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Great Britain: Great Exhibition: Crystal Palace / Building Dimensions

Great Britain: Great Exhibition: Crystal Palace / Building DimensionsGreat Britain: Great Exhibition: Crystal Palace / Building Dimensions
Form: Circular
By: Allen & Moore
Date: 1851
Ref:  BHM: 2426; Laidlaw: 0323;
Variations:
SizeMetalMassValue
38.7 mmWhite Metal13.8 gm$20

Edge: Plain.

Obverse: Distant view of the Exhibition building. Legend above: "THE BUILDING AT LONDON, FOR THE / INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION / 1851". In the large exergue, conjoined bare heads of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert on an upright crowned oval medallion supported by two cherubs representing prosperity (left) and industry (right).

Reverse: Across: "THE MATERIALS ARE (in an arc) / IRON AND GLASS, (in an arc) / IN SHAPE / A PARALLELOGRAM, / 1848 FT. LONG BY 408 FT. BROAD, / AND 66 FT. HIGH, / IT IS CROSSED MIDWAY BY / A TRANSEPT 108 FT. HIGH, / ON THE NORTH SIDE IS AN / ADDITIONAL 936 FT. IN LENGTH / BY 48 FT. IN BREADTH; / TOTAL AREA OF SPACE / 855,360 CUBIC FT; / OR NEARLY 21 ACRES; / ESTIMATED VALUE / ₤150,000. (in an arc)".

Notes: The Great Exhibition of 1851 was held inside an enormous structure of iron and glass known as the Crystal Palace specially built for the event in Hyde Park, London. The exhibition ran for five months, from May to October 1851, during which six million visitors attended the gigantic trade show where the latest technology and displays of artefacts from around the world were on display.

The idea of the Great Exhibition originated with Henry Cole, an artist and inventor. He obtained the support of Prince Albert, the husband of Queen Victoria, and the two of them organised the event which, because of its huge success, became the forerunner of many such exhibitions in the second half of the 19th century.

South Africa was represented by sixty exhibitors from the colonies of the Cape and Natal. Agricultural products, fruit, wood, minerals, animal skins, elephant tusks, ostrich plumes and eggs, and sea elephant oil were on display. There were also exhibits of native culture.