World’s Columbian Exposition U.S. War Department Exhibit Photographs

Dates: 1892-1893
Size: 3 linear feet in 2 boxes, includes 350 photographs
Repository: Chicago Public Library, Harold Washington Library Center, Special Collections, 400 S. State St., Chicago, IL 60605
Collection Number: spe-f00134
Immediate Source of Acquisition: Purchased in 2014 from Chicago Rare Book Center.
Conditions Governing Access: Materials are open without restrictions.
Conditions Governing Use: Please consult staff to determine ability to reuse materials from collection.
Preferred Citation: When quoting material from this collection the preferred citation is: World’s Columbian Exposition, U.S. War Department Exhibit Photographs, [Box #, Photograph #], Special Collections, Chicago Public Library
Finding Aid Author: Michelle McCoy, 2020. Updated and reformatted for ArchivesSpace by Michelle McCoy, 2021.

Abstract

The collection consists of 350 photographs that document the U.S. War Department exhibit in the U.S. Government Building at the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago. Eleven photographs show general views of the Ordnance Exhibit and the remaining photographs mounted to album pages show the installation of the exhibit and catalog the selected firearms and their schematic technologies on display. A.H. Russell was the Captain of Ordnance who was in charge of the Ordnance Section at the World's Columbian Exposition. It is possible that this album was assembled for him or his office.

Biographical/Historical

In the late 1880s Chicago was among the cities vying for the privilege of hosting a World’s Fair celebrating the 400th anniversary of Christopher Columbus’ arrival in the Americas. By 1890 Chicago had bested the other contenders and been chosen as the host city.

Although the World’s Columbian Exposition did not open until May 1, 1893 and ran for only six months, it drew more than 27 million people from around the world. The Fair was widely celebrated, but its physical manifestation was transitory. Exhibits were returned to lenders or dispersed. Most fair buildings were temporary structures made with iron, steel and timber covered with a degradable material called “staff,” a combination of plaster, cement and jute fibers. The only remaining building on the fairgrounds is the Palace of Fine Arts, now the Museum of Science and Industry.

Scope and Contents

The collection consists of 350 photographs that document the U.S. War Department exhibit in the U.S. Government Building at the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago. The first eleven photographs show views of the exhibit area and the Ordnance Exhibit, in particular. All of the other photographs are mounted to album pages. The 77 album pages are no longer bound. While it is unknown if pages are missing, there are gaps between labeled exhibit numbers. Photographs 12-23 show the installation of the exhibit. The remaining photographs catalog the selected firearms and their schematic technologies in the Ordnance Exhibit. The album is stamped War Department, Chief of Ordnance on the verso side of the album pages. A.H. Russell was the Captain of Ordnance who was in charge of the Ordnance Section at the World’s Columbian Exposition. It is possible that this album was assembled for him or his office.

Arrangement

The photographs in Box 1 are grouped by view. The photograph album pages in Box 2 are organized mostly by exhibit number with a couple of exceptions. The archivist has retained the descriptions printed on the album pages.

Subject Headings

  • Military weapons
  • Ordnance--History
  • Russell, A.H.
  • United States. Army. Ordnance Department.
  • World's Columbian Exposition (1893 : Chicago, Ill.)

Related Collections

  • C.D. Arnold Photographic Collection
  • Ellsworth-Arnold Photograph Albums Collection
  • E.R. Walker Photograph Album
  • World’s Columbian Exposition, Catholic Educational Exhibit
  • World’s Columbian Exposition, Glass Plate Lantern Slides
  • World’s Columbian Exposition, Miscellaneous Photographs
  • World’s Columbian Exposition, Snapshots Collection

Collection Inventory

Box 1 Photographs 1-9 Ordnance Department exhibit, general views, 1893 (9)
Box 1 Photographs 9-10 Corps of Engineers, U.S. Army exhibit, 1893 (2)
Box 1 Photograph 11 Small arms exhibit, 1893
Box 2 Photographs 12-23 Preparation of the exhibit, 1892-1893 (12)
Box 2 Photographs 24-28 Exhibit 1, Chinese cannon, 1893 (5)
Box 2 Photographs 29-31 Exhibit 2, Old Breech-loading guns, 1893 (3)
Box 2 Photograph 32 Exhibit 6, English field piece, flintlock, 1983
Box 2 Photograph 33 Exhibits 9 and 10, Mexican and U.S. mortars, 1893
Box 2 Photograph 34 Exhibit 17, Colt’s revolver gun, 1893
Box 2 Photograph 35 Exhibit 17, George’s revolver gun, 1893
Box 2 Photograph 36 Exhibits 18, 19 and 20, B.L. cast iron smooth bore clay gun, Whitworth gun, 1893
Box 2 Photographs 37-38 Exhibit 26, 12 inch B.L. rifle, 1893 (2)
Box 2 Photograph 39 Exhibit 40, gas checks for field gun, 1893
Box 2 Photographs 40-41 Exhibit 47, Gerdom breech models, 1893 (2)
Box 2 Photographs 42-45 Exhibit 45, Hotchkiss B.L. mountain gun and carriage packed on mules, 1893 (4)
Box 2 Photographs 46-49 Exhibit 48, William’s rapid fire gun, 1893 (4)
Box 2 Photograph 50 Exhibit 58, Gardner machine gun, 1893
Box 2 Photographs 51-53 Exhibit 59, feeds for Gatling gun, 1893 (3)
Box 2 Photograph 54 Revolving cannon, 16th century, 1893
Box 2 Photographs 55-56 Exhibit 62, Maxim automatic machine gun, 1893 (2)
Box 2 Photographs 57-59 Exhibits 64, 65, 66, 67, 68 and 69, matchlock guns, 1893 (3)
Box 2 Photograph 61 Exhibit 70, Chinese wheellock pistol, 1893
Box 2 Photograph 60 Exhibit 71, wheellock gun, 1893
Box 2 Photograph 62 Exhibit 76, English “Brown Bess” flintlock, 1893
Box 2 Photograph 63 Exhibit 78, French flintlock, 1893
Box 2 Photograph 64 Exhibit 79, “Queens Arm” flintlock, 1893
Box 2 Photograph 65 Exhibits 82 and 83, Old Springfield flintlocks, 1893
Box 2 Photographs 66-70 Exhibit 84, five blunderbusses, 1893 (5)
Box 2 Photographs 73-74 Exhibit 85, Forsyth’s punch-lock pistol, 1893 (2)
Box 2 Photographs 71-72, 75 Exhibit 86, Guthrie’s pellet-primer rifle, 1893 (3)
Box 2 Photograph 76 Exhibit 88, English muzzle-loading musket, 1893
Box 2 Photograph 77 Exhibit 94, pistol carbine, 1893
Box 2 Photograph 78 Exhibit 95, Harper’s Ferry rifle, 1893
Box 2 Photograph 79 Exhibit 101, English Enfield rifle musket, 1893
Box 2 Photograph 80 Exhibit 102, “Garibaldi” rifled musket, 1893
Box 2 Photograph 81 Exhibit 103, U.S. Springfield musket rifle and cadet rifle, 1893
Box 2 Photograph 82 Exhibit 105, board of pistols, 1893
Box 2 Photograph 83 Exhibit 106, board of gun locks, 1893
Box 2 Photographs 84-86 Exhibit 107, Ferguson B.L. flintlock, 1893 (3)
Box 2 Photographs 87-88 Exhibit 108, Hall’s flintlock musket, 1893 (2)
Box 2 Photograph 89 Exhibit 110, Hall’s carbine, 1893
Box 2 Photograph 90 Exhibit 112, Jenk’s Navy carbine, 1893
Box 2 Photographs 91-92 Exhibit 115, Dreyse needle gun, 1893 (2)
Box 2 Photograph 93 Exhibit 117, Prussian needle gun, 1893
Box 2 Photograph 94 Exhibit 119, Dreyse’s improved needle gun, 1893
Box 2 Photographs 95-97 Exhibit 120, French chassepot carbine, 1893 (3)
Box 2 Photograph 98 Exhibit 121, Green’s bolt gun, 1893
Box 2 Photograph 99 Exhibit 122, Lindner’s B.L. rifle carbine, 1893
Box 2 Photograph 100 Exhibit 123, Whittemore’s B.L. rifle carbine, 1893
Box 2 Photograph 101 Exhibit 125, Starr’s carbine, 1893
Box 2 Photograph 102 Exhibit 126, Cosmopolitan rifle carbine, 1893
Box 2 Photograph 103 Exhibit 127, Smith carbine, 1893
Box 2 Photograph 104 Exhibit 128, Gallagher rifle carbine, 1893
Box 2 Photograph 105 Exhibit 129, Green’s B.L. rifle carbine, 1893
Box 2 Photograph 106 Exhibit 126, Gibb’s B.L. rifle carbine, 1893
Box 2 Photograph 107 Exhibit 132, Merrill B.L. rifle carbine, 1893
Box 2 Photograph 109 Exhibit 133, Merrill, Latrobe & Thomas carbine, 1893
Box 2 Photographs 108, 110 Exhibit 134, Allen & Wheelock carbine, 1893 (2)
Box 2 Photograph 111 Exhibit 137, Symme’s B.L. carbine, 1893
Box 2 Photograph 112 Exhibit 138, Tarpley B.L. carbine, 1893
Box 2 Photograph 113 Exhibit 140, Robert’s B.L. rifle, 1893
Box 2 Photographs 114-115 Exhibit 143, Burnside rifle carbine, 1893 (2)
Box 2 Photograph 116 Exhibit 145, Maynard B.L. rifle, 1893
Box 2 Photograph 117 Exhibit 147, Wilson & Flathers Morse system, 1893
Box 2 Photograph 118 Exhibit 148, Freeman’s B.L. rifle, 1893
Box 2 Photograph 119 Exhibit 151, National B.L. rifle, 1893
Box 2 Photographs 120-121 Exhibit 153, Ballard rifle, 1893 (2)
Box 2 Photograph 122 Exhibit 155, Sharp & Hawkins B.L. rifle carbine, 1893
Box 2 Photograph 123 Exhibit 158, Wesson B.L. rifle carbine, 1893
Box 2 Photographs 124-125 Exhibit 159, B.L. rifle musket, unknown maker, 1893 (2)
Box 2 Photograph 126 Exhibit 162, Joslyn carbine, 1893
Box 2 Photograph 127 Exhibit 163, Warner’s B.L. carbine, 1893
Box 2 Photograph 128 Exhibit 166, Austrian Werdl rifle, 1893
Box 2 Photographs 129-130 Exhibit 167, Peabody B.L. rifle, 1893 (2)
Box 2 Photograph 131 Exhibit 168, Werder B.L. rifle (Bavarian), 1893
Box 2 Photographs 132-133 Exhibit 169, Lee gun, 1893 (2)
Box 2 Photograph 134 Exhibit 171, Martini-Henry rifle, 1893
Box 2 Photographs 135-136 Exhibit 172, Remington cadet rifle, 1893 (2)
Box 2 Photograph 137 Exhibit 173, German Mauser rifle, 1893
Box 2 Photograph 138 Exhibit 174, French gras rifle, 1893
Box 2 Photographs 139-140 Exhibit 175, Pierie or Glisenti rifle, 1893 (2)
Box 2 Photograph 141 Exhibit 179, Palmer carbine, 1893
Box 2 Photograph 142 Exhibit 180, Lindner’s B.L. rifle, 1893
Box 2 Photograph 143 Percival & Smith magazine gun, 1893
Box 2 Photograph 144 Exhibit 203, Ellis’s repeating flintlock muzzle-loading rifle, 1893
Box 2 Photograph 145 Exhibit 208, old Japanese revolver, 1893
Box 2 Photograph 146 Exhibit 209, Whittier revolver rifle, 1893
Box 2 Photographs 147-148 Exhibit 212, Swiss or Belgian parlor magazine rifle, 1893 (2)
Box 2 Photograph 149 Exhibit 217, Colt’s revolver rifle, 1893
Box 2 Photograph 150 Exhibit 238, board of pistols mad revolvers from Colt’s armory, 1893
Box 2 Photograph 151 Exhibit 239, board of Army and Navy revolvers using paper cartridges, 1893
Box 2 Photograph 152 Exhibit 240, board of Army and Navy revolvers using metallic cartridges, 1893
Box 2 Photographs 153-154 Exhibit 243, Colt’s new double-action revolver, 1893 (2)
Box 2 Photographs 155-158 Exhibit 244, Spencer carbine, 1893 (4)
Box 2 Photograph 159 Exhibit 246, Scott or Triplett magazine rifle, 1893
Box 2 Photographs 160-161 Exhibit 248, Hotchkiss magazine rifle, 1893 (2)
Box 2 Photographs 162-163 Exhibit 250, Henry magazine rifle, 1893 (2)
Box 2 Photographs 164-166 Exhibit 251, Wincester magazine rifle, 1893 (3)
Box 2 Photograph 167 Exhibit 251, Bennett tubular magazine charger, 1893
Box 2 Photographs 168-169 Exhibit 252, Swiss Vetterlin magazine rifle, 1893 (2)
Box 2 Photographs 170-171 Exhibit 254, Ball’s B.L. magazine carbine, 1893 (2)
Box 2 Photographs 172-174 Exhibit 255, Smith’s punch-lock rifle, 1893 (3)
Box 2 Photographs 175-177 Exhibit 256, Ward-Burton magazine rifle, 1893 (3)
Box 2 Photograph 178 Exhibit 257, Remington-Keene magazine rifle, 1893
Box 2 Photographs 179-180 Exhibit 259, Lebel magazine gun, 1893 (2)
Box 2 Photographs 181-182 Exhibit 260, Kropatscheck, Portugal, 1893 (2)
Box 2 Photographs 183-184 Exhibit 261, Murata, Japan, 1893 (2)
Box 2 Photographs 185-186 Exhibit 262, Spencer repeating shotgun, 1893 (2)
Box 2 Photographs 187-189 Exhibit 264, Winchester repeating shotgun, 1893 (3)
Box 2 Photograph 190 Exhibit 264, elements of Burgess mechanism, 1893
Box 2 Photograph 191 Exhibit 266, Krnka quick loader, 1893
Box 2 Photograph 192 Exhibit 266, Merrill’s quick loader, 1893
Box 2 Photograph 193 Exhibit 266, Col. Benton’s detachable quick loader, 1893
Box 2 Photograph 194 Exhibit 266, Gen. Hagner’s quick loader, 1893
Box 2 Photographs 195-196 Exhibit 266, Stillman’s quick loader, 1893 (2)
Box 2 Photograph 197 Exhibit 266, Merrill’s quick loader, 1893
Box 2 Photograph 198 Exhibit 266, Col. Benton’s quick loader, 1893
Box 2 Photograph 199 Exhibit 266, Capt. Metcalfe’s detachable quick loader, 1893
Box 2 Photograph 200 Exhibit 266, Elliott’s detachable quick loader, 1893
Box 2 Photograph 201 Exhibit 266, Tyler’s spiral magazine, 1893
Box 2 Photographs 202-203 Exhibit 267, single revolving repeating rifle, 1893 (2)
Box 2 Photograph 204 Exhibit 267, Roper revolving gun, 1893
Box 2 Photograph 205 Exhibit 268, Quimby gravity magazine, 1893
Box 2 Photograph 206 Exhibit 268, detachable gravity magazines, 1893
Box 2 Photograph 207 Exhibit 268, White’s hopper magazine, 1893
Box 2 Photograph 208 Exhibit 268, Loewe or Barthelme’s magazine, 1893
Box 2 Photograph 209 Exhibit 269, Sporter magazine rifle, 1893
Box 2 Photograph 210 Exhibit 269, Livermore-Russell modification of Hotchkiss magazine, 1893
Box 2 Photograph 211 Exhibit 269, charger for Evan’s magazine, 1893
Box 2 Photograph 212 Exhibit 269, Wilson’s magazine in butt stock, 1893
Box 2 Photographs 213-216 Exhibit 270, Lee magazine gun, 1893 (4)
Box 2 Photographs 217-220 Exhibit 271, Livermore-Russell magazine gun, 1893 (4)
Box 2 Photographs 221-222 Exhibit 272, Tiesing-Kennedy magazine gun, 1893 (2)
Box 2 Photographs 223-225 Exhibit 273, Schulhoff magazine gun, 1893 (3)
Box 2 Photograph 226 Exhibit 273, Rodier & Bates magazine pistol, 1893
Box 2 Photographs 227-230 Exhibit 274, Mannlicher magazine gun (Austrian), 1893 (4)
Box 2 Photographs 231-233 Exhibit 275, Lee-Speed magazine gun, 1893 (3)
Box 2 Photographs 234-236 Exhibit 276, Rubin magazine gun, 1893 (3)
Box 2 Photographs 237-239 Exhibit 277, Schmidt magazine gun, 1893 (3)
Box 2 Photographs 240-242 Exhibit 278, Mauser box magazine gun, 1893 (3)
Box 2 Photograph 243 Exhibit 279, Russell swinging magazine, 1893
Box 2 Photographs 244-245 Exhibit 280, Mannlicher carbine (Austrian), 1893 (2)
Box 2 Photographs 246-247 Exhibit 281, German box magazine, 1893 (2)
Box 2 Photograph 248 Exhibit 282, Mannlicher carbine (Roumania), 1893
Box 2 Photographs 249-250 Exhibit 283, Berthier rifle (French), 1893 (2)
Box 2 Photographs 251-254 Exhibit 284, Bergman rifle, 1893 (4)
Box 2 Photographs 255-256 Exhibit 285, Mondragon repeating rifle (Mexican), 1893 (2)
Box 2 Photographs 257-260 Exhibit 286, Livermore-Russell magazine guns, numbers 2, 3, and 4, 1893 (4)
Box 2 Photographs 261-263 Exhibit 287, Bruce magazine rifle, 1893 (3)
Box 2 Photographs 264-267 Exhibit 288, Blake magazine gun, 1893 (4)
Box 2 Photographs 268-272 Exhibit 289, Krag-Jorgensen rifle (Denmark), 1893 (5)
Box 2 Photographs 273-278 Exhibit 290, Krag-Jorgensen rifle (Norwegian), 1893 (6)
Box 2 Photographs 279-283 Exhibit 291, Freddi automatic recoil (Italian), 1893 (5)
Box 2 Photographs 284-285 Exhibit 292, Pitcher automatic repeating rifle, 1893 (2)
Box 2 Photograph 286 Exhibit 293, Pieper electric gun, 1893
Box 2 Photograph 287 Exhibit 294, Frankford Arsenal shrapnel, 1893
Box 2 Photograph 288 Exhibit 297, electric-welded shrapnel, 1893
Box 2 Photographs 289-290 Exhibit 297, electric-welded projectiles, 1893 (2)
Box 2 Photograph 291 Exhibit 295, Hotchkiss shrapnel, 1893
Box 2 Photographs 292-293 Exhibit 302, impact fuses (concussion and percussion), 1893 (2)
Box 2 Photograph 294 Exhibit 303, combination fuzes, 1893
Box 2 Photograph 295 Exhibit 304, Hotchkiss base percussion fuze, 1893
Box 2 Photograph 296 Exhibit 305, Armstrong combination fuze, 1893
Box 2 Photograph 297 Exhibit 306, Gen. Flagler’s fuze, 1893
Box 2 Photograph 298 Exhibit 307, Frankford Arsenal combination fuze, 1893
Box 2 Photograph 299 Exhibit 307, fuze setter, 1893
Box 2 Photograph 300 Exhibit 307, method of operating fuze punch, 1893
Box 2 Photograph 301 Exhibit 307, time train, 1893
Box 2 Photograph 302 Exhibit 308, Merriam base percussion fuze, 1893
Box 2 Photograph 303 Exhibit 309, friction primers, 1893
Box 2 Photograph 304 Exhibit 310, electric primers, 1893
Box 2 Photograph 305 Exhibit 311, obturating primers, 1893
Box 2 Photograph 306 Exhibit 311, obturating friction primers, 1893
Box 2 Photograph 307 Exhibit 312, percussion primers, 1893
Box 2 Photograph 308 Exhibit 313, percussion primer pistol for firing cannon, 1893
Box 2 Photographs 309-310 Exhibit 315, black and brown powders, 1893 (2)
Box 2 Photograph 311 Exhibit 316, smokeless powder, 1893
Box 2 Photographs 312-313 Exhibit 326, cartridges of various nations, 1893 (2)
Box 2 Photograph 314 Exhibit 328, bullets recovered after firing, 1893
Box 2 Photograph 315 [Exhibit 328], Mill’s woven cartridge belt, 1893
Box 2 Photograph 316 [Exhibit 328], Orndorff’s cartridge belt and packing box, 1893
Box 2 Photograph 317 Exhibit 329, bayonets, 1893
Box 2 Photograph 318 Exhibit 335, Lee-Speed sight, 1893
Box 2 Photograph 319 Exhibit 335, Bergman sight, 1893
Box 2 Photograph 320 Exhibit 340, gun-sling fixture for Krag-Jorgensen rifle (Norwegian), 1893
Box 2 Photograph 321 Exhibit 347, Gautier telemeter and Exhibit 349 Watkin’s range finder, 1893
Box 2 Photograph 322 Exhibit 351, Richard’s hand telescope for stadia work, 1893
Box 2 Photograph 323 Exhibit 351, Richard’s self-reading targets, 1893
Box 2 Photograph 324 Exhibit 352, chronometer, 1893
Box 2 Photograph 325 Exhibit 355, 6 pdr. Bronze gun, 1893
Box 2 Photograph 326 Exhibit 355, piezometer, 1893
Box 2 Photograph 327 Exhibit 357, Noble’s crusher gauges, 1893
Box 2 Photograph 328 Exhibit 358, Robins’s ballistic pendulum, 1893
Box 2 Photograph 329 Exhibit 360, Navez’s ballistic pendulum, 1893
Box 2 Photograph 330 Exhibit 360, Vignotte’s electro-ballistic pendulum, 1893
Box 2 Photograph 331 Exhibit 362, Benton’s electro-ballistic pendulum, 1893
Box 2 Photograph 332 Exhibit 366, Marcel-Deprez registers, 1893
Box 2 Photographs 333-334 Exhibit 378, Laidley gun lift, 1893 (2)
Box 2 Photograph 335 Exhibit 382, tree full of cannon balls, 1893
Box 2 Photograph 336 Exhibit 386, effect of bullets meeting in flight, 1893
Box 2 Photograph 337 Exhibit 390, French helmet and cuirass from battlefield, 1893
Box 2 Photograph 338 Exhibit 391, antique weapons, 1893
Box 2 Photograph 339 Exhibit 392, suit of Persian armor, 1893
Box 2 Photographs 340-341 Springfield rifles, 1893 (2)
Box 2 Photograph 342 Exhibit 396, original Blanchard lathe, 1893
Box 2 Photograph 343 Exhibit 415, U.S. cal. 45 cartridges, 1893
Box 2 Photograph 344 Exhibit 415, U.S. cal. 30 cartridges, 1893
Box 2 Photograph 345 Exhibit 416, double action press, specimens of work, 1893
Box 2 Photograph 346 Exhibit 417, specimen of work done on drawing presses, 1893
Box 2 Photograph 347 Exhibit 428, sample of cartridges, 1893
Box 2 Photograph 348 Exhibit 429, folded-head shell, steps of manufacture, 1893
Box 2 Photographs 349-350 Exhibit 430, revolver and shotgun cartridges, 1893
Print this page