Circus, Sideshow & Oddities

Barnum & Bailey Circus Photo Scrapbook Compiled by Charles Andress. 1890s/1900s. Half-leather scrapbook (6 ¾ x 10 ¾”), bearing a typed presentation slip from Andress to Mr. R.F. Hamilton on the front pastedown, dated 1905. Contains 46 mounted photographs, one postcard, a cabinet photo, a few clippings, and a piece of early Barnum & Bailey letterhead with German to English translations of simple phrases (perhaps in Hamilton’s hand). Extraordinary range of images including unloading circus trains; trained horses; little people and giants; clowns; wagons on parade; performances; Native Americans; stunt bicyclist “looping the loop”; sweeping view of tents and sideshow banners; trained dogs; wild animal wagon cage; and acrobats. Laid in cabinet photo of caricaturist Frank P.W. Bellew. Images generally one per page, average size 4 x 6 3/8”. R.F. Hamilton, to whom this scrapbook was presented, was the head of the publicity department at Barnum & Bailey.