American Institute Fair: 36th

Event Information

Venue(s):
Twenty-Second Regiment Armory

Price: $.50

Event Type:
Chamber (includes Solo)

Performance Forces:
Instrumental

Record Information

Status:
Published

Last Updated:
9 October 2012

Performance Date(s) and Time(s)

12 Sep 1865, 7:00 PM
13 Sep 1865, 9:00 AM
14 Sep 1865, 9:00 AM
15 Sep 1865, 9:00 AM
16 Sep 1865, 9:00 AM
17 Sep 1865, 9:00 AM
18 Sep 1865, 9:00 AM

Program Details



Performers and/or Works Performed

Citations

1)
Advertisement: New-York Times, 08 September 1865, 7.
2)
Article: New-York Times, 11 September 1865, 1.

The American Institute. The Thirty-sixth Annual Fair—Full Particulars of the Arrangements.

          In years gone by no organization occupied a more prominent position among us than the American Institute. To its annual fair at Castle Garden, inventors, manufacturers, artisans of every name, farmers and cunning craftsmen looked for instructions, edification and an opportunity for display, each in his line. The blight of war fell upon this, as upon other deserving public organizations, and during the past four years when pruning hooks were turned to swords, but little attention was paid to the action of the society or its exhibitions. Things now are changed and it is deemed a proper time by the managers of the Institute to revive the ancient interest and to place the annual fair where of right it belongs in the van of metropolitan exhibitions.

          To-morrow night there will be inaugurated with fitting ceremonial the

thirty-sixth annual fair

          of the American Institute…

the buildings

          in which the fair will be held are the same as those in which the Sanitary Commission held forth last year, the old Palace Garden on Fourteenth-street, west of Sixth-avenue, now used as an armory by the Twenty-second Regiment. A better location could not be obtained; the place is convenient and accessible by rail or stage from every part of the city.

          Every effort is being made by the managers to afford room for the exhibition of inventions; but large as is the place selected, the indications are that ample space will not be had…

the exhibitions

          are numerous and of all branches of trade and traffic, we give some of them by name:

parlor-organs, melodeons

          Carhart & Needam, Mason & Hamlin, New-York City.

pianos.

          Steinway & Sons, Chickering & Sons.”

          Lists managers of the event.

3)
Advertisement: New York Herald, 12 September 1865.
4)
Advertisement: New-York Times, 12 September 1865, 7.

“This grand exhibition of American skill and industry will be inaugurated THIS (Tuesday) EVENING…Music by Dodworth’s Band. Doors open at 7 o’clock. Admission 50 cents.”

5)
Review: New-York Times, 13 September 1865, 8.

“War’s triumphs are ended; those of Peace are now in order. The American Institute, one of the oldest and most efficient of our country’s promoters in the lines of art, invention and agriculture, is among the first of our peaceful institutions to take up the dropped thread of progress, resuming with zeal its warp and woof of enterprise and research. Last evening, with cheerful music and eloquent oratory, with crowded salons of intelligent men and cultured women, it celebrated its

thirty-sixth anniversary

exhibiting at its Fair a catalogue of rare and valuable and curious works of art and skill, such as its brilliant history even fails to parallel. The occasion was not lacking in significant elements of American genius, power and recuperative energy. Large rooms were filled with abundant evidences of inventive genius and mechanical skill; vast saloons were crowded with articles of vertu and specimens of cultured taste; long halls were burdened with accumulated treasure of art and science, the whole reflecting, as in a mirror, the temper, taste and scope of an emancipated American mind. The occasion was memorable, the scene impressive. For more than a third of a century the public-spirited managers of the Institute have done their best to encourage home talent, to develop suggestions useful to the world among our own people, to foster here that spirit which should find throughout the globe its recognition and reward. The gloom of a four year’s war had thrown a pall upon its effort. Inventors were busy in governmental workshops. Artizans [sic] labored early and late in the country’s armories. Institutes and fairs were things of the past; they lay upon the shelves of memory and companioned with the relics of prosperous days. Thence they are emancipated, and before the year has rolled away we find them rallying to the call of the familiar bugle, buckling on the armor of friendly strife, competing for the prizes offered for usual inventions, huge pears and rarest pictures.

            Some months since, it was determined by the managers and trustees of the Institute to celebrate the return of peace by a fair which should revive the triumphs of early times, and rival the successes of those held under the auspices of the Sanitary Commission. This was no trite resolve, the labor was no trifle, the position of those who proposed to engineer it no sinecure. The City of New-York was, as usual, selected as the theatre for the enterprise. The work has progressed steadily, and last night we witnessed the beginning of the end.

          For many months the active members of the board have been in correspondence with exhibitors all over the country, and from present appearances it is fair to assume that the exhibition of 1865 will far exceed in brilliancy and variety any of its predecessors…

            On the occasion of

the opening

          the whole place blared with gaslight. Throughout the entire space innumerable jets gave forth a brilliant blaze, which made the area as bright as day and as hot as Hades. Perfuming flowers burdened the air with sweet odors, harmonizing bands enlivened the already effervescent multitude, bright eyes, gay toilettes, lent their charms to the scene, and a general air of pleasure and success pervaded the assembly from the hour of 8 to the ‘good-night’ tap of the drum…

            Of the

fair as an exhibition

          much might be written. The indications are that in extent and variety it will far eclipse any of its predecessors. Already very many exhibitors have filled the spaces allotted them, and every mail brings notice of ‘more to come.’ The secretary and Major-domo, Mr. J. W. Chambers, is hard at work, assisted by a small army of clerks, while the trustees fly here and there, bewildered by the conflicting claims of the exhibitors. In order that our readers may understand the exhibition, and go through the rooms with an intelligent idea of what is there, we have prepared

a catalogue

           without comment, including everything exhibited up to the hour of closing last night. To this other articles will be added, and at another time the list of new inventions and curious exhibitions will be considered…

            In the

first room

          there are many beautiful things. The room is long, about 125 feet, and proportionately wise, and is well lighted from the top by jets of gas. It contains the following:

            Geo. R. Bond.

          Parlor organs and melodeons, exhibited by Charles Needham & Co.

          Four organs and a melodeon, exhibited by Peloubet & Son, of Bloomfield.

Case of elegant musical instruments, piano-fortes, exhibited by Edward    Bloomfield.

Piano-fortes, exhibited by S. T. Parmalee.

Piano-fortes, exhibited by the Driggs Piano Company.

Piano-fortes, exhibited by Ihne & Son.

            In the

third room

            Brass and steel bells, exhibited by American Bell Company.

            The following is the list of

special premiums

            For the best Piano Forte—a gold medal.

            For the best Musical Instrument of the Melodeon or Organ type—a gold medal.

          So far as the attendance is concerned, the fair was a great success, and there is no reasonable doubt of its entire and unprecedented triumph.”

6)
Review: New York Post, 15 September 1865, 8.

“It is natural, with age the interest increases at the exhibition of the American Institute. There are many hundreds of curious and interesting articles there, many scores of senseless advertisements, many exemplifications of individual vanities; but despite all these, as yet the fair cannot be called a success. It should not have opened until Monday next, by which time the machinery will all be up, the steam will be turned on, and the ponderous wheels and wondrous intricacies of combination will smoothly and easily perform their task.

 

          The attendance in the day-time is small, comparatively, but full large enough for comfort. Very many ladies, some children, and hosts of country cousins, wander up and down the rooms, feeling of the pears, peeping through the stereoscopes, striking the keys of pianos, gazing at the good, bad and indifferent pictures, and variously enjoying themselves. At night, when the band is there, and the gas is lighted, and the atmosphere is like that of a furnace, the crowd is uncomfortably large. Then, however, exhibitors are in their glory. They button-hole every patient man, woman and child, and pour into his or her ear their voluble, and perhaps valuable, story of invention and progress ad nauseum. If, by great change, they spy a newspaper man, their attentions and intentions are redoubled, and at times subventions are tendered. Positively, the advertising possibilities of these exhibitions are tremendous nuisances, which the managers should in some way abate…

          There are the unusual number of young ladies present who play wretchedly upon the numerous piano-fortes in this room—also continually. The law which prescribes penalties for cruelty to animals should be amended so that the police might remove these youthful nuisances from their elevated stools. Last evening, regardless of the gathered throngs, one young miss of perhaps sixteen Summers, whang-banged upon one of Driggs’ squares until her repertoire was exhausted—then she repeated it. ‘Munny Musk,’ ‘The Lancers,’ ‘Silver Bells,’ ‘Marche de Nuit,’ and several other somewhat familiar compositions, flowed recklessly from her fair fingers; and if one could endure the discord, the fun of the thing was immense.”

          …In answer to a correspondent, we suggest that the best time to visit the fair for the purpose of seeing the articles on exhibition, is from 9 to 12 in the morning, when there is no crowd. From that time on people arrive in throngs, and at night little can be seen besides the people, the gas lights and the few articles on the walls.”