{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O1462812"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1462812/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2018LD8532/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2018LD8532/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2018LD8532","copyright":"©Victoria & Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O1462812/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O1462812","accessionNumber":"Gestetner 255","objectType":"Paper peepshow","titles":[{"title":"Lane's Telescopic View of the Great Exhibition, 1851","type":"published title"},{"title":"1851 Lane’s Telescopic View of the Interior of the Great Industrial Exhibition","type":"published title"}],"summaryDescription":"The Great Exhibition in 1851 was the first international exhibition of manufactured products. Organised by Henry Cole and Prince Albert, it was held in the purpose-built Crystal Palace in Hyde Park in London. Many of the objects in the Exhibition were used as the first collection for the South Kensington Museum which opened 1857 and later became the Victoria and Albert Museum.\n\r\nThe Exhibition spurred great international interest, and was one of the two most popular subjects of the paper peepshow in nineteenth century, the other one being the Thames Tunnel. Like the Thames Tunnel, the Great Exhibition became the topic of a large variety of souvenirs, including many optical toys. In this paper peepshow, the exhibits on the cut-out panels are a selection of the highlights on display at the Crystal Palace, and would not have lined up in this way in reality. It appears then that the publisher Charles Augustus Lane is less concerned with representing the Great Exhibition accurately than with giving the users a sweeping impression of the spectacle. \n\r\nLane was a manufacturer of fancy goods, and produced a number of paper peepshows on different topics in the 1850s. Ambitious among British peepshows of its time, this work has eight cut-out panels and gum arabic on the front-face to heighten the colours. The glitter applied to the fountains also indicates the publisher’s intention of marketing the paper peepshow as a more luxurious item. \r\n\r\n\r\n","physicalDescription":"Accordion-style paper peepshow of the Great Exhibition in 1851, showing view towards the British Nave across the Transept from the Foreign Nave.\n\r\n8 cut-out panels. 1 peep-hole. Chromolithograph, with front-face heightened with gum arabic. In a slipcase. Expands to approximately 64 cm.\n\r\nIt appears there used to be a lens mounted to the back of the circular peep-hole in the front panel.\n\r\nSlipcase: star-pattern board, a banner displaying the title, foliage, a thumbnail exterior view of the Crystal Palace inside a golden frame, and the lithographer’s and publisher’s details.\n\r\nFront-face: the title, a herald drawing a family’s attention to the Crystal Palace, and the artist’s name. The peep-hole consists of a circular hole below the curtain. \n\r\nPanel 1: visitors in the Crystal Palace.\n\r\nPanel 2 -3: visitors in the Foreign Nave, with equestrian statues. \n\r\nPanel 4: visitors in the Transept, with the Crystal Fountain.\n\r\nPanel 5: visitors in the British Nave, with the Silk Trophy.\n\r\nPanel 6 - 7: visitors in the British Nave, with glass exhibits.\n\r\nPanel 8: visitors in the British Nave, with the Seeley Fountain.\n\r\nBack panel: visitors inside the Crystal Palace.\r\n","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Lane, C.A.","id":"AUTH342984"},"association":{"text":"PUBLISHER","id":"x32600"},"note":"46, Stanhope St. Hampstead Rd., London"}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"paper","id":"x30308"}],"techniques":[],"materialsAndTechniques":"","categories":[{"text":"National Art Library","id":"THES271541"},{"text":"Optical toys","id":"THES274374"},{"text":"Paper Peepshow","id":"THES275149"},{"text":"Great Exhibition","id":"THES48945"},{"text":"History of the V&A","id":"THES252692"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"NAL","id":"THES48605"},"images":["2018LD8532"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"NAL","id":"THES251738"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"peepshows","id":"AAT211180"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"No","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"London","id":"x28980"},"association":{"text":"published","id":"x30682"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1851","earliest":"1851-01-01","latest":"1851-12-31"},"association":{"text":"published","id":"x30682"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Accepted under the Cultural Gifts Scheme by HM Government from the collections of Jacqueline and Jonathan Gestetner and allocated to the Victoria and Albert Museum, 2016.","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"16","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"17.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Length","value":"64","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"fully extended","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"Part of the Jacqueline and Jonathan Gestetner Collection, collected over 30 years and given to the V&A Museum through the government's Cultural Gift Scheme, 2016.","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Lane's Telescopic View of the Great Exhibition, 1851, Lane, C.A., 1851","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"R. Hyde, Paper Peepshows. The Jacqueline and Jonathan Gestetner Collection (Woodbridge: The Antique Collectors' Club, 2015), cat. 255."}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["38041016059289"],"accessionNumberNum":"38041016059289","accessionNumberPrefix":"","accessionYear":null,"otherNumbers":[{"type":{"text":"NAL barcode","id":"THES50330"},"number":"38041016059289"}],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-04-17","recordCreationDate":"2018-10-17","availableToBook":false}}