Parkesine, exhibited at the 1862 London International…

Parkesine, exhibited at the 1862 London International Exhibition held from May 1 to November 1, at South Kensington, anticipates many of the modern aesthetic and utility uses of plastics.

Other exhibitions include  such large pieces of machinery as parts of Charles Babbage's analytical engine, cotton mills, and maritime engines by the firm of Henry Maudslay, as well as a range of smaller goods including fabrics, rugs, sculptures, furniture, plates, silver and glass wares, and wallpaper.

The work shown by William Morris's decorative arts firm of Morris, Marshall, Faulkner & Co. attracted much notice.

The exposition also introduced the use of caoutchouc for rubber production and the Bessemer process for steel manufacture.

It is particularly noteworthy for an exhibit from Japan, influential in the development of Anglo-Japanese style.