While there has been an enormous amount to scholarship and other documentation of the Great Exhibition of 1851 in London, below are links to some specific resources.
The Art Journal published a "complete" catalog of the objects exhibited, with an etching and brief description of each of over 1,500 objects.
Here are a few of the textual excerpts from their publication:
Victoria & Albert Museum
A list of 2937 objects in the V&A collection that are relevant to the Great Exhibition is here and some specific examples are:
Council Medal by Pierre Antoine Hippolyte. The page shows both sides and edge of the medal.
Joseph Roucou's dagger and sheath.
Stereoscopic daguerreotype of the glass fountain made by F. & C. Osler.
Souvenir mug showing a 'View of the Building".
John Bell's "The Eagle Slayer".
The Fox Company's Flagon that is currently on view at V&A South Kensington.
Modeling
Here is a screen capture video of the primary architect of the 3D model of the Crystal Palace playing with "placing" objects into the vast space of the building.