Pyrotechnic Displays by James Pain, Coney Island, July 19, 1879

Mouse over the image above to see enlargements of the top half and bottom half of this fireworks display announcement.

James Pain presented his "pyrotechnic displays" of fireworks at Coney Island for the first time on the Fourth of July in 1879, and this broadside is an announcement for his third show held two weeks later. For additional background information, see David A. Sullivan's illuminating article Coney Island History: The Story of Pain's Manhattan Beach Fireworks Shows.

For a later James Pain production, see the following trade card for Pain's Last Days of Pompeii:



Pyrotechnic Displays by James Pain, Coney Island, July 19, 1879

Alexandra Exhibition Co.

The next in the Series of

Pyrotechnic Displays

Under the charge of Jas. Pain, Esq., Pyrotechnist of the Alexandra Palace, London, England, and also of the Royal Yacht Squadron, will take place

Saturday, July 19, '79
at
Manhattan Beach, Coney Island.

The Enclosure lies East of the Bathing Pavilion.

Programme
1. Salute of Aerial Maroons.
2. Electric Illumination, with Colored Fires.
3. Grand Display of Large Colored Rockets.
4. Ascent of Magnesium Balloons, weather permitting.
5. Golden Tourbillions, ascending and descending.
6. Girandoles of Fire, with Brilliant Circles, Batteries of Roman Candles, Jewelled Mines, Rockets, &c, &c.
7. Discharge of Shells of Various Colors.
8. Set Piece, Saxon Cross in Brilliant Gold and Emerald Fires.
9. Asteroid Rockets, with Floating Lights, changing colors while sailing through the air.
10. Pigeon Cotes, with Fiery Pigeons Flying to and fro.
11. Set Piece, Mammoth Silver Fire Wheel, with interesting centres continuously changing colors.
12. Pleiades, or Seven Floating Stars, thrown from one rocket.
13. Set Piece, Fairy Fountain, with gold and silver jets.
14. Fire Picture of a Palace River Steamboat.
15. Discharge of Shells, forming gold clouds, silver streams, &c.
16. Forest of Fire, produced by simultaneous discharge of Monster Golden Trees.
17. Set Piece, Grand Star Device.
18. Set Piece, Passion Flowers, represented in various forms and colors.
19. Second Display of Large Rockets, introducing the Wondrous Silver Stars with Cometic Tails.
20. Grand Naval Attack. - Sighting of the Ships -The Attack - The Running Down - Explosion and Sinking of one of the Combatants.
21. Second Discharge of Large Shells, in various colors and effects of the latest invention.
22. Grand Cascade of fire, falling from a great height, and covering a space of several thousand feet.
23. Finale, Flight of Large Rockets, forming a Gigantic Aerial Bouquet.

Admission 25 cts., seats 25 cts. extra.
The Display will be over in ample time for the comfortable return home of our visitors.

American Bank Note Co., Type Department, 53 Broadway, New York.