Recognition at the Centennial International Exhibition

In 1876, we exhibited our American-made steel pens at the Centennial International Exhibition in Philadelphia, the first official world's fair held in the United States. Staged in Fairmount Park from 10 May to 10 November, the exhibition commemorated the centenary of American independence while showcasing manufacturing, technology, agriculture and the arts from the United States and other participating nations. R. Esterbrook & Co. received a Centennial award for its steel pens. The judges' report praised the pens for their "elasticity and general good qualities" and noted the variety of styles displayed. The recognition was particularly relevant to a company producing steel pens domestically in an industry that had long been strongly associated with British manufacturers. We subsequently incorporated the Centennial recognition into our advertising, using the award to support the reputation of Esterbrook's American-made pens. Surviving company material from the period provides evidence of how international exhibitions and their awards became part of the way manufacturers presented the quality of their products to customers and the stationery trade.