This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 7/11/2024
THOMPSON, Ephraim (1859-1909). New Eph. Thompson and his Wonderful Elephant Mary. Hamburg: Adolph Friedländer, [1902]. Large color lithograph poster featuring one of the first black American animal trainers with his somersaulting elephant, Mary, performing a series of tricks. 38 x 54” Linen backed; professionally restored with inpainting and margins repaired. A-.
Eph Thompson started his circus career working backstage for Forepaugh Circus as an animal caretaker and trainer. Due to racial prejudices in America, his was not able to present acts and remind people behind the scenes. More readily embraced by European audiences, he traveled to Europe with Carl Hagenbeck Circus in 1885 as an elephant trainer and continued to gain notoriety for tricks with his somersaulting elephant Mary and toured with European circuses such as Carré and Schumann.