Franco British Exhibition 1908 Science Section Catalogue Map 191pp
 
Title & Bibliographic Details
 
Catalogue of the Franco-British Exhibition, London, 1908 – Group II: Science Section
Honorary President: His Grace the Duke of Argyll, K.T.
President: The Right Honourable the Earl of Derby, K.G.
Commissioner General: Imre Kiralfy
Printed and Published by Bemrose & Sons Limited, Derby and London
Entered at Stationers’ Hall
Second Edition – Under Revision
Published 1908
Includes a fold-out plan of the Hall of Science (Building No. 11) at the exhibition.
 
Historical & Bibliographic Context
 
The Franco-British Exhibition, held in London in 1908 at White City, was one of the largest international exhibitions of the Edwardian era. Designed to celebrate the Entente Cordiale between Britain and France, the event attracted millions of visitors and showcased technological, industrial, and cultural achievements from both nations.
 
The Science Section catalogue provides a structured overview of contemporary scientific knowledge and institutional participation in the exhibition. It reflects the intellectual climate of the early twentieth century, when rapid advances in electricity, chemistry, engineering, and physics were transforming society.
 
Subjects represented in the catalogue include:
Mathematical Science
Visible and Invisible Radiations
Heat
Magnetism and Electricity
Chemistry
Metallography
Mineralogy and Crystallography
Biology
Anthropology
Geography and Geodesy
Geology
Oceanography
Meteorology
Astronomy
The National Physical Laboratory
 
Such catalogues were produced as working guides for visitors and specialists, and many were discarded after the exhibition closed. Surviving examples are now valued as historical records of scientific exhibition culture during the Edwardian period.
 
Binding & Exterior Description
 
Original paperback binding with decorative printed cover.
The front cover features attractive early twentieth-century decorative typography and ornamentation, displaying:
“Catalogue Science Section – Franco-British Exhibition – London 1908”
with the original price of Sixpence printed to the cover.
 
Features include:
Decorative printed cover design
Rounded corners
Period exhibition typography
Original publisher's printed wrappers
The cover remains intact and structurally sound.
 
Condition shows expected signs of age including:
Creasing along the spine
Light creases to the front and rear covers
Light rubbing to edges
Very light surface scratches and marks
 
Interior Condition
 
Inside, the catalogue remains well preserved for its age.
Features include:
Pages lightly tanned with age
Overall neat/clean, and only very occasional small or light marks
Only occasional small creases
 
The fold-out plan of the Hall of Science (Building No.11) remains:
Clean
Well preserved
Fully intact
Without tears
 
There are no rips to the pages, and the text remains clear and legible throughout.
All pages are secure within the binding.
 
Physical Details
 
Pagination: 191 pages
Includes fold-out exhibition plan
Dimensions: Approximately 18.5 cm x 12.4 cm x 1.2 cm
Weight: Approximately 271 grams
 
Rarity & Collector Notes
 
Publications relating to the Franco-British Exhibition remain highly collectible, particularly those documenting the scientific and technological displays of the period. While general visitor guides to the exhibition appear on the market from time to time, specialist sectional catalogues such as this Science Section volume are encountered far less frequently.
 
This catalogue is also notably substantial at 191 pages, far exceeding the length of many contemporary exhibition guides. It provides a detailed classification of scientific disciplines presented at the exhibition,  including mathematics, electricity, chemistry, biology, meteorology, and astronomy, offering a fascinating insight into how science and modern research were presented to the Edwardian public.
 
The presence of the original fold-out plan of the Hall of Science further enhances its desirability, as such maps were often lost or damaged in surviving copies.
 
Well-preserved examples with the map intact and the original Art-Deco style wrappers present are increasingly difficult to locate, making this a desirable survival for collectors of scientific history, exhibition ephemera, and Edwardian cultural history.