(for the 1862 Exhibition please
click here)
(for other exhibitions in date order please click
here)
(for the 1900 Paris Exposition
please click here)
The
Great Exhibition, the brainchild of Prince Albert, the Consort to Queen
Victoria, was conceived during the the 1840s and opened in Hyde Park
on 1 May 1851. After a quiet beginning it proved to be a vast success in
the six months that it ran and was, up to that time, the greatest peacetime
movement of persons ever witnessed. Over six million people visited between
May and October. On the last day, 11 October 1851, no fewer than 53,000
people visited the Exhibition.
It
was housed in the beautiful Crystal Palace, an inspired design by Joseph
Paxton, based on his building of the great glasshouses at Chatsworth.
After
the Exhibition, there was great debate about what to do with the Crystal
Palace. It could not stay in Hyde Park and was eventually, in 1854, rebuilt
at Sydenham in south London. There the Exhibition was re-created anew.
Wild
claims have been made regarding stereoviews of the Crystal Palace. Many
are claimed to be of the Exhibition in Hyde Park when in fact, NONE ARE
KNOWN TO EXIST. Views do exist, however, of the Crystal Palace as reconstructed
at Sydenham. An especially fine series was produced by T.R. Williams. De
la Motte also produced fine views. Exterior views usually illustrate the
two distinctive towers (for water storage), which didn't even exist at
the Hyde Park site. An entirely separate exhibition set was produced by
the London Stereoscopic and Photographic Company for the 1862 exhibition;
these were taken by their chief photographer, William England. This exhibition
was held in a purpose-built building at South Kensington, known as the
'Brompton Boilers' because of its two large domes, and promptly demolished
afterwards. I heard recently however that it was re-erected some eight
miles from London and still exists - and is used as a skating rink! These
views are usually in monochrome but, rarely, are encountered with
beautiful hand-tinting. There are around 450 views in this series.
As
for the Crystal Palace, sadly it burned down on the night of 20 November
1936, marking the final end of the Victorian era.
For
further information please visit this
most interesting website.
Crystal Palace Views
The
Crystal Palace as re-erected in 1854/55 at Sydenham. The chronology of
Crystal Palace views is complicated and an attempt was made by Treadwell
et
al (Institute of Photographic Research, view list series #3, fifth
edition, July 2000) to sort the various series. The late Geoff Gilbert
carried out extensive research over many years but, sadly, his work was
never published. We are fortunate, however, to have acquired many of his
research notes which are invaluable in dating views. Negretti and Zambra
were assigned exclusive rights in the early years but other photographers
and varied series soon appeared. T.R. Williams is generally credited with
the early Negretti series and, indeed, his 'TRW' blindstamp appears on
some views. Yellow mount views are later and can generally be attributed
to the 1860s whereas the white and grey mount views are considered to be
from the 1850s.
Exterior Views
Handwritten 'Crystal Palace'.
Condition 7 (light stains
in sky).
Order #4361.
Price $22.
Handwritten 'Crystal Palace,
Exterior'.
Condition 8.
Order #4362.
Price $25.
Handwritten 'Crystal Palace,
Sydenham, near London'.
Condition 8.
Order #4363.
Price $22.
Untitled hand-tinted view from
the same neg.
Condition 7.
Order #4364.
Price $18.
Handwritten 'Fountains and
grounds, Crystal Palace'.
Condition 7 (marks in sky).
Order #4365.
Price $22.
Untitled.
Condition 8.
Order #4366.
Price $25.
Negretti and Zambra, attached
yellow label. 'Crystal Palace. 22. Exterior of the Palace, from the Grand
Terrace'. Handwritten addition 'Looking north showing Central and North
Transepts and North Water Tower'. Ex collection of Viv and Ron Lowden.
Condition 6 (light in background).
Order #4367.
Price $18.
Handwritten 'Crystal Palace
at Sydenham'. Ex Darrah Collection. Note states 'Same day as previous card
- same neg. Note shadow on roadway and curtains open on facade'. Polished
cream mount is earlier than it seems.
Condition. Light soiling.
Order #4368.
Price $22.
'760. Crystal Palace, London'.
1890s view.
Condition 9.
Order #4369.
Price $18.
B.W. Kilburn, Littleton N.H.
'6049. Crystal Palace, London'.
Condition 8.
Order #4370.
Price $18.
Negretti and Zambra, attached
yellow label. 'Crystal Palace. 45. General view of the Palace, Cascades
and Lower Fountains'.
Condition. Yellow stain on
right image and slight damage to top right corner of mount.
Order #4371.
Price $15.
Interior Views
The
first section, comprising grey and white mount views, contains all the
rare 1850s views - many are pre-1856.
Mid-1850s untitled view.
Condition 9.
Order #4373.
Price $35.
Mid-1850s untitled view. 'Negretti
and Zambra. Photos to the Crystal Palace' blindstamp.
Condition 8.
Order #4374.
Price $35.
Mid-1850s untitled view.
Condition 9.
Order #4375.
Price $35.
Mid-1850s view. Handwritten
'Italian Court'.
Condition 8.
Order #4376.
Price $30.
Mid-1850s view. Handwritten
(modern hand) 'Negretti and Zambra, The Nave. Una and the Lion & The
Eagle Slayer by John Bell'.
Condition 7 (light foxing).
Order #4377.
Price $22.
Mid-1850s view. Handwritten
(modern hand) 'Negretti & Zambra, Crystal Palace, Una and the Lion'.
Condition. Taped round the
edges at the back.
Order #4378.
Price $25.
Mid-1850s view. Handwritten
(modern hand) 'Negretti & Zambra, Crystal Palace, Una and the Lion'.
Condition 8/9.
Order #4379.
Price $35.
Mid-1850s hand-tinted version
of Una and the Lion'.
Condition. Slight foxing and
marks.
Order #4380.
Price $35.
Mid-1850s untitled view.
Condition. Note the strange
'ghost' lettering at top of right image. This seems to go round the back
of the image and may be some kind of watermark.
Order #4381.
Price $25.
Mid-1850s untitled view.
Condition. Fairly light images.
Order #4382.
Price $30.
Mid-1850s view. Handwritten
'19. The Birmingham Court'.
Condition 8/9.
Order #4383.
Price $45.
Mid-1850s view. Handwritten
'Crystal Palace, Sydenham. The Birmingham Court'.
Condition 10.
Order #4384.
Price $55.
Late-1850s untitled view on
cream mount.
Condition 8.
Order #4385.
Price $45.
Mid-1850s view. Handwritten
'Crystal Palace. Sydenham'. London Stereoscopic blindstamp.
Condition 9.
Order #4386.
Price $55.
Mid-1850s untitled view of
'Narcissus'.
Condition. Slight production
fault in dark area on right image.
Order #4387.
Price $35.
Mid-1850s view. Handwritten
(modern hand) 'Figure of Taddeo by Lamdon'.
Condition 8.
Order #4388.
Price $45.
Mid-1850s view. Handwritten
'23. The Medieval Court from the Nave'.
Condition 8.
Order #4389.
Price $45.
Mid-1850s view. Handwritten
(modern hand) 'Part of Crystal Palace. Early'. London Stereoscopic blindstamp.
Condition 8.
Order #4390.
Price $45.
Mid-1850s view. Handwritten
'Crystal Palace at Sydenham'.
Condition 8.
Order #4391.
Price $45.
Mid-1850s untitled view of
the 'First Whisper of Love'.
Condition 9.
Order #4392.
Price $45.
Negretti and Zambra, 'Stereoscopic
Illustrations of the Crystal Palace at Sydenham. 112. First Whispers of
Love. By W.C. Marshall. In the South Transept'. One of the rare views with
title in English and French. Retail stamp for McAllister & Brother,
728 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia. A similar back appears on the Negretti/Frith
Holy Land series, dating these to the last years of the 1850s.
Condition. Mount is split
thru center and taped from the back with scotch. Images unaffected.
Order #4393.
Price $35.
Negretti and Zambra, 'Stereoscopic
Illustrations of the Crystal Palace at Sydenham (first series). 2. The
Nave looking towards the north'.
Condition 8.
Order #4394.
Price $35.
Negretti and Zambra, 'Stereoscopic
Illustrations of the Crystal Palace at Sydenham (sceond series). 10. The
English Medieval Court. Retail stamp for McAllister & Brother, 728
Chestnut Street, Philadelphia. A similar back appears on the Negretti/Frith
Holy Land series, dating these to the last years of the 1850s.
Condition. Thin images.
Order #4395.
Price $18.
Negretti and Zambra attached
grey label. 'Stereoscopic Illustrations of the Crystal Palace at Sydenham.
View in the Ancient Sculpture Gallery'. Geoff Gilbert dated this series
to 1857/8.
Condition 8.
Order #4396.
Price $45.
Mid-1850s untitled view of
Cupid and the Nymph Eucharis by Richard Wyatt.
Condition 8/9.
Order #4397.
Price $55.
Mid-1850s view. Handwritten
(modern hand) 'Crystal Palace "Flora" by B.E. Spence, in the Nave near
Ostler's Fountain'.
Condition 8.
Order #4398.
Price $45.
Mid-1850s view. Handwritten
(modern hand) 'Ex Darrah Collection. 3-D is OK but prints are printed opposite
handfrom the real statue. Greek and Roman Sculpture Court'.
Condition. Spot at center
of right image.
Order #4399.
Price $22.
Mid-1850s view. Handwritten
'The Centre Transept'.
Condition 8.
Order #4400.
Price $45.
Mid-1850s view. Negretti attached
label 'Photographers to the Crystal Palace Company. H. Negretti and Zambra,
Opticians, Meterological and Philosophical Instrument Makers, 11 Hatton
Garden, London. Instantaneous portraits taken in the Crystal Palace'.
Gilbert dates this label as pre-mid-1856 after which the label would have
included Negretti's second premises at 59 Cornhill. Handwritten 'The Greek
Vestibule'.
Condition 7.
Order #8561.
Price $25.
Mid-1850s view. Handwritten
(modern hand) 'Polyhymanin in the Greek Court'.
Condition 8 (slight surface
stains).
Order #8562.
Price $35.
Mid-1850s view. Handwritten
(modern hand) 'Crystal Palace. Gallery of Greek Sculpture'.
Condition 8.
Order #8563.
Price $45.
Mid-1850s view. Handwritten
(modern hand) 'Crystal Palace. Court of the Lions'.
Condition 8/9.
Order #8564.
Price $45.
Mid-1850s hand-tinted view.
This is from the first series which can be postively attributed to a specific
photographer. T.R. Williams 'No 2. The Court of the Lions'. Plus descriptive
text.
Condition 8.
Order #8565.
Price $45.
Negretti and Zambra, 'Stereoscopic
Illustrations of the Crystal Palace at Sydenham. Statue in the French and
Italian Sculpture Gallery'.
Condition 8/9.
Order #8566.
Price $35.
Mid-1850s untitled view.
Condition 9/10.
Order #8567.
Price $55.
Negretti and Zambra, 'Stereoscopic
Illustrations of the Crystal Palace at Sydenham. 119. The Weepers, by J.G.
Lough. This group is placed between the French Court and Fabric Court,
running parallel with the Nave'. One of the rare views with title in English
and French. A similar back appears on the Negretti/Frith Holy Land series,
dating these to the last years of the 1850s.
Condition 9.
Order #8568.
Price $55.
Mid-1850s view 'The Mourners'.
Handwritten former owner 'George Bankart'. Bankart was President of the
Leicestershire Photographic Society in the 1850s and collaborated with
Emerson to provide the illustrations for the centenary edition of Walton's
Compleat
Angler.
Condition. Grubby mount and
one soft corner.
Order #8569.
Price $22.
Mid-1850s view. Handwritten
'13. The Mourners by J.G. Lough'.
Condition 8.
Order #8570.
Price $30.
Mid-1850s view. Handwritten
(modern hand) 'Negretti and Zambra, Crystal Palace white series. The Nave
- looking north'.
Condition 8.
Order #8571.
Price $45.
Mid-1850s view 'Crystal Palace,
Sydenham'. Handwritten former owner 'George Bankart'. Bankart was President
of the Leicestershire Photographic Society in the 1850s and collaborated
with Emerson to provide the illustrations for the centenary edition of
Walton's Compleat Angler.
Condition. One soft corner.
Order #8572.
Price $35.
Mid-1850s untitled view.
Condition. Some foxing.
Order #8573.
Price $25.
Mid-1850s untitled view.
Condition 9.
Order #8574.
Price $45.
Mid-1850s hand-tinted view.
Handwritten (modern hand) 'Crystal Palace, Musidora at the Musical Instruments
Court'. Formerly owned by Mrs Glar???, Tattingstone Hall. The Hall disappeared
under water in the 1970s when a reservoir was built.
Condition. Fine crackleure.
Order #8575.
Price $45.
This one is a bit of a mystery.
Small white label printed '106-a. Interior of the Crystal Palace - The
Glass Court'. However, written in modern hand is 'See #113. 1862 Expo'.
Very rarely views of the 1862 Expo did appear on these mounts with these
labels. So, either a printing error or perhaps the Crystal Palace display
was recreated for the 1862 Expo (most likely).
Condition 8.
Order #8576.
Price $25.
'Crystal Palace Sculpture Gallery.
209. Corinna. By William Broodie'. This is on a cream mount with
attached 'bamboo' label, which Geoff Gilbert dated to 1862/64.
Condition 8.
Order #8577.
Price $22.
The next section, up to the yellow mount views, comprises views from the Negretti numbered series on cream mounts with printed (not attached label) descriptions. Gilbert dates these at around 1862. We have listed them in numerical order.
'Crystal Palace. 1. The Nave,
looking towards the north'.
Condition 8.
Order #8578.
Price $22.
'Crystal Palace. 21. The Northern
Nave and Transept, embracing the Alhambra Court'. Hand-tinted.
Condition 8/9.
Order #8579.
Price $22.
'Crystal Palace. 26. View of
the North Transept'. Hand-tinted.
Condition 8/9.
Order #8580.
Price $25.
'Crystal Palace. 28. Side view
of the Byzantine Court'. Hand-tinted.
Condition 8.
Order #8581.
Price $25.
'Crystal Palace. 29. View from
the North Gallery'. Paul Curtis, New York, blindstamp.
Condition 8/9.
Order #8582.
Price $25.
'Crystal Palace. 31. Monti's
Fountain, at the North End'.
Condition 8.
Order #8583.
Price $22.
'Crystal Palace. 43. The Great
Palm and Nineveh Court, Tropical Department'. Hand-tinted.
Condition 8.
Order #8586.
Price $22.
'Crystal Palace. 62. General
view of the Gardens and Fountains'.
Condition 8/9.
Order #8588.
Price $25.
'Crystal Palace. 64. General
view in the South Transept from the Gallery'. Hand-tinted view.
Condition. Stain on left extending
into image. Fine view nevertheless.
Order #8589.
Price $15.
'Crystal Palace. 67. General
view of the Nave, looking towards the south, taken from the Gallery. Total
length 1608 feet, height 104 feet'.
Condition 8.
Order #8591.
Price $22.
'Crystal Palace. 71. The Tropical
Department from the Alhambra Court'. Hand-tinted.
Condition 6/7.
Order #8592.
Price $18.
'Crystal Palace. 103. View
in the Court of Christian Monuments. Two of the Irish Crosses stand to
the left, and the Pocklington Cross, in the centre'.
Condition 6 due to soft corners
of mount.
Order #8593.
Price $15.
'Crystal Palace. 135. The Green
Court. On the right is the Dione from the British Museum; on the left,
the Discobolus or Quoit Thrower, from the Vatican; and beyond them, the
Sleeping or Barberini Faun'.
Condition. Slight stains not
affecting images.
Order #8594.
Price $22.
'Crystal Palace. 158. Sculpture
in the Roman Court'.
Condition 9.
Order #8595.
Price $25.
The above series was reissued in the early 1860s on more 'modern' yellow mounts. Initially the titles were printed on the mount as the above series but soon this was changed to attached yellow labels.
'Crystal Palace. 37. View in
the Tropical Department'. Hand-tinted.
Condition. Not sure about
the blue but see several views below where this is the color used.
Order #8598.
Price $12.
'Crystal Palace. 126. Atrium
of the Pompeian House, with the Impulvium'. Uncommon view.
Condition 8.
Order #8600.
Price $25.
Untitled hand-tinted view of
the South Nave.
Condition. Very good and clear
view with a slight mark at top of right image.
Order #12601.
Price $25.
Untitled view of the South
Nave.
Condition 8 with slight production
faults.
Order #12602.
Price $18.
Hand-tinted view with handwritten
title 'South Nave'.
Condition 8.
Order #12604.
Price $18.
Untitled hand-tinted view.
Condition 7.
Order #12605.
Price $12.
Untitled hand-tinted view.
Condition 8.
Order #12606.
Price $18.
Untitled hand-tinted view.
Comes together in the viewer.
Condition 7.
Order #12607.
Price $15.
Handwritten 'Nave from south,
Crystal Palace'.
Condition 7/8.
Order #12608.
Price $22.
Untitled view of the Medieval
Court.
Condition 8.
Order #12610.
Price $22.
Handwritten (modern hand) 'Negretti
and Zambra, yellow series, Crystal Palace. The Mourners by G. Lough'. Very
fine and clear view.
Condition 8/9.
Order #12611.
Price $25.
Handwritten 'Screen of Kings
and Queens'.
Condition 8/9.
Order #12612.
Price $22.
Untitled view of the North
Nave, Tropical End.
Condition 8.
Order #12613.
Price $22.
Handwritten (modern hand) 'Crystal
Palace. North Nave, Tropical End'. Hand-tinted.
Condition 8.
Order #12614.
Price $18.
Keystone, Meadville, Penna.
'168. Garden of Crystal Palace, London, England'. 1890s curved mount view.
Condition 9.
Order #12615.
Price $15.
Handwritten 'The Italian Court'.
Condition 8/9.
Order #12616.
Price $25.
Handwritten 'Crystal Fountain',
plus in modern hand 'The Screen of the Kings and Queens of England'.
Condition 7.
Order #12617.
Price $15.
Handwritten 'The Tropical Department'.
Condition 6 (light foxing
and slight damage).
Order #12618.
Price $12.
This is a U.S. production copied
from the original, giving a sharp slightly 'metallic' look to the view,
published by Anthony of New York. No 1519. 'Interior, Crystal Palace -
Mars and Venus'.
Condition 8/9.
Order #12619.
Price $15.
To
page three - Other exhibitions in date order
