Circus, Sideshow & Oddities

Personal Photo Albums and Scrapbooks of Sandra Reed. Primarily 1970s. Ten scrapbooks, plus a quantity of loose photos and documents, owned and kept by sword swallower Sandra Reed, containing troves of snapshots and photos, plus clippings, ephemera, and assorted publicity material from carnivals and circuses. Spiral-bound 4to and folios. Items in scrapbooks primarily on self-adhering boards under clear overlays. Hundreds of pieces altogether. Albums worn and dusty. Additional images on request.Extensive photographic and documentary record of the career of sword swallower Sandra Reed, covering the circuses and carnivals she and her husband, Harold “Big Jim” Spohn, who performed as a “fat man,” traveled and toured with in the 1970s. A major share of the albums is made up of personal snapshots, primarily color Kodak and Polaroid prints (most 3 ½ x 4 3/8” or 3 ½ x 3 ½”) and some in black and white, which depict an array of subjects, such as sideshow performers, sideshow banners and midways, carnival rides and games, circus acts and other performers, as well as many images of Reed and her husband, often together with fellow performers or family. Circuses and carnivals represented include James Strates, Circus Vargas, and Clyde Beatty-Cole Bros. The collection also includes publicity photos and material from other circus performers, some inscribed and signed to Harold and/or Sandra. Some of the contents are personalized by Reed, who occasionally adds notes or identification to certain pieces. One album includes a letter from a representative of Guinness Superlatives related to Reed’s world record sword swallowing claim, and other documents include a letter of recommendation from Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey on Reed’s abilities, and a signed contract for Spohn to appear with Clyde Beatty-Cole Bros.