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Exposition Universelle et Internationale de Bruxelles, 1910

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Exposition Universelle et Internationale de Bruxelles, 1910

The Brussels Universal and International Exposition opened on April 23, 1910 and closed on November 7. 1910. It covered 220 acres, the number of visitors was said to be 13,000,000, and like most of these Expositions, it lost money. The same site was later used for the Brussels “Expo ’58” Worlds Fair. There was a big fire on August 14 and 15 which gutted several pavilions. These were rapidly rebuilt, and the organizers were able to use this event to promote the exhibition.

There were evidently at least two incubator exhibits at this exposition – one from Alexandre Lion’s “Oeuvre Maternelle des Couveuses d’Enfants” (which was based in Paris) and the other from M. Ehrlich’s “Institut des Couveuses d’Enfants.” There is little to be found in print about either exhibit, although a few photographs and postcards survive.

I believe the first photo below to be the exhibit of M. Ehrlich, as the name “Institut des Couveuses d’Enfants” and the location matches the cover of a souvenir booklet from his exhibit. This building was located on the Plaine des Attractions, near the “Big Tree.”

Source: “Les Marveilles de l’Exposition” souvenir booklet.

The photo and the postcards below appear to be Ehrlich’s paviliion as well, photographed from the other side. The roof profile and the location are consistent with the Ehrlich pavilion.

The photo below is labeled “Pavilion de l’Oeuvre Maternelle des Couveuses d’Enfants” on a Belgian website about the 1910 Exhibition, so it is evidently the exhibit of Dr. Alexandre Lion, who ran similar exhibits at many Worlds Fairs and other expositions around the turn of the century in addition to his permanent storefronts in Paris, Bordeaux, Marseilles, Lyons, Nice, Brussels, New York, and other cities. (https://belgique-insolite-et-occulte.blogspot.com/2016/10/bruxelles-1910-exposition-universelle.html)

As was his usual practice, Dr. Lion had souvenir postcards made for his exhibit, which are still easy to find on eBay and similar sites.

The photo and postcard below add another element of mystery. but the signage is in English now, and there is a structure to the right of the building that is not seen in the picture above.

Finally, Elmond Cordier, founder of the Institut Puériculture de Bruxelles, also had some kind of presence at the Exposition. He is known to have received a Gold Medal at the Exposition. The family biography states: “A l’Exposition Internationale de Bruxelles toujours en 1910, l’Institut occupa un emplacement dans le groupe III de la section belge et y reçu aussi le diplôme de médaille d’or.” [At the Brussels International Exhibition, still in 1910, the Institute occupied a placement in group III of the Belgian section and also received there the diploma of gold medal.]

A map and overhead panorama of the exhibition can be seen below.