXPOSITION DE BRUXELLES 1935
Palais du Danemark et de J'Autr iche
Hwass et Ostenfeldl
Autriche
Denmark (LHS) & Austria (RHS) pavilions
Egypt's pavilion
1935 Brussels 1Oa.pub
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Exposition de Bruxelles 1935
Great Britain Pavilion
PPC to Wisconsin, USA
'The Fair is very pretty. They have a train, like the little one in Chicago, that goes all around the grounds... ."
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Holland pavilion
Corner of the Rosary - in the sunken garden
1935 Brussels 1Ob.pub
Catholic Life pavilion
Brussels (Nord) SF eds
of 5 May 35 to Hamburg
1935 Brussels 1Oc.pub
T
Hungarian pavilion
Lighting for the Paris Pavilion
1935 Brussels 1Od.pub
Switzerland pavilion
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Netherlands Pavilion
1935 Brussels 1Oe.pub
Old Brussels - flour mill
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Textiles Pavilion
1935 Brussels 1Of.pub
English pavilion - rear veranda
English pavilion - rear across garden
1935 Brussels 10g.pub
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1935 Brussels 1()f.pub
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1935 Brussels 1Oi.pub
Lilliputian Village - staffed by children dressed as adults
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Village Lilllputlen - Pare dta /\ttractlona
Exposition
d~
ll1uxdles 193S
Lilllputstad - /\ttractle Park
\V~ldt~nloonst~lling
van 8ruwl 1935.
Postcard wtth Lilliputian Village eds (2) of 19 May to Brussels
1935 Brussels 10j.pub
Mail Coach stamps. This set of three stamps was issued on 27 April 1935 to coincide with the opening of the
International Fair. The design was from a lithograph print in the Postal Museum in Brussels. Heliogravure printed by
J. Malvaux in sheets of 10 stamps (2 x 5), they were perforated 13Y2 x 14. They were demonetised on 1 July 1936.
Quantities released for sale were: 10+10c olive-black 497,898; 25+25c brown 433,430 and 35+25c green 436,872
10 + 10 c olive-black
1935 Brussels 11.pub
...-
25 + 25 c brown
-
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1935 Brussels 12.pub
35 + 25 c green
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1935 Brussels 13.pub
Brussels exhibit.ion cancel on Mail Coach st.amps 23 Jul 35
English pavilion
Czechoslovakian pavilion
1935 Brussels 14.pub
Brussels exhibition cancel on Mail Coach stamps 23 Jul 35
Heysel Centenary pavilion
1935 Brussels 15.pub
Exhibition Souvenir cover dated 24 Jun 1935
SOUVENIR
DE L'EXPOSITION
INTERNATIONALE
DE BRUXELLES 1935
A. DE KEYSER
MAISON
GALERIE JAMES ENSOR, 40
OSTEN DE
Mail Coach stamps issued April 1935
1935Brussels16.pub
Letter from Brussels to Freetown, Sierra Leone
Bruxelles I Brussel 1 B1 D eds of 12 August 1935
Freetown I Sierra Leone arrival eds of 24 Au 35 (verso)
Postage
While the Grand Hotel and Freetown have been deleted in red crayon, there are no instructions as to where the letter was sent.
Maybe it was hand delivered to another address in Freetown. An unusual destination.
1935 Brussels 17.pub