A larger-than-life Pepsi-Cola bottle, with red neon light illuminating the drink's name in Chinese, sat atop a booth at the Singapore Constitution Exposition in 1959.
It was one of about 450 booths at a month-long event held to commemorate Singapore's transition from colonial status to internal self-government.
Government departments and industrial and commercial entities showcased their work and products at the event in Kallang.
The colour image of the fair is rare. It was captured on a photographic slide by the late Ralph Charles Saunders, a radio operator for General Communications Headquarters in Britain, who was posted here.
He lived in Jalan Kayu with his family from 1956 to 1959.
A total of 1,425 35mm photographic slides taken by Mr Saunders were shipped here last month in seven boxes by his son, neuroplastician Clifford Saunders, 68, at his own expense.
Of the lot, 667 images were of Singapore. The National Heritage Board (NHB) is in the process of cataloguing and digitising the slides to identify images suitable for use in its galleries, exhibitions and heritage projects.
Some of them might also be added to the National Collection.
NHB's assistant chief executive of policy and community, Mr Alvin Tan, encouraged Singaporeans and friends of Singapore living abroad to follow Dr Saunders' example and help Singapore grow its repository of heritage materials.
According to the Saunders family, photographic slides used to cost 10 times more than a black and white negative, so few were used to capture everyday life in Singapore.
Such coloured slides of pre-independence Singapore are therefore "valuable", said Mr Tan.
Another slide in the collection captured the main entrance to the expo, and beyond its gates was what appeared to be a futuristic set-up.
Dr Saunders, who was 10 when he visited the event which took up a 20ha site, said: "A lot of new technologies were on show.
"These included airplane models and radio-controlled model ships docking in a model port to give people an idea of what Singapore could be like. It was truly amazing."
The collection also includes shots of Capitol Theatre, the Singapore River, the Botanic Gardens, Jalan Kayu, Pulau Ubin and a Chinese funeral procession in Orchard Road.
Dr Saunders said he hopes Singaporeans can "experience a sense of wonder" through the photos, as well as discover the island's past when life was slower.
