Item #258 American Superiority at the World’s Fair. Charles T./ THURWANGER BROTHERS / A. BRETT RODGERS, CO, Artists, Lithographer.
American Prowess, Industrial and Otherwise, on Display
World’s Fair/ Lithographic Art/ Cultural History.
[Philadelphia, 1852]

American Superiority at the World’s Fair.

23 ¾ x 18 inches, Chromolithograph with original gold highlighting; lightly but evenly toned, very good.

A highly artful and very rare broadside, heightened with gold, celebrating American "Superiority" in industry, technology, and culture, as exhibited at the 1851 Great Exhibition in London, the first modern “world’s fair.”  OCLC records just one copy (Boston Athenaeum). The print displays, as if in a baroque cabinet, the fruits of American manufacturing that were showcased at the exhibition. The eagle triumphantly clutching a laurel branch beneath the floral title banner emphasizes the American success at the fair, which became a great source of national pride, celebrated and propagated by the printing of images such as this.  This powerful work was also was a harbinger of America's massive industrial revolution then just getting under way.

The central image shows the yacht America, which had bested its British competitors in a race held in conjunction with the Great Exhibition — the very race that began the tradition of the America’s Cup, sailing's most prestigious competition.  Flanking the schooner are American products that attracted notice at the fair, some of which won prizes.  For example, the Colt pistol with its innovative revolving cylinder holding six bullets is shown, as is Prouty and Mears’ Plow, which took a first prize. To the right of the yacht is Palmer’s Artificial Leg, a prosthesis for amputees, and below, in a vignette draped with corn, two men operate the McCormick Reaper, which also won a prize.  Other items depicted are farm and industrial machinery, a safe, a piano, a barometer, gilt coffee and tea urns, a set of scales, instruments, a carriage and more. At bottom center, the site of the exhibition – London’s Crystal Palace- is shown amidst a crowd of visitors.

Charles T. Rodgers of Louisiana published in 1852 in Philadelphia a book with same title as this broadside that was meant to accompany and hence promote the sale of the broadside. In addition to chronicling American triumphs at the fair and in the yacht race, the book included texts of speeches delivered at dinners and awards ceremonies at the fair.

Price: $4,500.00