I previously talked about the 1874 Franklin Institute Exhibition in a couple of past posts like this one, which had some links to various stereographs; a primitive way to present 3d-like images, similar to the VR goggles we use today with cell phones. (Makes me wonder if there’s an app to view these old pics). Anyway, I’m pleased to share one I actually found myself!
I’ll admit I initially confused this photo with another exhibition the Franklin Institute had put on 10 years later in 1884, which was the Electrical Exhibition. The electrical exhibition showcased the new fangled “electricity” coming into play, with many residential and commercial products and machinery on display. That said, the lamps you see in the photo above are actually gas lamps, and based on some comments seen here or here, they’re likely showing off a display by Cornelius & Sons Gas Fixtures, who took an award at the show. One thing to note is the card I have doesn’t have the caption, which makes me wonder if its an earlier edition before awards were given.
This time around I did a little more research into this event, and I find it amazing that well (100+ years) before things like the internet, that things were documented as well as they were, with a lot of the ephemera lasting just as long. You can even find reprints of the directories/catalogs of the events as well, both in print and as ebooks if you look.
The Franklin Institute has always been showcasing the latest and greatest, with the 1990s Futures Center being the center of my FI interest (despite finding nearly nothing about it). I really wish they’d bring back shows and exhibits like this. If you have any pics or ephemera from the Futures Center (or FI in general), let me know!