Glass exhibition - Expo Philadelphia 1876

It is one of the manufacturing pavilions on the Centennial grounds.

The building was erected by Gillinder & Sons, glass manufacturers, of Philadelphia, for the exhibition of their particular industry.

Here the process of making glassware for domestic use is illustrated by melting and blowing the raw material through to cooling, polishing, cutting, engraving and ornamenting all kinds of glass, pitchers, tumblers, wine glasses, goblets, vases, fancy bottles and other articles. The whole operation, from raw material to finished tool, is thus illustrated.

The building is large, neat in appearance and admirably adapted on all levels for the purposes intended.

The dimensions are about 100 by 40 feet. The site is west of the engine house and very near the fifty-second street entrance at the foot of George's Hill.

Among the exhibits in this building are several steam engines in active operation, every part of which, from the boiler to the smallest valve, is made of glass; a glass locomotive capable of pulling two glass cars at the rate of seven miles an hour; a lady's hat of spun glass which, when arranged in a continuous line, would extend 48,000 miles, or twice round the globe. These articles, of no practical use themselves, illustrate the marvellous capabilities of the material of which they are made, as well as the skills acquired by the manufacturers.

©Centennial portfolio: a souvenir of the international exhibition at Philadelphia - 1876