Masterpieces of Industrial Art & Sculpture at the International Exhibition, 1862

London: Day & Son, 1863. 3 vols. Folio. (16 1/2 x 11 1/2 inches). Three chromolithographed title pages and 301 colour chromolithographic plates numbered 1 to 300A, each with explanatory text in English and French. Each volume with an index to the lithographs. Volume I with dedication leaf, preface, and an index to letter-press. Finely bound in contemporary full green morocco, boards elaborately gilt, spines with raised bands forming six compartments, tooled and lettered gilt, marbled endpapers, gilt dentelles

A very finely bound, monumental record of the 1862 International Exhibition and an important achievement in Chromolithography.
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The International Exhibition of 1862, officially the London International Exhibition of Industry and Art, was a world's fair intended to showcase the advances which had since been made in industry, technology, and the arts. It was sponsored by the Royal Society of Arts, Manufactures and Trade, and featured over 28,000 exhibitors from 36 countries, representing a wide range of industry, technology, and the arts. Among the technologically advanced items displayed were the electric telegraph, submarine cables, the first plastic, Charles Babbage's analytical engine, cotton mills, and maritime engines. Among the exhibits oriented towards the arts, the works shown by William Morris's decorative arts firm of Morris, Marshall, Faulkner & Co. attracted much notice. International exhibits showcased wares from regions as distant as South America and Asia. The scale of the International Exhibition is reflected in the present work, which, as Waring notes, may be deemed "the most important ever executed in Chromo-lithography." Nearly 3,000 lithographic stones and 40 tons of fine quality paper were used in its production. The result is a work that beautifully memorializes the International Exhibition in sumptuous colours. Great Britain is well represented in this work, with plates showcasing some of its most renowned crafts, including silversmithing and ironwork. The plates depicting wares from France include Sèvres porcelain, tapestry from the renowned Gobelins factory, and ornamental bronzes. For China and Japan, Waring chose to highlight their fine bronzes, porcelain, and enamel work. Among the Asian countries featured, however, India stands out with the most numerous and diverse plates, illustrating cotton carpets, a Delhi-embroidered shawl, earthenware, Hyderabad embroidery, lacquerwork, and other items. Together, these richly detailed plates offer not only a visual record of the International Exhibition's global scope, but also a lasting tribute to the artistry, craftsmanship, and industrial ingenuity of the mid-nineteenth century.

Friedman, Color printing in England, 1486-1870, pp. 178-180. (Inventory #: 42154)