First “Lunch atop a Skyscraper” Bobblehead Unveiled

MILWAUKEE – This morning, the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum unveiled a limited-edition “Lunch atop a Skyscraper” Bobblehead, which is a replica of the famous black-and-white photograph taken on September 20th, 1932, of 11 ironworkers sitting on a steel beam of the RCA Building 850 feet above the ground during the construction of the Rockefeller Center in New York City. The special edition bobblehead scene is being produced by the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum.

With 11 bobbing heads, the one-of-a-kind “Lunch atop a Skyscraper” bobblehead scene is being released to coincide with the anniversary of when the picture was taken. The photo was published in the Sunday supplement of the New York Herald Tribune on October 2nd, 1932, with the caption: “Lunch atop a Skyscraper.”

Positioned on a beam with a backing of New York City, the bobbleheads are replicas of the 11 men from the iconic photograph, which has been called “one of the most recognizable photos of the 20th century” and “a piece of American history.” Sitting precariously on a steel beam 850 feet in the air, the 11 ironworkers are casually eating lunch while having carefree conversations.

Each bobblehead is individually numbered to only 1,932 – the year the picture was taken – and they are only available exclusively through the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum’s Online Store. The bobbleheads, which are expected to ship in January, are $100 each plus a flat-rate shipping charge of $8 per order.

Originally titled “Builders of the City Enjoy Luncheon,” the portrait of 11 ironworkers casually enjoying their lunch break on a steel beam 850 feet above the streets of New York has captured the imagination of people around the world for nearly a century. While it’s most known as “Lunch atop a Skyscraper,” the image has been called different names over the years, including “Lunch on a Beam” and “Men on a Beam.” Despite its seemingly spontaneous nature, the photo was arranged as a publicity shot taken during the construction of the 69th floor of Rock Center’s RCA Building – now known as 30 Rock – where the staged photograph was part of a campaign promoting the skyscraper.

Despite the photo’s worldwide appeal, no one tried to find out who the men or the photographer was until the award-winning 2012 documentary, “Men at Lunch,” investigated. Since no work records remain from the Rockefeller construction, it is difficult to state with 100 percent certainty who were on the beam, especially since more than 40,000 people were hired to help build Rockefeller Center. What is known is that the workers included Irish, Italian, Scandinavian, Eastern European, and German immigrants, along with Mohawk ironworkers from Canada.

Photographers Charles Ebbets, Thomas Kelley, and William Leftwich were all present on the day the image was taken, but it remains unclear who was responsible for capturing the iconic shot. So far, Rockefeller Center archivist Christine Roussel has only been able to confirm two of the 11 men: Joseph Eckner, third from the left; and Joe Curtis, third from the right. According to a New York Post survey, numerous claims have been made regarding the identities of the men in the image. The first man on the right, holding a bottle, has been identified as Slovak worker Gustav (Gusti) Popovic. The photograph was found in his estate, with the note “Don’t you worry, my dear Mariska, as you can see, I’m still with bottle” written on the back. The sixth person from the left is claimed to be Peter Rice, Mohawk construction worker, great grandfather of Burton Rice, of Rice Mohawk Steel. Taken during the Great Depression, the photograph became an icon of New York City and has often been recreated by construction workers. Time magazine included the image in its 2016 list of the 100 most influential images.

“We are thrilled to unveil this replica bobblehead scene replicating the ‘Lunch atop a Skyscraper’ photograph taken in New York this week in 1932,” National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum co-founder and CEO Phil Sklar said. “Called the ‘most famous picture of a lunch break in New York history,’ the iconic image has become a symbol of the city’s and country’s resilience and determination. This one-of-a-kind bobblehead scene will be a valuable keepsake for both New Yorkers and fans of the famous photo.”

About the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum:
The National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum, which is located at 170 S. 1st St. in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, opened to the public on February 1st, 2019. The HOF and Museum also produces high quality, customized bobbleheads for retail sale as well as organizations, individuals, and teams across the country. Visit us online and on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.