Behind the Zipper

The “zipper” around The New York Times Building at One Times Square began operating in 1928. To display the news, an operator had to compose the message by hand using thin slabs called letter elements. In 1953, the Times photographer Sam Falk took this image of those elements being assembled into a message for New Yorkers. Printed on giclée archival photo paper, this intriguing image is available to you framed or unframed. It includes a Times certificate of authenticity.

The photo of the Motograph News Bulletin (its original formal name) is part of The New York Times Early Edition collection, inspired by items from The Times’s vast archive and history. Unveiled on election night in 1928, the zipper gave onlookers the news that Herbert Hoover had been elected president. Though The Times had moved a block away, it still owned the building, and used its prominent position to broadcast news and advertisements. The “zipper,” modernized, continued to operate even after the building was sold in 1963.

Giclée uses an ink-jet printer to deposit dots of ink onto archival photo paper. The ink is absorbed into the paper, replicating the look of an original print. The photographer, Sam Falk, was a pioneer in using 35-millimeter photography at The Times, where he worked for more than 40 years. Though he specialized in portraits, Falk enjoyed photographing street scenes and hidden places. His work was often featured in one-man shows at museums and galleries.