Thompson Westcott. CENTENNIAL PORTFOLIO: A SOUVENIR OF THE INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION AT PHILADELPHIA, COMPRISING LITHOGRAPHIC VIEWS OF FIFTY OF ITS PRINCIPAL BUILDINGS, WITH LETTER-PRESS DESCRIPTION. Philadelphia: Thomas Hunter, Publisher, 1876. First edition. Original brick red cloth-covered boards stamped in black and gilt on upper board and spine, blind-stamped lower board, beveled edges, all edges red, with brown endpapers. Oblong 12mo; [i-ii], iii-viii, 52pp. plus map of Centennial Grounds, building plans, and (52) tinted lithographic plates.

7 1/2 x 11 3/8 in.

From a Significant Boston Silver Collector

The Centennial International Exhibition, a 100th anniversary celebration of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, was held in Philadelphia's Fairmount Park from May 10th through November 10th in 1876. This World's Fair, the first in the U.S., celebrated the accomplishments and advancements of this country as well as nearly forty others. New technology, products, art, and more was on display in hundreds of temporary buildings. An extremely popular fair, bringing in 9 to 10 million visitors, souvenirs such as this portfolio were an important way for people to remember this impressive event.

Light stains, grime, and scuffs to boards, with edges, corners, and spine ends worn, spine lightly sunned; endpapers scuffed and front hinge cracked; pages subtly toned with light grime, rare spot of foxing, and expected minor offsetting, stain on fore-edge and interior edge of lower board bleeding on to several later leaves, overall quite clean.