Centennial Exhibition, Philadelphia. 1876.
Title
Centennial Exhibition, Philadelphia. 1876
Description
Sample album containing half stereographic prints by the commissioned photographic company of the Centennial Exhibition of 1876. Contains images of the exhibition that celebrated the centennial of the United States through an international exhibition of industry, agriculture, and art. Photographs depict the installation of exhibits; exhibition grounds including bird's eye views, scenes in Lansdowne Valley and along exhibition avenues, rail lines, fountains, statuary, and outdoor horticultural displays; interiors and exteriors of exhibition buildings, including Agricultural Hall, Horticultural Hall, Main Exhibition Building, Memorial Hall, the United States Government Building, states' buildings, the Women's Pavilion and the portico of the building of the Centennial Photographic Co.; views of special exhibits and dioramas, including Hunter's Camp, the first locomotive, and "The Dying Elk"; displays showing the wares, products, or cultural artifacts of specific companies and countries, including Peruvian mummies; and displays of art particularly of Italian statuary. Many of the exterior views and some of the interior include fair visitors and personnel., Exhibitors depicted include American Book Association; American Steamship Co.; American Watch Co.; Clinton Wire Cloth Company; Farmers Friend Manufacturing Co.; J. F. Tyrell & Co.; J. & P. Coats; Kingsford Starch Co.; Mason's Blacking; Midnight Yarn Co.; Mrs. Maxwell (taxidermy); Pacific Guano Co.; Shomacker Piano Mftg. Co.; and Singer Sewing Machine., Architects of the main buildings include Herman Schwartzmann, Henry Pettit, Joseph M. Wilson, and James H. Windrim. Architects of the states buildings include George A. Frederick, Carl Pfeiffer, E. L. Rice, Jr., Croff & Camp, and Heard & Sons., Brown leather and maroon cloth binding with gilt., Cataloging funded by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities (PW-506-19-10), 2010-2012., Album disbound and reformatted for conservation., Over 200 duplicate images held in the Raymond Holstein Stereograph Collection. See Holstein stereo - Centennial Photographic Company., Catalogue of the Centennial Photographic Company's Views of the International Exhibition, 1876. LCP Rare Books Am1876Cen (51856.D.10)., Ongoing series of articles about photographing the exhibition by John L. Gihon, a photographer employed by the Company, appeared in Philadelphia Photographer throughout 1877 under the title "Rambling Remarks Resumed.", Original photographs by the Centennial Photographic Company appeared as the frontispieces for Philadelphia Photographer in March, April, July and November 1877. P.8965.70f showing the statue "Cupid" illustrated the November 1877 issue., LCP AR [Annual Report] 1983 p.42-43., The Centennial Photographic Company was granted exclusive rights to photograph the Centennial Exhibition in Philadelphia in 1876. Company officers included President William Notman, a prominent Canadian photographer; Vice President and Proprietor Washington Irving Adams, representative of the Scovill Manufacturing Company which supplied equipment for large-scale production to the company; Superintendent & Treasurer and Proprietor Edward L. Wilson, publisher of Philadelphia Photographer; and Art Superintendent John Arthur Fraser, Notman's partner in the Toronto photographic firm of Notman & Fraser. Employing over 400 men and women, the Company produced over 3,000 views of the exhibition, and portraits of officials and exhibitors.
Creator
Centennial Photographic Co.
Date
c1876
Location
Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department *albums (flat) [P.8965]