American Institute Fair: 36th

“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.”

“American Institute Fair. The Seventh Day’s Proceedings—The Exhibition as it Stands. The Pianos and Organs—An Interesting Test to Be Applied.

         The managers, exhibitors and subordinates on duty at the Fair of American Institute are a very slow set of geniuses. The exhibition has been open now a week, and to all intents and purposes it is no more in working order to-day than it was when first opened. Thousands of people go there every day, scores of hundreds of people go there every night; they are doubtless interested in the sewing machines and the pretty women who attend them, in the shirt bosoms and the beautiful studs that adorn them, in the boxes of soap and the bottles of cider, the fountains of soda water and the specimens of Yankee whitling [sic], but what everyone most desires has yet to be seen. The

machinery

which is always the most interesting feature of the fairs…

          It has been said by one who thought he knew all about it, that music hath charms to soothe a savage; [illeg…] and if any one is possessed of any [illeg…] of excited savages whose soothing is [illeg…] would be well that he should [illeg…] for them. Music is provided in unlimited quantity and without the slightest regard to quality. Almost any savage could be soothed in a few [illeg…].

On one side of the room range the pianos, and at the other of the [illeg…] are

the organs,

melodeous and all that sort of thing. Between Messrs. Mason and Hamlin and Messrs. Carhart, Needham & Co., there is a brisk competition, and the skillful handling of their instruments by the artists on duty would afford rare pleasure and entertainment were it not for the interruptions of our rosy-checked friends above mentioned. The organ in which Messrs. Carhart, Needham & Co. feel the most pride, and on which they have lavished the resources of their establishment, is a very taking and prepossessing instrument. Its case is elegantly worked and its general appearance is very fine. The exterior is undoubtedly much more attractive than the one on which Messrs. Mason & Hamlin rest their claims for the preference. It is fair, however, to state that the former house prepared their organ expressly for exhibition, and their success justifies them in their well sounded praises. Messrs. Mason & Hamlin did not propose to enter the fair as competitors, but at the last moment did do so. They have on exhibition an organ, whose case is not attractive, although it is by no means poor nor mean, but the quality of the tone is so pure, so unreedy, so genuinely melodious, that we confess to a treat at every hearing. Geo. W. Morgan and other well-known masters of the organic harmonies, absolute artists in pedallic execution, are to perform on the instrument at a series of fair concerts, and it is calculated by the managers that this incident alone will suffice to crowd the house for weeks. The judges of music have not yet been appointed; when they are, there will be a grand contest, a competitive struggle between the two, at which time the facile fingers of Morgan will so educe magnificent combination from the New-York instrument that it will be difficult, indeed, for any to approach it in excellence or fullness.”

“American Institute Exhibition.

          On Tuesday last the American Institute opened the doors of the old Palace Gardens on Fourteenth-street, and invited the people to an exhibition of American industry. The war being finished, peace has resumed its leadership as of old, directing the onward march of art and science and homelier effort in industrial pursuits, some of the grand results of which are brought before the people only at such times and by such fairs as this. A gallant soldier of the republic inaugurated the exhibition in an eloquent address, fitly complimenting the vigor and brain of the men whose strength and will had been so largely instrumental in bringing the nation through its peril, and then happily urged an immediate return to the channels of olden pursuit and success. A great crowd attended, and for its information and delectation were provided at every point evidences of the skill and handiwork of the people. In the one room are clean cut models for ships; in another engines as conspicuous for capacity and power as for simplicity of construction and cheapness; beyond are pianos and other instruments of melody; around the walls hang specimens of photography, the equal of which the world is defied to bring, while countless inventions for the saving of labor and the advancement of our national interests crowd the rooms…

         The fair this year is, so far as we can judge at present, a success. Its rooms are filled with interesting articles, its pecuniary receipts are large, the attendance is fashionable and numerically flattering [illeg], there is no doubt that the cool wealth [illeg] us will send the people to the exhibition in throngs. There are of course many absurd advertisements connected with this as with all fairs, but, as a whole, the imperfections are the exception, and we cordially commend the institution and its exhibition to the liberal patronage of the people.”

“Dodworth’s Twenty-second regiment band performs every night.”