Circus, Sideshow & Oddities

STRATTON, Charles S. (Tom Thumb) (1838-1883). Quarter-Plate Daguerreotype of General Tom Thumb. Circa late 1840s. Quarter plate (image area 3 ½ x 2 ½”). Stratton stands on a table, one hand on his waist, the other grasping his lapel. He wears finger rings on both hands, a neckband, and chain. Florally embossed case (4 5/8 x 3 5/8”), cleanly separated at the hinge. Collection of Gary Bart. A rare, incredibly lifelike daguerreotype portrait of the most famous circus dwarf of all time. Stratton was discovered in Connecticut by the founding father of the American circus, Phineas Taylor Barnum. Barnum taught Stratton to sing, dance, and do impersonations, and gave him the name Tom Thumb, after the traditional wee character of English folklore. His impersonation of Napoleon Bonaparte earned him the title General. Stratton became an international celebrity, touring England and Europe with Barnum. His likeness was widely spread to the public on engravings and carte-de visite photographs. This is one of only a handful of daguerreotypes of Stratton ever seen at auction, and the first with Stratton as the solo subject since 2007. Daguerreotypes of Stratton are held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York; The Harvard Theatre Collection; and the National Portrait Gallery.