The New York Crystal Palace Records
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Abstract
The Crystal Palace, constructed in 1853 in New York City, was a glass and iron exhibit building built for the World's Fair of the Exhibition of the Industry of All Nations. The New York City Crystal Palace papers contain the correspondence, financial, and organizational papers of Theodore Sedgwick (1811-1859), who was president of the Association between 1852-1854.
Historical Note
The Crystal Palace was an exhibition building for the 1853 World's Fair Exhibition of the Industry of All Nations in Reservoir Square (present day Bryant Park). The Crystal Palace was inspired by the Crystal Palace in London's Hyde Park, which was constructed for the Great Exhibition of the Works of Industry of all Continents in 1851. The Palace, constructed from iron and glass, was designed by Karl Gildemestier and Georg Carstensen. The building featured a 100-diameter glass dome and housed four thousand exhibitors who displayed the industrial wares, consumer goods, and artworks of their nation.
The mission of the Association of the Exhibition of the Industry of All Nations was to build the New York Crystal Palace and mount an international exhibition of industry, on the model of the Great Exhibition at the Crystal Palace in London. The Exhibition opened on July 14, 1853, with President Franklin Pierce in attendance, and received over a million visitors before it closed on November 1, 1854. The Crystal Palace remained standing after the Exhibition and was leased for a variety of smaller events, most notably the annual Fair of the American Institute.
The Crystal Palace was destroyed by fire on October 5, 1858. Witnesses described the flames spreading so rapidly that the central dome collapsed in less than fifteen minutes and the entire structure collapsed in less than thirty minutes. Fortunately, though the fire erupted while the Fair of the American Institute was in progress, no lives were lost.
Arrangement Note
The New York City Crystal Palace Papers are arranged into the following series:
Scope and Content Note
The New York City Crystal Palace Papers contains Theodore Sedgwick's correspondence and papers when he was president of the Association for the Exhibition of the Industry of All Nations. The bulk of this collection is correspondence from high-ranking members of the Association regarding the construction of the Crystal Palace, and organizing, financing, and obtaining items for the exhibit. Most of the correspondence is addressed to Theodore Sedgwick, but a portion of the correspondence contains copies of letters written by Sedgwick. While most of the collection is dated before the Crystal Palace was destroyed by fire on October 5, 1858, it contains a letter written by George S. Badger on October 7, in which he describes seeing the Crystal Palace collapse in flames.
The organizational records housed in this collection document the progress of the Association toward constructing the Crystal Palace and organizing the Exhibition. Records in this series include resolutions, reports, circulars, memorandums, bylaws, proposals, agendas, a catalogue of items in Italy's exhibit, office drafts of speeches and articles written by Theodore Sedgwick, and personal notes. The personal notes in this series have been grouped together because their subjects are unclear, they are undated, and their provenance is unclear. Financial records in this collection include contracts and drafts of contracts with contractors and vendors, bills, and receipts. These records range from detailed bills and receipts listing the expenditures of the Association on a given year to individual receipts for building materials and services. The smallest series in this collection contains newspapers published between 1852 and 1854, which contain both articles and letters to the editor written by Theodore Sedgwick regarding the Exhibition and the Crystal Palace.
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Access Restrictions
Materials in this collection may be stored offsite. For more information on making arrangements to consult them, please visit www.nyhistory.org/library/visit.
Use Restrictions
Taking images of documents from the library collections for reference purposes by using hand-held cameras and in accordance with the library's photography guidelines is encouraged. As an alternative, patrons may request up to 20 images per day from staff.
Application to use images from this collection for publication should be made in writing to: Department of Rights and Reproductions, The New-York Historical Society, 170 Central Park West, New York, NY 10024-5194, rightsandrepro@nyhistory.org. Phone: (212) 873-3400 ext. 282.
Copyrights and other proprietary rights may subsist in individuals and entities other than the New-York Historical Society, in which case the patron is responsible for securing permission from those parties. For fuller information about rights and reproductions from N-YHS visit: https://www.nyhistory.org/about/rights-reproductions
Preferred Citation Note
This collection should be cited as the New York City Crystal Palace Papers, MS 443.13, The New-York Historical Society.
Location of Materials
About this Guide
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Series I: Correspondence, 1852-1858, inclusive; 1852-1854, bulk
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Arrangement Note
Series I: Correspondence is arranged chronologically.
Scope and Content Note
Series I: Correspondence contains letters to and from members of the Association for the Exhibition of the Industry of All Nations. Notable recipients include Charles Buschek (Manager in Europe), C.E. Detmond (Engineer), William Whetten (Secretary), and other members and patrons of Association. Ranging from 1852 to 1858, the bulk of correspondence was written in 1853, the year that the exhibition opened for the World's Fair. Correspondence largely deals with the building of the Crystal Palace and the organization of the exhibition. A letter written by George S. Badger on October 7, 1858, describes seeing the Crystal Palace burn down two days earlier.
Correspondence, October 1852, inclusive
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Correspondence, March, August, September 1852, inclusive
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Correspondence, November 1852, inclusive
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Correspondence, December 1-10, 1852, inclusive
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Correspondence, December 11-20, 1852, inclusive
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Correspondence, December 21-31, 1852, inclusive
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Correspondence, January 1-10, 1853, inclusive
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Correspondence, January 11-20, 1853, inclusive
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Correspondence, January 21-31, 1853, inclusive
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Correspondence, February 1-15, 1853, inclusive
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Correspondence, February 16-28, 1853, inclusive
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Correspondence, March 1-15, 1853, inclusive
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Correspondence, March 16-31, 1853, inclusive
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Correspondence, April 1-15, 1853, inclusive
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Correspondence, April 16-30, 1853, inclusive
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Correspondence, May 1-5, 1853, inclusive
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Correspondence, May 16-31, 1853, inclusive
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Correspondence, June 1-15, 1853, inclusive
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Correspondence, June 16-31, 1853, inclusive
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Correspondence, July 1853, inclusive
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Correspondence, August-October 1853, inclusive
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Correspondence, November 1853, inclusive
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Correspondence, December 1853, inclusive
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Correspondence, January 1854, inclusive
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Correspondence, February 1854, inclusive
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Correspondence, March 1854, inclusive
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Correspondence, April-September 1854, inclusive
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Correspondence, October 7, 1858, inclusive
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Correspondence, undated
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Series II: Financial Records, 1844-1847, inclusive
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Arrangement Note
Series II: Financial Records is arranged by type and then chronologically.
Scope and Content Note
Series II: Financial Records contains drafts of contracts with vendors, bills, and receipts. A majority of the bills and receipts document large financial transactions regarding the construction of the Crystal Palace and the procurement of exhibit items. A small amount of bills and receipts document Theodore Sedgwick's personal expenditures while president of the Association.
Contracts, October 1852-November 1853, Undated, inclusive
Receipts, September 1844-June 1847, inclusive
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Bills, February 1853-December 1854, inclusive
Bills, undated
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Series III: Organizational Records, 1840-1854, inclusive
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Arrangement Note
Series III: Organizational Records is arranged by type and then chronologically.
Scope and Content Note
Series III: Organizational Records contains records that document the functions of the Association for the Exhibition of the Industry of All Nations. Records in this series include resolutions, bylaws, agendas, reports, circulars, memorandums, proposals, drafts of speeches and articles made on behalf of the Association, and a catalogue of items in Italy's exhibit. This series also contains notes, most of which are undated and without clear provenance.
Bylaws, undated
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Agendas, undated
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Proposals, February-May 1853, undated, inclusive
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Resolutions, March 1853-April 1854, undated, inclusive
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Reports, September 1852-February 1854, inclusive
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Reports, undated
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Circulars, memorandums, November 1840, September 1852-April 1853, inclusive
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Circulars, memorandums, undated
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Drafts of speeches, articles, October 1852-July 1853, inclusive
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Catalogue, undated
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Notes, undated
Series IV: Newspapers, 1852-1854, inclusive
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Arrangement Note
Series IV: Newspapers is arranged chronologically.
Scope and Content Note
Series IV: Newspapers contains the small amount of newspapers found within this collection, each containing articles written about the Exhibition of the Industry of All Nations. The two copies of The Albany Evening Atlas from December 9-10, 1852 contain a printed letter to the editor written by Theodore Sedgwick, responding to criticism regarding funding of the Exhibition. The Daily Free Press of Detroit from February 5, 1853 contains a memorial to the state legislature of Michigan to participate in the Exhibition. The Evening Post of New York from March 2, 1854 contains letters to the editor regarding the extension of the Exhibition after the conclusion of the World's Fair. This series also contains an untitled German language newspaper published in New York on February 19, 1853, with a published letter by Theodore Sedgwick.